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ArianespaceLaunch SuccessfulEarth ScienceAriane 40
Launched 1999-12-03 16:22:46 UTCAriane Launch Area 2, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Success
Reached Polar Orbit
Worldwide
68th
orbital launch attempt in 1999
Arianespace
8th
launch this year
Ariane Launch Area 2
8th
launch from this pad this year
Pad turnaround
19 d 17 h
since the pad's previous launch
The Helios program is Europe's military optical reconnaissance system consisting of both a space and a ground segment, which commenced service in 1995, jointly funded by the French, Italian and Spanish governments. The Helios I optical observation satellites, launched in July 1995 and December 1999 respectively, can acquire high resolution images of any point on the globe, with daily revisit capability. Helios-1B had suffered a breakdown of its power supply system in October 2004 and could no longer perform any work after operating for just under its 5-year nominal life expectancy.
Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.
Launches
328
Successful
313
95%
Upcoming
51
scheduled
Height
55.6m
Diameter
3.8m
To low Earth orbit
4,600kg
Liftoff thrust
2,720kN
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