Ariane 5 payload deployment, cutaway artwork. This is the second stage of an Ariane 5 rocket, being used to deploy two satellites. Such launches take

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Ariane 5 payload deployment, cutaway artwork. This is the second stage of an Ariane 5 rocket, being used to deploy two satellites. Such launches take place in stages, with the earlier stages discarded during the launch, leaving only this final stage to complete the process. The Ariane 5 launch system is used by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the French space agency (CNES). This is the ESC-A (Etage Superieur Cryogenique-A) second stage of the ECA (Evolution Cryotechnique type A) configuration, used since 2002. The double satellite carrier (black) is called SYLDA (Systeme de Lancement Double Ariane).

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Size: 4822px × 3661px
Photo credit: © DAVID DUCROS, ESA/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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