ArianeGroup (formerly Airbus Safran Launchers) is an aerospace company based in France. A joint venture between Airbus and Safran, the company was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Issy-les-Moulineaux. It consists of three core arms: aerospace, defence and security.

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Ariane 5 is a heavy-lift launch vehicle, part of the Ariane rocket family.

Ariane 5 ECA

Ariane 5 ECA+ is a variant of the Ariane 5 heavy-lift vehicle, with a taller ECA-D upper stage.

Ariane 5 ECA+

The Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) has an estimated LEO launch capacity of 21,000 kg (46,000 lb). It includes all the performance improvements of Ariane 5 ECA core and boosters but replaces the ESC-A second stage with the restartable EPS used on Ariane 5 GS variants. It was used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a 260 km circular low Earth orbit inclined at 51.6° and has been used 3 times to launch 4 Galileo navigation satellites at a time directly into their operational orbit. The Ariane 5 ES flew 8 times from 2008 to 2018 with no failures.

Ariane 5 ES

The original version is dubbed Ariane 5 G (Generic) and had a launch mass of 737 tonnes. Its payload capability to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) was 6,900 kg (15,200 lb) for a single satellite or 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) for dual launches. It flew 17 times with one failure and two partial failures.

Ariane 5 G

The Ariane 5 G+ had an improved EPS second stage, with a GTO capacity of 7,100 kg (15,700 lb) for a single payload or 6,300 kg (13,900 lb) for two. It flew three times in 2004, with no failures.

Ariane 5 G+

At the time of the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA flight in 2002, all Ariane 5 launchers in production were ECA versions. Some of the ECA cores were modified to use the original Vulcain engine and tank volumes while the failure was investigated; these vehicles were designated Ariane 5 GS. The GS used the improved EAP boosters of the ECA variant and the improved EPS of the G+ variant, but the increased mass of the modified ECA core compared to the G and G+ core resulted in slightly reduced payload capacity. Ariane 5 GS could carry a single payload of 6,600 kg (14,600 lb) or a dual payload of 5,800 kg (12,800 lb) to GTO. The Ariane 5 GS flew 6 times from 2005 to 2009 with no failures.

Ariane 5 GS

Ariane 6 is a European expendable launch system developed by ArianeGroup for the European Space Agency (ESA). It replaces Ariane 5 and aims to halve launch costs while increasing launch capacity. Ariane 6 features two main variants: Ariane 62 with two solid boosters for government and scientific missions, and Ariane 64 with four boosters for commercial dual-satellite launches. Both variants use liquid hydrogen-oxygen engines: a Vulcain 2.1 for the first stage and a Vinci engine for the upper stage. It offers versatile payload capabilities to various orbits.

Ariane 62

European-developed expendable rocket, designed for versatility in government and commercial launches.

The Ariane 6 family is currently under development by the European Space Agency, with two variations including the Ariane 64 with four solid boosters intended for government and scientific missions.

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