May Gallery

Overall view and cut-away of the Ariane 5 launcher

Ariane 5. Artwork showing an overall view (left) and cut-away view (right) of the European Ariane 5 launcher. Ariane 5 consists of a large first stage (lower 2/3rds of the central vehicle) flanked by two solid rocket boosters, with a smaller second stage (top 1/3rd). Most of the first stage is taken up by the vast liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen tanks, which feed the single Vulcain motor at bottom. The second stage is powered by a DASA engine powered by storable propellants (dinitrogen tetroxide and monomethyl hydrazine). The payload depicted here is the Cluster mission with its four identical spacecraft. The first Ariane 5 mission, carrying Cluster, is due for launch in mid-1996

© DAVID DUCROS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

BTCC 1996: Rounds 5 and 6 Thruxton

THRUXTON, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 06: Rickard Rydell, Volvo 850 Racing, Volvo 850 20v during the Rounds 5 and 6 Thruxton at Thruxton on May 06, 1996 in Thruxton, United Kingdom. (Photo by LAT Images)

© Motorsport Images

Action, Rear

Artwork showing the Ariane series of launchers

Ariane launchers. Artwork showing the evolution of the Ariane series of European launchers. At far left is an Ariane 1 (first flight 24 December 1979). Next to this is the upgraded Ariane 2 (first flight 31 May 1986) and in the centre is the Ariane 3 with its two solid rocket boosters (first flight 4 August 1984). Just right of centre is the current model, Ariane 4 (first flight 15 June 1988), seen in the 44L variant with four liquid-fuelled boosters. At far right is Ariane 5 (first flight due mid-1996), a radically different design with two very large solid boosters. Ariane provides about 50% of the world's commercial satellite launches each year

© DAVID DUCROS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY