In close-up: Ariane 5, the record rocket! A look back at five memorable moments 05-20-2020 |  4 minutes

The fastest speed ever achieved by an Ariane rocket was 37 476km/h (10,410m/s), for injection of the comet-chasing Rosetta probe into an interplanetary trajectory to head off on its 10-year journey. At this speed, the trip from Paris to New York is only nine minutes and 22 seconds!

At around 20 tons, the ATV cargo supply carrier to the ISS is by far the most massive payload ever lofted by an Ariane rocket, and needed a specifically adapted, strengthened version, the Ariane 5 ES with its re-ignitable upper stage. After a perfect performance on its maiden flight with ATV-1 Jules Verne, Ariane 5 ES flawlessly launched all four following ATVs.

The first Ariane mission to launch satellites for Europe’s global navigation system Galileo, deploying a specially modified version of the Ariane 5 ES, had no time to lose – there was no launch window for this flight. The rocket had to lift off at 13.06.48 precisely or not at all. So it did.

Ariane 5 set (again!) a new record for payload lift of two telecommunications satellites to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) – with a total payload performance of 10 865kg, this was over 100kg more than the rocket’s previous personal best, and represents a 15% payload capacity increase since entering service.

A classic flight, standard dual launch of two telecommunications satellites with a gross mass of 10,827kg, faultless performance, successful mission. Just that this was the 100th Ariane 5 launch, and a further demonstration that launching 10 metric tons into orbit is now normal business for Ariane 5!

Ariane 5 has not yet written the final page of its space legend.