Arianespace Launches a Commemorative Patch

During 2012, the Arianespace launcher family performed a total of 10 missions from the Spaceport in French Guiana, led by the heavy-lift Ariane 5 with its 10-metric-ton payload lift performance – which has logged 53 consecutive successes during the past 10 years.

Arianespace’s mission cadence in 2012 was called “remarkable” by Chairman & CEO Jean-Yves Le Gall.

“It confirms the interest, effectiveness and availability of our launcher product line – which enables us to launch all satellites, for all of our customers, to all orbits,” he said during comments after today’s flight.

“In addition, 2012 also marked a yearly record in terms of payload mass placed into orbit, since – for the first time – we have reached a total of nearly 75 tons, of which 20 tons was for the Edoardo Amaldi Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)!”