spacetoday.net: Ariane launches fifth and final ATV spacecraft

Posted: Wed, Jul 30, 2014, 8:48 AM ET (1248 GMT)
Ariane 5 ES launch of ATV-5 (Arianespace)

An Ariane 5 successfully launched on Tuesday the last in a planned series of European cargo spacecraft to the International Space Station. The Ariane 5 ES lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 7:47 pm EDT (2347 GMT) Tuesday, placing the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) 5 spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft, named Georges Lemaitre after the Belgian astrophysicist, will spent two weeks in orbit conducting tests before docking with the ISS on August 12. The spacecraft is carrying 6,600 kilograms of supplies for the ISS. The spacecraft is the last in a series of ATVs that the European Space Agency launched to support its share of ISS logistics. ESA plans to use ATV technology to develop the service module for NASA's Orion spacecraft to cover its share of future ISS cargo services. The launch was also the 60th consecutive successful Ariane launch, a streak that has lasted for more than a decade.