Ariane 42P rocket with the TOPEX/Poseidon satellite (Kourou, August 10, 1992) (NASA)

Ariane 4 was an expendable launch system, designed by the European Space Agency and manufactured and marketed by its subsidiary Arianespace. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... An expendable launch system is a single-use launch vehicle usually used to launch a payload into space. ... The European Space Agency (ESA), established in 1975, is an inter-governmental organisation dedicated to the exploration of space, currently with 17 member states. ... Founded in 1980, Arianespace SA undertakes the production, operation and marketing of the Ariane 4 and Ariane 5 rocket launchers as part of the Ariane programme. ...

The development program began in 1983 and the first successful launch was on 15 June 1988. The system has become the basis for European satellite launch with a stellar record of 104 successful missions and only three launch failures. Ariane 4 provided a payload increase from 1700 kg for Ariane 3 to a maximum of 4800 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). The record for Ariane 4 to GTO was 4946 kg. June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A satellite is any object that orbits another object (which is known as its primary). ... The Ariane 2 and Ariane 3 were expendable launch systems in the Ariane family designed by the European Space Agency. ... A geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) is a Hohmann transfer orbit around the Earth between a low Earth orbit (LEO) and a geostationary orbit (GEO). ...

The rocket was used in a number of variants - it could be fitted with two or four additional solid or liquid fuelled booster rockets. The launcher included a satellite payload carrier system called Spelda (Structure Porteuse Externe pour Lancements Doubles Ariane) for launching more than one satellite at a time. NASA Image of the final solid rocket booster (right) being mated to a Delta II rocket (blue). ... A booster in space-related applications is usually a solid rocket booster: a solid fuel rocket of which two or more are attached to the main rocket to provide the main thrust in the initial phase of the rockets flight. ...

Ariane 4 AR 40 was the basic version, with three stages: 58.4 m high, a diameter of 3.8 m, a liftoff mass of 245 t and a maximum payload of 2100 kg to GTO or 5000 kg to Low Earth orbit (LEO). Main power was from four Viking 5 motors each producing 667 kN of thrust; the second stage had a single Viking motor; and the third stage had an HM7 liquid oxygen/liquid hydrogen motor. AR 44L, with the maximum additional boost of four liquid fuel rocket strap-ons, was four-stage, weighed 470 t and could transfer a payload of 4730 kg to GTO or 7600 kg to LEO. A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit in which objects such as satellites are below intermediate circular orbit (ICO) and far below geostationary orbit, but typically around 350 - 1400 km above the Earths surface. ...

Ariane 4 has accomplished more than 100 flights with a success rate of more than 96%. December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ... February 22 is the 53rd day of every year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International year of the Family. ...

Ariane 4 was phased out in favour of Ariane 5, which can carry heavier payloads. The final launch was on 15 February 2003, placing Intelsat 907 into geosynchronous orbit. Ariane 5 lifts off with the Rosetta probe on 2 March 2004. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Intelsat, Ltd. ... A geosynchronous orbit is a geocentric orbit that has the same orbital period as the sidereal rotation period of the Earth. ...