The Ariane 5 launched two satellites in to orbit on August 14th, 2007. The first was the Superbird-7 for Japanese operator Space Communications Corporation (SCC) and AMC-21 for American operator SES Americom. This launch happened at the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana with a liftoff at 8:44pm UTC.


  1. Gina (StarbucksDiva) says:
    August 20, 2008 at 6:18 am

    Thanks for the daily guys. I wasnt able to watch it live so this was great!!

    Reply
  2. U5K0 says:
    August 20, 2008 at 10:57 am

    breathtaking every time

    Reply
  3. Ryan Heaney says:
    August 20, 2008 at 4:01 pm

    Definitely breathtaking, but did anyone else feel underwhelmed by the countdown? It seemed to take almost five seconds after zero before anything happened. The shuttle’s engines ignite at T-6 seconds.. and at zero, the pad can’t hold it any longer. Needless to say, this was still a great launch to watch!

    Reply
  4. U5K0 says:
    August 20, 2008 at 5:29 pm

    That’s because with the suttle launch, T-6 is egnition of the main engines and T-0 is the egnition of the solid boosters.

    With Arine 5 T-0 is egnition of the main Vucan 2 engine and T+something is when the solid boosters start.

    Reply
  5. Ryan Heaney says:
    August 20, 2008 at 6:24 pm

    I understand that.. I just figure T-0 made sense being some larger change, like leaving the launch pad. To each space agency, their own I suppose!

    Also, U5K0… where are you from? You have a .si website… do you live in Solvenia? I have family in Ribnica! :)

    Reply
  6. U5K0 says:
    August 20, 2008 at 9:59 pm

    I completely agree on the t-0 thing… nasa makes it much more dramatic.

    Yes I’m from Slovenia… how about you?

    Reply
  7. Bencredible says:
    August 21, 2008 at 3:49 pm

    Yeah, a liftoff at T-0 is always nice, but maybe because that is what we expect at this point? Dunno, but I agree. It always feels like something is missing when it doesn’t leave the pad by +1.

    Reply