Ariane 5 launched ESA's X-ray observatory XMM (later XMM-Newton) into a highly elliptical orbit, releasing it within 1.5 km of its target 29 minutes after liftoff. It went on to become one of the most productive X-ray astronomy missions ever flown.
- Outcome
- Success
- Orbit
- HEO
- Highly elliptical orbit
- Payload to orbit
- 3.8 T
- Flight
- 4th
- of 16 Ariane 5 G flights
- Date and time
- 10 December 1999, 14:32 UTC
- Rocket
- Ariane 5 G
- Builder
- ArianeGroup
- Launch site
- Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
- Payload
- Astrophysics
- International designator
- 1999-066
- Launches in 1999
- 70th of 78
See it in orbit
Space Atlas shows the satellites and rocket stages from this launch in 3D.
Object pages on Space Atlas: XMM-Newton
View satellites in Space Atlas