images

Ariane 5 solid booster recovery

by

ESA/CNES/ Arianespace/CSG/Novapix

Reference

e-leu12-00320

Date

2006-10-21

A spent solid booster stage (EAP) is recovered at sea, off the coasts of French Guiana, after the third and last qualification flight of Ariane 5, on October 21, 1998 (V112). The two EAPs, each incorporating a parachute recovery system in its nose cone, separated at an altitude of 62 km and fell at sea but only one survived splashdown, some 400 km downrange. After water was pumped out of the 31-m, 40-metric ton stage, it was towed back to Kourou for inspection.