Ariane 3

AR3

Mission Profile

Ariane 3 was a three-stage European launch vehicle and an enhanced member of the Ariane 4-predecessor family, featuring two strap-on solid boosters to increase payload capacity for dual-satellite commercial missions. Standing 49.1 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 237,000 kg and generating 3,928 kN of thrust, it made its maiden flight in August 1984. Ariane 3 was specifically designed to exploit the emerging trend of dual commercial payload launches to geosynchronous orbit, allowing Arianespace to split launch costs between two customers and dramatically improve the economics of commercial satellite delivery. It served the market successfully until being superseded by the more capable Ariane 4 family.