Farewell to Ariane 5: Europe bids adieu to iconic rocket
The Ariane V, a European launch vehicle, has retired after 27 years of service with its final successful mission, deploying two satellites to Geostationary Transfer Orbit. The Ariane V has had a successful history, launching important missions such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Rosetta spacecraft. However, with the retirement of the Ariane V and delays in its replacement, the Ariane 6, Europe currently lacks its own launch vehicle and has been relying on SpaceX's Falcon 9 for satellite launches.