Ariane 50th flight anniversary: The ESA’s Ariane Launcher video titles “Argosies of magic sails”, presents the history of Ariane and the launch site, with a number of interviews of different people in Kourou. The following is covered:

01:40 – in 1964 the European Launcher Development Organisation (ELDO) was formed with the objective to develop a European rocket – it was initially called “Europe”. Video presents this development.

03:13 – launch of the Europe rocket.

03:47 – in 1975 ELDO was merged with the European Space Research Organisation (ESRO) to create a single European space agancy, the European Space Agency (ESA).

04:10 – The new rocket developed by ESA was named Ariane. Ariane 01 seen on launch pad with control centre in Kourou, French Guyana.

05:06 – First test rocket was launched 24 December 1979.

06:52 – Mario De Lepine, Chief Relations Publiques, Arianespace speaks about this first launch (in French, partially dobbed in English).

07:39 – Jean-Christian Gabriel, Agent at Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG), speaks also about this successful initial launch (in French, partially dobbed in English).

08:00 – Second launch 31 May 1980 was a failure

08:04 – ESA 13 Member States continued the efforts and the third launch in 1981 with the Meteosat 2 satellite was a complete success.

08:30 – Pierre Ribardiere, Chief Division Operation at CSG, explains the process with first successful test launch, the second launch being a failure and the third launch being a real launch with a satellite and successful (in French, partially dobbed in English).

09:28 – General but very short presentation of the further success of the European Ariane programme.

10:29 – Several satellites being launched by Ariane presented, in nice animated videos.

10:49 – Stefan Eriksson, Inmarsat, Chief d’Ariane, presents the importance of the European launcher programme.

11:03 – General presentation of the pan-European development of the Ariane launchers, integrated to complete Ariane launchers by French Arianespaciale in France and shipped to Kourou in sections.

11:54 – Assembly in Kourou at CSG.

12:09 – Ariane launcher rolled out to launch pad

12:48 – Nathaniel Sophie, CSG Chauffeur, driving the Ariane launcher to the launch pad speaking in French (partially dubbed in English).

13:20 – Beautiful video of Ariane launcher on launch pad.

13:58 – Claus Kroemer, Responsible ERNO at Kourou, explains the work on handle the launching process (in French, partially dobbed in English).

14:30 – Video of launch control centre.

14:49 – Christina De Dalmau, Engineer’s wife on Kourou base, speaks about the life at Kourou (in French, partially dobbed in English).

15:29 – Roberto Lo Verde, Press Attaché at CSG, speaks about Kourou (in Italian, partially dobbed in English)

15:59 – Else Dreyfus-Dubau, Engineer’s wife on Kourou base, speaks about the life at Kourou (in French, partially dobbed in English).

16:17 – Roberto Lo Verde, Press Attaché at CSG, speaks about Kourou (in Italian, partially dobbed in English) and the feeling seeing a successful launch.

16:40 – Else Dreyfus-Dubau, Engineer’s wife on Kourou base, mention that being at Kourou all feel involved in the launch activity (in French, partially dobbed in English).

16:52 – Very nice video footage of launches.

18:30 – Video from the tropical rain forest in Kourou, with local indis population.

18:48 – Jean-Pierre Charles, Maintenance Engineer Kourou, as a local speaks about getting used to work at the CSG base. (in French, partially dobbed in English).

19:50 – Local animals, and views of the local villages outside the launch site.

20:35 – Interview of local in Kourou, Serge Patient, Conseiller Generel de Kourou (in French, partially dobbed in English).

21:14 – Eustase Rimane, Mayer of Kourou, speaking about the problem that Kourou used to be a small village of 6-700 people and now is the launch centre (in French, partially dobbed in English).

21:53 – Serge Patient, Conseiller Generel de Kourou, continues his explanation where he emphasis the importance of the locals, of the technology which has arrived (in French, partially dobbed in English).

22:43 – Andre Baudin, Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de la Guyane, emphasises the importance of the launch size for local business (in French, partially dobbed in English).

24:21 – Small animation of the different launchers

24:26 – Video of the different launch sites and pads. The initial ELA-1 launch site is now gone – and the newest sites are shown

24:57 – Ron Pedersen, Adjoint Change Utile at Arianespace, speaks about the evolvement up until Ariane 4 and eventually Ariane 5 (in English).

25:35 – Max Hauzeur, ESA staff at Guyane, speaks about the general development of the launch site (in French, partially dobbed in English).

26:46 – Baudin Roeseler, Contractor with Fabricom, speak about the advantage of Ariane 5 (in French, partially dobbed in English).

27:44 – Ariane 5 animations.