In pictures: 'Launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket'

By James Wray May 14, 2009, 17:29 GMT

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/P. BAUDON/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/P. BAUDON/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/S. MARTIN/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/S. MARTIN/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/S. MARTIN/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/S. MARTIN/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/STEPHANE CORVAJA/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/STEPHANE CORVAJA/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/P. BAUDON/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/P. BAUDON/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESAs Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/STEPHANE CORVAJA/HO

A handout image provided by the European Space Agency ESA of the launch of Ariane 5 ECA V188 rocket carrying Herschel & Planck satellites at the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, 14 May 2009. Together with ESA’s Space Telescope Herschel, Planck will started into space to begin its studies of the cosmic microwave radiation and of the clues it gives about the Big Bang, the earliest phases of the cosmic history, and the structure and composition of the Universe. According to the standard model of cosmology, the Universe began 13.7 billions years ago in a Big Bang, the origin of Space and Time. The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the relic heat from this Big Bang, released 380,000 years after beginning and still travelling freely through space today. At that early time, weak fluctuations of matter density were present, which are seen as variations of temperature in the CMB. By observing these fluctuations, cosmologists can infer how the large-scale structure of today’s Universe - galaxies, galaxy clusters and filaments - were formed. The two satellites are scheduled to launch together at 15:12 CEST, 14 May 2009 from ESA's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. EPA/STEPHANE CORVAJA/HO

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