EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD

Name: Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD
Start: 1998-10-21T16:37:00+00:00
End: 1998-10-21T16:52:00+00:00
Location: Ariane Launch Area 3

SUCCESS Ariane 5 G →

—

Oct 21, 1998 at 16:37 UTC

Geostationary Transfer Orbit Dedicated Rideshare Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana 81% success

▸ Flight profile›

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Live Orbit

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Mission Control3D trajectory · Live telemetry · AI narrator · Booster tracking

PADAriane Launch Area 3

SITEGuiana Space Centre, French Guiana →

ORBITGeostationary Transfer Orbit

TYPEDedicated Rideshare

MISSION OVERVIEW

MaqSat 3 was a dummy satellite to test the Ariane Vehicle. ARD was the Advanced Reentry Demonstrator, built by ESA. This is developed for experimental purposes to validate reentry techniques.

LAUNCH DETAILS

VEHICLE

Ariane 5 G

AGENCY

European Space Agency

MISSION

MaqSat 3 & ARD

MISSION TYPE

Dedicated Rideshare

TARGET ORBIT

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

LAUNCH PAD

Ariane Launch Area 3

LAUNCH SITE

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

COUNTRY

FRA,ITA,DEU,ESP,CHE,GBR,AUT,SWE,PRT,NLD,HUN,POL,DNK,CZE,ROU,NOR,FIN,GRC,EST,IRL,LUX,BEL,SVN

LAUNCH TIME VERIFICATION

CONFIRMEDPrecision: Half-year

LAUNCH LIBRARY 2 PRIMARY

API ID: 6746f2a2-7237-4a16-879a-99ade71cf02b

Reported date: Oct 21, 1998 at 16:37 UTC

Last synced: 13 minutes ago

This launch date and time are confirmed by the launch provider. Countdown is active.

LAUNCH MAP

PAD WEATHER

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VEHICLE — Ariane 5 G →

MANUFACTURER

ArianeGroup

VARIANT

FLIGHTS

SUCCESSES

SUCCESS RATE

81.3%

The original version is dubbed Ariane 5 G (Generic) and had a launch mass of 737 tonnes. Its payload capability to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) was 6,900 kg (15,200 lb) for a single satellite or 6,100 kg (13,400 lb) for dual launches. It flew 17 times with one failure and two partial failures.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When is the Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD launch?

The Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD is scheduled for Wednesday, October 21, 1998 at 4:37 PM UTC. This is the NET (No Earlier Than) time and may be subject to change. Current status: SUCCESS.

What rocket is being used for MaqSat 3 & ARD?

The Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD mission uses the Ariane 5 G rocket, manufactured by ArianeGroup. The Ariane 5 G has flown 16 times with a 81.3% success rate.

Where is the Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD launching from?

The launch takes place from Ariane Launch Area 3 at Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana.

What orbit is MaqSat 3 & ARD going to?

The MaqSat 3 & ARD mission is targeting Geostationary Transfer Orbit.

Who is launching MaqSat 3 & ARD?

The Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD is operated by European Space Agency.

Can I watch the Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD launch live?

Yes. Visit the launch detail page on Space Launch Live for embedded YouTube webcasts, replay videos, and links to live coverage from SpaceX, NASA, NASASpaceflight, and other channels.

LAUNCH TIMELINE

Mar 29, 2026 01:16 UTC

Launch added to tracker

Imported from Launch Library 2 API

Mar 29, 2026 01:16 UTC

Launch date set: Oct 21, 1998 at 16:37 UTC

NET (No Earlier Than) confirmed by European Space Agency

Mar 29, 2026 01:16 UTC

Launch completed successfully

Updated via Launch Library 2

LIVE DATA SOURCES

Last data sync: 13 minutes ago

Launch ID: 6746f2a2-7237-4a16-879a-99ade71cf02b

Pad weather at 5.24, -52.77

BROWSE BY

European Space Agency5 launches Ariane193 launches Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaLaunch Site

Mission Profile

MaqSat 3 & ARD was a Ariane 5 G mission operated by European Space Agency that lifted off from Ariane Launch Area 3, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on October 21, 1998. The flight carried its payload on a dedicated rideshare mission to Geostationary Transfer Orbit. The launch was a success.

Ariane 5 G | MaqSat 3 & ARD

Mission Profile

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