Stock photography, photos: Ariane Rocket European Space Agency Stock photos of The Ariane series of launch vehicles was the result of Europe's determination to gain an independent access to space, and forward-looking thinking on the need for reliable and cost-effective launchers to serve the commercial market. The Ariane series was based on a three-stage, vertically integrated configuration. Its cornerstone version was Ariane 1, which had three stages: the L140 first stage powered by four Viking 5 engines (with a total 140 metric tons of UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide propellant); the L33 second stage (33 metric tons of UDMH and nitrogen tetroxide), powered by a single Viking IV engine, and an H8 cryogenic upper stage (with 8 tons of liquid oxygen and hydrogen) and an HM-7 cryogenic engine. The payload fairing for Ariane 2 and 3 was stretched to accommodate larger, heavier satellites, and the Sylda multiple payload deployment system gave the Ariane series the ability to carry a pair of telecommunications satellites on a single mission. European Space Agency at the Paris Air Show ˆ France. Photograph: © Robert Burch Click for a larger image and more information Keywords associated with this stock photo: ariane, rocket, ariane rocket, launch vehicle, space, aerospace, space program, European space agency, paris air show, space station, sateliite, payload, france