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Ariane launchers. Artwork showing the evolution of the Ariane series of European launchers. At far left is an Ariane 1 (first flight 24 December 1979). Next to this is the upgraded Ariane 2 (first flight 31 May 1986) and in the centre is the Ariane 3 with its two solid rocket boosters (first flight 4 August 1984). Just right of centre is the current model, Ariane 4 (first flight 15 June 1988), seen in the 44L variant with four liquid-fuelled boosters. At far right is Ariane 5 (first flight due mid-1996), a radically different design with two very large solid boosters. Ariane provides about 50% of the world's commercial satellite launches each year. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/DAVID DUCROS/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)