An Ariane 5 solid-propellant booster was test-fired on Thursday, May 24 at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana to help improve the reliability of Europe’s heavy launcher.

Early Wednesday morning, an Ariane 5 launcher lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana on its mission to place two telecommunications satellites, JCSAT-13 and Vinasat-2, into their planned transfer orbits.

ESA’s Artemis communications satellite is in action again to ensure the safe arrival of Europe’s third Automated Transfer Vehicle at the International Space Station with vital supplies.

The European Space Agency launched its third Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV-3) today at 1:34 p.m. local time (12:34 a.m. EDT/4:34 GMT) from the Kourou launch site in French Guiana aboard an Ariane 5 rocket.

When Vega VV01 launched into orbit on February 13, 2012, it took with it some of the ESA’s most tested materials as well as a good amount of teamwork.