Ariane 2

Ariane 2 was an early European expendable launch system, belonging to the Ariane family of rockets. Developed by the Centre National d'Études Spatiales (CNES), the French space agency, and manufactured by Aérospatiale, it was designed as an intermediate version between the Ariane 1 and the later, more powerful Ariane 4.

The Ariane 2 featured improvements over its predecessor, primarily focusing on increased payload capacity. This was achieved through an uprated version of the third stage engine and a slight stretching of the first stage tanks. Like the Ariane 1, it was a three-stage rocket, using liquid-fueled engines.

Ariane 2 was primarily intended for launching geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) payloads. Its launch site was the Guiana Space Centre (CSG) in Kourou, French Guiana.

The Ariane 2 program experienced a relatively short operational period. It flew a total of six missions between 1986 and 1989. One of these missions, V18 in 1986, resulted in a launch failure due to a malfunction in the first stage engine. The remaining five missions were successful.

Following its brief operational life, the Ariane 2 was superseded by the Ariane 4, which offered significantly greater payload capacity and versatility. The Ariane 4 quickly became the workhorse of the European Space Agency, rendering the Ariane 2 obsolete.