XMM-NEWTON LAUNCH VIDEOS
![RealPlayer](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/freeplayer_g2.gif)
XMM-Newton Hoisted Aboard the Launch Vehicle
![XMM-Newton hoisted to the Ariane launch vehicle](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/nov25-10.jpg)
XMM-Newton lifted to the top of Ariane 504 in preparation for launch.
XMM-Newton and the Ariane Launcher
![Cutaway view of the Ariane launcher](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/coif2.jpg)
Artists conception of the XMM-Newton satellite mounted on a cutaway of the Ariane launcher.
XMM-Newton on the Launch Pad
![XMM Satellite Launch Pad](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/xmm_ariane.jpg)
XMM-Newton and Ariane 504 prior to launch.
Ariane 504 Launch
![XMM Satellite Ariane Launch](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/ariane.jpg)
Ariane 504 blasts off at 14:32UT 10 Dec 1999 from Kourou, French Guiana.
Fairing Separation From the Ariane Launcher
![XMM Satellite Separation](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/a51.jpg)
Artists conception of the launcher fairing separation. Separation of XMM-Newton from the Ariane 504 launch vehicle occured 29:10 minutes into the flight at an altitude of 826 km. The first burn on the on-board Hydrazine boosters lifted perigee to 4 900 km, a second to the nominal 7 000 km of operational orbit and a third burn lowered the apogee to 114 000 km.
On-board Cameras Image XMM-Newton 5 Hours After Launch
![XMM Satellite On-board Cameras](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/xmm_Fuga.jpg)
On board Visual Monitering Cameras (VMCs) pointed along the telescope tube towards the service platform reveal that the solar arrays have deployed successfully. At this time XMM-Newton was along its first orbit, 55 300km above the Earth.
XMM-Newton with an Earth backdrop
![XMM Satellite w/Earth](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20090514190211im_/http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/Images/xmm/xmm_earth.jpg)
On 2000 February 16 the VMCs caught this image of the observatory during a test pointing away from Earth on orbit 35, at an altitude of 50,000 km.
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