Ariane 5 “Ciutat de Barcelona” Marks Successful Launch with GTD at the Heart of the Celebration
The Ariane 5 mission dedicated to “Ciutat de Barcelona” successfully completed its flight, closing a strong year of European launch operations with another on-target orbital delivery.
Lifting off from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 19:08 local time (22:08 GMT), Ariane 5 deployed the WildBlue-1 and AMC-18 telecommunications satellites into geostationary transfer orbit during a 32-minute mission.
The flight marked Ariane 5’s 16th consecutive success and the fifth successful launch of 2006.
A Historic Mission Dedicated to Barcelona
This mission — Ariane 5 nº34 (Flight 174 in Arianespace history) — was officially dedicated to the City of Barcelona, with the “Ciutat de Barcelona” logo displayed prominently on the launcher.
While the launch took place in Kourou, the emotion was equally intense 8,000 kilometers away in Barcelona.
The CosmoCaixa Science Museum hosted a live public event that attracted more than 11,000 visitors throughout the day. Organized in collaboration with Barcelona City Hall, the event allowed citizens to follow the launch live and celebrate Barcelona’s presence in European space history.
GTD: A Key Participant in the “Ciutat de Barcelona” Mission
GTD played a prominent role in the celebration, reinforcing its long-standing involvement in Ariane 5 launch operations.
Represented by Angel Ramirez and Marta Escudero, GTD celebrated the mission both in Barcelona and at the Guiana Space Center, alongside:
- Barcelona City Hall representatives
- CTAE (Centro Tecnológico Aeronáutico y Espacial)
- Arianespace officials
GTD has been a trusted technological partner in Ariane launch operations since 1992, contributing to mission-critical ground systems, control systems and launch infrastructure.
This symbolic dedication to Barcelona highlighted not only the city’s commitment to aerospace innovation, but also GTD’s role in supporting Europe’s access to space.
A Successful Year for Ariane 5
With this mission, Ariane 5 completed a productive 2006, placing:
- 10 primary satellites
- 1 auxiliary passenger
into orbit during the year.
Since January 1, Ariane 5 had lofted more than 38,000 kilograms of commercial payloads, reinforcing its position as Europe’s heavy-lift launch workhorse.
Barcelona in European Space History
The “Ciutat de Barcelona” mission received extensive coverage from local, national and international media, celebrating Barcelona’s symbolic presence in Europe’s launcher heritage.
For GTD, the mission represented more than a launch: it was a public recognition of the company’s contribution to Europe’s space transportation systems and its strong roots in Barcelona’s technological ecosystem.
By celebrating the mission on both sides of the Atlantic, GTD reinforced its identity as a Barcelona-based company with global impact in aerospace and mission-critical systems.
