NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Artist concept of Herschel / Planck. Image credit: ESA Now that additional checks on the Ariane 5 ECA launcher have been completed, Arianespace and ESA have set the launch date of Herschel and Planck for Thurs., May 14. Both Herschel and the Planck observatory are scheduled to lift off together aboard an Ariane 5 ECA rocket.

For more information, visit the European Space Agency site at http://www.esa.int/esaSC/SEMB9SANJTF_index_0.html .