On this day: 3 December 1999, the flight of Ariane 4 V124 set a world record with the 50th consecutive launch success of an Ariane 4 rocket since flight V70 (Ariane 42P) in 1994. Launched from Kourou in French Guiana, on board were the French Helios 1B satellite and the small Surrey Satellite/Alcatel Space Clementine electronic intelligence technology satellite. This variant of Ariane 4 (called the 40), with no strap-on boosters, used the small type 02 fairing for the first time since 1996. (Pic: capcomespace.net)