The Hélios 1B was a French military photo-reconnaissance satellite in which Italy and Spain also participated. It was launched from the Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on 3 December 1999 at 16:22:00 UTC. The spacecraft rode aboard an Ariane 40 rocket which also carried the French military reconnaissance satellite Clementine. Due to power supply failures, it had to be left to disintegrate in 2005. It has been replaced by Hélios 2A, launched on December 2004 on an Ariane 5 rocket.