It's aluminium that allows the Ariane 5 rocket to escape the earth's gravitational pull. The rocket weighs in at 760 tonnes and of that, 240 tonnes is the solid cake of a propellant of fine aluminium powder, the oxidant of ammonium perchlorate and a polybutadeine binder. It burns one tonne of fuel per second at a temperature of about 3300 degrees Centigrade.

For more achievements of aluminium visit:
www.alfed.org.uk/50Achievements