High energy laser, 400ps pulse duration, irradiating heavy targets in vacuum produce intense plasma and generate emission of various energetic ion groups. The ion intensity is high along the normal to the irradiated target surface and high charge state and high velocity ions are produced. The characteristics of the ion streams were investigated by using an electrostatic ion energy analyzer and different ion collectors were placed at various angles with respect to the target normal. The ion energy distribution as a function of the ion charge state was measured and the comparison of the properties of different ion groups generated by laser beams at two different energies was carried out. Measurements point out that five ion groups or more can be generated by the laser interaction with the preformed plasma, with different “equivalent ion temperatures.” Slow, thermal, fast, and very fast ions follow a Boltzmann-like distribution; the equivalent temperatures of different ion groups were estimated to reach values up to about 80keV.