Ariane 6

Ariane 6
Ariane 62 (left) and Ariane 64 (right)
Function
ManufacturerArianeGroup
Country of originEuropean multi-national[a]
Project cost€3.215 billion[1]
Cost per launch
  • A62: €70 million (2018 est.)[2]
  • A64: €115 million (2018 est.)[2]
Size
Height63 m (207 ft)
Diameter5.4 m (18 ft)
Mass
  • A62: 530,000 kg (1,170,000 lb)
  • A64: 860,000 kg (1,900,000 lb)
Stages2
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass
  • A62: 10,350 kg (22,820 lb)[3]
  • A64: 21,650 kg (47,730 lb)[3]
Payload to GTO
Orbital inclination6°
Mass
  • A62: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb)[3]
  • A64: 11,500 kg (25,400 lb)[3]
Payload to GEO
Orbital inclination0°
MassA64: 5,000 kg (11,000 lb)[3]
Payload to SSO
Orbital inclination97.4°
Mass
  • A62: 7,200 kg (15,900 lb)[3]
  • A64: 15,500 kg (34,200 lb)[3]
Payload to LTO
Orbital inclination97.4°
Mass
  • A62: 3,500 kg (7,700 lb)[3]
  • A64: 8,600 kg (19,000 lb)[3]
Associated rockets
FamilyAriane
ComparableFalcon 9, Falcon Heavy, Terran R, H3, Vulcan Centaur
Launch history
StatusActive
Launch sitesGuiana Space Centre, ELA-4
Total launches1
Partial failure(s)1 (VA262)
First flight9 July 2024 (2024-07-09)[4]
Boosters – P120C
No. boosters2 or 4
Diameter3 m (9.8 ft)
Propellant mass142,000 kg (313,000 lb)
Maximum thrust3,500 kN (790,000 lbf) each
Total thrust
  • A62: 7,000 kN (1,600,000 lbf)
  • A64: 14,000 kN (3,100,000 lbf)
Burn time130 seconds
PropellantHTPB / AP / Al
First stage – LLPM
Diameter5.4 m (18 ft)
Propellant mass140,000 kg (310,000 lb)
Powered by1 × Vulcain 2.1
Maximum thrust1,370 kN (310,000 lbf)
Burn time468 seconds
PropellantLOX / LH2
Second stage – ULPM
Diameter5.4 m (18 ft)
Propellant mass31,000 kg (68,000 lb)
Powered by1 × Vinci
Maximum thrust180 kN (40,000 lbf)
Burn timeUp to 900 seconds and four burns[5]
PropellantLOX / LH2
[edit on Wikidata]

Ariane 6 is a European expendable launch system developed for the European Space Agency (ESA) and manufactured by a consortium of European companies, led by the prime contractor ArianeGroup. As part of the Ariane rocket family, it is operated by Arianespace, replacing the Ariane 5. The project’s primary contributors were France (55%), Germany (21%), and Italy (7.6%), with the remaining work distributed among ten other participating countries.[6]

This two-stage rocket utilizes liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen (hydrolox) engines. The first stage features an upgraded Vulcain engine from Ariane 5, while the second uses the Vinci engine, designed specifically for this rocket. The Ariane 62 variant uses two P120C solid rocket boosters, while Ariane 64 uses four. The P120C booster is shared with Europe's other launch vehicle, Vega C, and is an improved version of the P80 rocket stage used on the original Vega.

Selected in December 2014 over an all-solid-fuel alternative, Ariane 6 was initially planned for a 2020 debut. However, the program faced delays, with the first launch eventually taking place on 9 July 2024. While the rocket successfully launched, the mission experienced a partial failure when the upper stage malfunctioned and was not able to complete its final deorbit burn. The second launch has been postponed to no earlier than the first quarter of 2025.[7]

Ariane 6 was designed to halve launch costs and increase annual capacity from seven to eleven missions compared to its predecessor, but the program has faced controversy over high costs and lack of reusability versus competitors' rockets, such as SpaceX's Falcon 9. European officials defend the program, saying it provides crucial independent space access for its member states.

Description

[edit]

Two variants of Ariane 6 are offered:

  • Ariane 62 (A62), with two P120C solid boosters, weighs around 530,000 kg (1,170,000 lb) at liftoff and is mainly for government and scientific missions.[8] It can launch up to 4,500 kg (9,900 lb) into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and 10,350 kg (22,820 lb) into low Earth orbit (LEO). The first launch in 2024 used this variant.
  • Ariane 64 (A64), with four P120C boosters, has a liftoff weight of around 860,000 kg (1,900,000 lb)[9] and is intended for commercial dual-satellite launches[8] of up to 11,500 kg (25,400 lb) into GTO and 21,500 kg (47,400 lb) into LEO. Like Ariane 5, it will be able to launch two geosynchronous satellites together.

First stage

[edit]

The first (lower) stage of Ariane 6 is called the Lower Liquid Propulsion Module (LLPM). It is powered by a single Vulcain 2.1 engine fueled by liquid hydrogen (LH2) with liquid oxygen (LOX).[10] The LLPM is 5.4 m (18 ft) in diameter and contains approximately 140 tonnes (310,000 lb) of propellant.[11]

Boosters

[edit]

Additional thrust for the first stage will be provided by either two or four P120C model solid rocket boosters, known within Ariane 6 nomenclature as Equipped Solid Rockets (ESR).[10] Each booster contains approximately 142,000 kilograms (313,000 lb) of propellant and delivers up to 4,650 kN (1,050,000 lbf) of thrust. The P120C engine is also used in the first stage of the upgraded Vega C launcher. By sharing motors, production volumes can be increased, lowering production costs.[12] The first full-scale test of the ESR occurred at Kourou, French Guiana, on 16 July 2018, and the test completed successfully with thrust reaching 4,615 kN (1,037,000 lbf) in vacuum.[13][14][15]

Second stage

[edit]

The second (upper) stage of Ariane 6 is called the Upper Liquid Propulsion Module (ULPM). It shares the same 5.4 m (18 ft) diameter as the LLPM, and is also fueled by LH2 and LOX. It is powered by the Vinci engine, which delivers 180 kN (40,000 lbf) of thrust, burns for up to 900 seconds and is capable of up to five restarts.[16] The ULPM carries about 31 tonnes (68,000 lb) of propellant.[12]

Block 2

[edit]

The more powerful Block 2 version of Ariane 6 is planned to enter service in 2026. It will use more powerful P160C model solid rocket boosters and increase thrust of the Vinci engine in the upper stage to 200 kN. This will expand the flight envelope and greatly increase its payload capabilities, with an expected gain of two tons to LEO. [17]

Development began in 2022 on the P120C+ variant of the boosters, which eventually evolved into the P160C. This extended version adds 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) to the motor's length and an additional 14 tonnes (14 long tons; 15 short tons) of propellant.[18] This upgrade translates to approximately 2 tonnes (4,400 lb) improvement in lift performance on the Ariane 64 with four boosters.[19] 16 of the planned 18 Kuiper launches by Ariane 6 will utilize this enhanced booster.[19]

CNES is providing assistance in adapting the current launch pad in Kourou to accommodate these more powerful A62 and A64 versions.[20]

Block 3

[edit]

An additional Block 3 upgrade is being discussed by the European Space Agency, ArianeGroup and CNES. Increased performance will primarily be achieved via an upgraded upper stage.[17]

The impetus for the upgrade is a number of upcoming lunar missions, including the European Argonaut logistics lunar lander project. A decision is expected during the November 2025 European ministerial meeting.

Fairing

[edit]

The payload fairing, constructed by Beyond Gravity from a carbon fibre-polymer composite, is designed as a nose cone that splits vertically into two halves at the top of the Ariane 6 rocket.[21] It is available in two sizes: a long 20-metre (66 ft) version and a short 14-metre (46 ft) version, both with a diameter of 5.4 metres (18 ft).[22] The interior of the cylindrical payload compartment is 4.6 metres (15 ft) in diameter and the long variant measures 11 metres (36 ft) in height, or 18 metres (59 ft) when including the conical portion of the fairing.[23]

History

[edit]

Ariane 6 was conceived in the early 2010s to be a replacement launch vehicle for Ariane 5, and a number of concepts and high-level designs were suggested and proposed during 2012–2015. Development funding from several European governments was secured by early 2016, and contracts were signed to begin detailed design and the build of test articles. In 2019, the maiden orbital flight had been planned for 2020,[24] however by May 2020, the planned initial launch date was delayed into 2021.[25] In October 2020, the European Space Agency (ESA) formally requested an additional €230 million in funding from the countries sponsoring the project to complete development of the rocket and get the vehicle to its first test flight, which had slipped to the second quarter of 2022.[26] By June 2021, the date had delayed to late 2022.[27] In June 2022, a delay was announced to "some time in 2023"[28] and by October 2022, ESA clarified that the first launch would be no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2023, while providing no public reason for the delay.[29] In August 2023, ESA announced that the date for the first launch had slipped again to 2024.[30]

Concept and early development: 2010–2015

[edit]
Ariane 6 PPH cutaway drawing

Following detailed definition studies in 2012,[31] ESA announced in July 2013 the selection of the "PPH" (first stage of three P145 rocket motors, second stage of one P145 rocket motor, and H32 cryogenic upper stage) configuration for Ariane 6.[32] It would be capable of launching up to 6,500 kg (14,300 lb) to Geostationary transfer orbit (GTO),[33] with a first flight projected to be as early as 2021–2022.[34] Development was projected to cost €4 billion as of May 2013.[35] A 2014 study concluded that development cost could be reduced to about €3 billion by limiting contractors to five countries.[36]

While Ariane 5 typically launches one large and one medium satellite at a time, the PPH proposal for Ariane 6 was intended for single payloads, with an early 2014 price estimate of approximately US$95 million per launch.[37] The SpaceX Falcon 9 and the Chinese Long March 3B both launch smaller payloads but at lower prices, approximately $57 million and $72 million respectively as of early 2014, making the Falcon 9 launch of a midsize satellite competitive with the cost of the lower slot of a dual payload Ariane 5.[37] For lightweight all-electric satellites, Arianespace intended to use the restartable Vinci engine to deliver the satellites closer to their operational orbit than the Falcon 9 could, thus reducing the time required to transfer to geostationary orbit by several months.[37]

Ariane 6.1 and Ariane 6.2 proposals

[edit]

In June 2014, Airbus and Safran surprised ESA by announcing a counter proposal for the Ariane 6 project: a 50/50 joint venture to develop the rocket, which would also involve buying out the French government's CNES interest in Arianespace.[38][39]

This proposed launch system would come in two variants, Ariane 6.1 and Ariane 6.2.[40] While both would use a cryogenic main stage powered by a Vulcain 2 engine and two P145 solid boosters, Ariane 6.1 would feature a cryogenic upper stage powered by the Vinci engine and boost up to 8,500 kg (18,700 lb) to GTO, while Ariane 6.2 would use a lower-cost hypergolic upper stage powered by the Aestus engine. Ariane 6.1 would have the ability to launch two electrically powered satellites at once, while Ariane 6.2 would be focused on launching government payloads.

French newspaper La Tribune questioned whether Airbus Defence and Space could deliver on the promised costs for their Ariane 6 proposal, and whether Airbus and Safran Group could be trusted when they were found to be responsible for a failure of Ariane 5 flight 517 in 2002 and a more recent 2013 failure of the M51 ballistic missile.[41] The companies were also criticised for being unwilling to incur development risks, and asking for higher initial funding than originally planned – €2.6 billion instead of €2.3 billion. Estimated launch prices of €85 million for Ariane 6.1 and €69 million for Ariane 6.2 did not compare favorably to SpaceX offerings.[42] During the meeting of EU ministers in Geneva on 7 June 2014, these prices were deemed too high and no agreement with manufacturers was reached.[43]

Ariane 62 and Ariane 64 proposals

[edit]
Originally proposed Ariane A62 and Ariane A64

Following criticism of the Ariane 6 PPH design, France unveiled a revised Ariane 6 proposal in September 2014.[44] This launcher would use a cryogenic main stage powered by the Vulcain 2 and upper stage powered by the Vinci, but vary the number of solid boosters. With two P120C boosters, Ariane 6 would launch up to 5,000 kg (11,000 lb) to GTO at a cost of €75 million. With four boosters, Ariane 6 would be able to launch two satellites totaling 11,000 kg (24,000 lb) to GTO at a cost of €90 million.[45]

This proposal, unlike Ariane 6 PPH, offered a scalable launcher while retaining Ariane 5's dual-launch capability. The proposal also included simplification of the industrial and institutional organisation along with a better and cheaper version of the Vulcain 2 engine for the main stage.[44][45] Although Ariane 6 was projected to have "lower estimated recurring production costs", it was projected to have "a higher overall development cost owing to the need for a new, Ariane 6-dedicated, launch pad".[46]

The Italian, French, and German space ministers met on 23 September 2014, in order to plan strategy and assess the possibility for agreement on funding for the Ariane 5 successor,[47] and in December 2014, ESA selected the Ariane 62 and Ariane 64 designs for development and funding.[48]

At the 2022 International Astronautical Congress, ArianeGroup announced the proposed "Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration", a reusable upper stage for the 64 (or later) variant, capable of autonomous cargo operations or carrying five astronauts to LEO.[49]

Test vehicle development: 2016–2021

[edit]

In November 2015, an updated design of Ariane 64 and 62 was presented, with new nose cones on the boosters, main stage diameter increased to 5.4 m (18 ft), and the height decreased to 60 m (200 ft).[50]

The basic design for Ariane 6 was finalised in January 2016 as an expendable liquid-fuelled core stage plus expendable solid-rocket-boosters design. Development advanced into detailed design and production phases, with the first major contracts already signed.[51][52] Unlike previous Ariane rockets, which are assembled and fueled vertically before being transported to the launchpad, the Ariane 6 main stages were to be assembled horizontally at the new integration hall in Les Mureaux and then transported to French Guiana, to be erected and integrated with boosters and payload.[53]

The horizontal assembly process was inspired by the Russian tradition for Soyuz and Proton launchers – which had more recently been applied to the American Delta IV and Falcon 9 boosters[54] – with a stated goal of halving production costs.[55]

The industrial production process was completely overhauled, allowing synchronized workflow between several European production sites moving at a monthly cadence, which would enable twelve launches per year, doubling Ariane 5's yearly capacity.[53] To further lower the price, Ariane 6 engines were to use 3D printed components.[56] Ariane 6 was to be the first large rocket to use a laser ignition system developed by Austria's Carinthian Research Center (CTR), that was previously deployed in automotive and turbine engines.[57] A solid state laser offers an advantage over electrical ignition systems in that it is more flexible with regards to the location of the plasma within the combustion chamber, offers a much higher pulse power and can tolerate a wider range of fuel-air mixture ratios.[58]

Reorganisation of the industry behind a new launch vehicle, leading to the creation of Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL), also started a review by the French government into tax matters, and the European Commission over a possible conflict of interest if Airbus Defence and Space, a satellite manufacturer, were to purchase launches from ASL.[56]

While development was initially slated to be substantially complete in 2019, with an initial launch in 2020, the initial launch date has slipped several times: first to 2021,[59] then to 2022,[26][27] then to 2023,[28] and then to 2024.[60] In October 2022, Arianespace expected the maiden flight to occur in 2023,[29] although in December 2023, Arianespace once again set the flight to occur on 15 June 2024.[60] In June 2024, ESA Executive said its first launch was postponed to July 9th 2024.[61] The maiden flight VA262 took place 9 July 2024 and successfully orbited some satellites even though the mission did suffer some problems.

Future development options

[edit]
Main article: Adeline (rocket stage)

CNES began studies in 2010[62] on an alternative, reusable first stage for Ariane 6, using a mix of liquid oxygen and liquid methane rather than liquid hydrogen that is used in the 2016 Ariane 6 first-stage design. The methane-powered core could use one or more engines, matching capabilities of Ariane 64 with only two boosters instead of four. As of January 2015, the economic feasibility of reusing an entire stage remained in question. Concurrent with the liquid fly-back booster research in the late 1990s and early 2000s, CNES along with Russia concluded studies[when?] indicating that reusing the first stage was economically unviable as manufacturing ten rockets a year was cheaper and more feasible than recovery, refurbishment and loss of performance caused by reusability.[63]

In June 2015, Airbus Defence and Space announced that Adeline, a partially reusable first stage, would become operational between 2025 and 2030, and that it would be developed as a subsequent first stage for Ariane 6. Rather than developing a way to reuse an entire first stage (like SpaceX), Airbus proposed a system where only high-value parts would be safely returned using a winged module at the bottom of the rocket stack.[62]

In August 2016, ASL gave some more details about future development plans building on the Ariane 6 design. CEO Alain Charmeau revealed that Airbus Safran were now working along two main lines: first, continuing work (at the company's own expense) on the recoverable Adeline engine-and-avionics module; and second, beginning development of a next-generation engine to be called Prometheus. This engine would have about the same thrust as the Vulcain 2 currently powering Ariane 5, but would burn methane instead of liquid hydrogen. Charmeau was non-committal about whether Prometheus (still only in the first few months of development) could be used as an expendable replacement for the Vulcain 2 in Ariane 6, or whether it was tied to the re-usable Adeline design, saying only that "We are cautious, and we prefer to speak when are sure of what we announce... But certainly this engine could very well fit with the first stage of Ariane 6 one day", a decision on whether to proceed with Prometheus in an expendable or reusable role could be made between 2025 and 2030.[64] Charmeau was not positive about reusability in 2018, stating that if Ariane had a launch schedule of ten flights per year and had a rocket that could be reused ten times, the company would only build one rocket per year, making supporting an ongoing manufacturing supply chain unviable ("I cannot tell my teams: 'Goodbye, see you next year!'"). Ariane would need 30 launches a year to justify the cost of researching reusability, he said.[65]

Main article: Ariane Next

In 2017, the Prometheus engine project was revealed to have the aim of reducing the engine unit cost from the €10 million of the Vulcain2 to €1 million and allowing the engine to be reused up to five times.[66] The engine development is said to be part of a broader effort – codename Ariane NEXT[67] – to reduce Ariane launch costs by a factor of two beyond improvements brought by Ariane 6. The Ariane NEXT initiative includes a reusable sounding rocket, Callisto, to test the performance of various fuels in new engine designs.[68]

The European Space Agency is exploring human-rating certification for Ariane 6, awarding Arianespace a contract to explore potential options for enabling crewed missions to be launched aboard the vehicle.[69]

Production

[edit]

In a January 2019 interview, Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël said that the company would require four more institutional launches for Ariane 6 to sign a manufacturing contract. Launch contracts would be needed for the transitional period of 2020–2023 when Ariane 5 will be phased out and gradually replaced by Ariane 6. The company would require European institutions to become an anchor customer for the launcher. In response, ESA representatives said the agency was working on shifting the 2022 launch of the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer from Ariane 5 ECA to Ariane 64, further indicating that there are other institutional customers in Europe that must put their weight behind the project, such as the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) or the European Commission.

As of January 2019, Arianespace had sold three flights of the Ariane 6 launch vehicle.[70] One month later, they added a satellite internet constellation launch contract with OneWeb to utilize the maiden launch of Ariane 6 to help populate the large 600-satellite constellation.[71]

On 6 May 2019, Arianespace ordered the first production batch of 14 Ariane 6 rockets.[72]

After the first 2 launches in 2024, the launch tempo will increase to 6 in 2025, 8 in 2026, and stabilize at 10 per year starting in 2027.[73]

Rocket components are transported by sea from Europe to the Guiana Space Centre aboard the Canopée, a cargo vessel that uses sails to assist with its propulsion, reducing fuel use.[74][75]

Development funding

[edit]

Ariane 6 was developed in a public-private partnership with the majority of the funding coming from various ESA government sources. As of 2015, the estimated government development cost over the then planned 6-year development phase through 2020 was €2.815 billion of government-provided funds, while €400 million was reported to be "industry's share". At the time, in a novel approach for ESA, this was to be "an arrangement in which the [Airbus Safran] company takes full control of Ariane 6 design and development and commits to a firm, fixed-price contract"[76]

By the time the ESA Council approved the project in November 2016, the ESA had already paid out €688 million to Airbus Safran[77] and the ESA Industrial Policy Committee released €1.7 billion of additional funds on 8 November 2016.[78]

In January 2020, two EU institutions, the European Investment Bank and the European Commission, loaned €100 million to Arianespace, drawing from the Horizon 2020 and Investment Plan for Europe corporate investment programmes. The 10-year loan's repayment is tied to the financial success of the Ariane 6 project.[79][needs update]

Launch history

[edit]

List of launches

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from List of Ariane launches (2020–2029) § 2024.[edit]
Flight No. Date
Time (UTC) 		Rocket type
Serial No. 		Launch site Payload Payload mass Orbit Customers Launch
outcome
VA262 9 July 2024
19:00 		Ariane 62
L6001[80] 		Guiana
ELA-4 		Multiple rideshare payloads 1,600 kg[81] LEO Various Partial failure
Maiden flight of Ariane 6. It was a flight test carrying a mass simulator plus a number of small cubesats and other experiments as rideshare payloads. Rocket launched successfully to orbit and upper stage performed a second burn to release cubesats. During attempt to perform a third burn to deorbit the upper stage, the rocket's auxiliary propulsion system failed. This failure prevented the upper stage from relighting.[82][83][84][85]

Planned launches

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from List of Ariane launches (2020–2029) § Planned launches.[edit]
Date
Time (UTC) 		Type Payload Orbit Customers
February 2025[86] Ariane 62 CSO-3 SSO CNES / DGA
French military reconnaissance satellite.
2025[87] Ariane 62 Galileo FOC FM 29, 30 MEO ESA
2025[88][87] Ariane 62 Galileo FOC FM 28, 31 MEO ESA
2025[88][87] Ariane 62 Galileo FOC FM 33, 34 MEO ESA
September-November 2025[89] Ariane 62[90] MetOp-SGA1 Polar EUMETSAT
2H 2025[91] Ariane 64 Project Kuiper (30+ satellites) LEO Kuiper Systems
First Ariane 64 launch and first Ariane launch for Project Kuiper
Q2 2026[92] Ariane 64 Intelsat 45 GTO Intelsat
June-August 2026[89] Ariane 64[90] MetOp-SGB1 Polar EUMETSAT
Q3 2026[93] Ariane 64[94] MTG-I2[95] GTO EUMETSAT
Q4 2026[96] Ariane 64 Multi-Launch Service (MLS) #1 rideshare mission GTO TBA
2026[97] Ariane 6 Galileo G2 1, 2 MEO ESA
2026[98][99] Ariane 64 Intelsat 41, 44 GTO Intelsat
Q4 2026[100][101] Ariane 62[102] PLATO Sun–Earth L2 ESA
2026[103][104] Ariane 64 Uhura-1 (Node-1)[105] GTO Skyloom
Q4 2027[96] Ariane 64 MLS #2 rideshare mission GTO TBA
2027[106][107] Ariane 64 Optus-11 GTO Optus
2027[108] Ariane 64 Earth Return Orbiter Areocentric ESA
2027[97] Ariane 6 Galileo G2 3, 4 MEO ESA
2027[109] Ariane 6 Hellas Sat 5 GTO Hellas Sat
Q4 2028[96] Ariane 64 MLS #3 rideshare mission GTO TBA
Q3 2029[96] Ariane 64 MLS #4 rideshare mission GTO TBA
2029[110] Ariane 62 ARIEL, Comet Interceptor Sun–Earth L2 ESA
2031[111] Ariane 64 Argonaut Mission 1 TLI ESA
2035[112] Ariane 64[113] Athena Sun–Earth L2,
Halo orbit 		ESA
2035[114] Ariane 6 LISA Heliocentric ESA
TBD[115] Ariane 64 17 more launches of Project Kuiper (35–40 satellites)[116] LEO Kuiper Systems
TBD[117] Ariane 62 Electra GTO SES S.A. / ESA
TBD[117] Ariane 62 Eutelsat ×3 GTO Eutelsat

Criticism

[edit]

The Ariane 6 programme has faced substantial criticism for its cost per launch and lack of reusability. When the programme was approved by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2012, the programme was intended to produce a modernised successor to the Ariane 5 with a focus on cost optimisation. However, over the course of its more than a decade-long development, the project experienced delays and cost overruns.[118] Initially expected to be 50% cheaper than its predecessor, the Ariane 6 now has projected launch prices exceeding €100 million per mission—far above the original estimates of €70–90 million.[119] The cost per launch has limited the rocket’s appeal to commercial clients outside of Europe.[120]

A major criticism of the Ariane 6 stems from its reliance on expendable technology at a time when competitors have demonstrated the economic advantages of reusability. For example, SpaceX iteratively developed its Falcon 9 rocket, nearly doubling its payload capacity and making it partially reusable, lowering the company's costs to launch.[121] Some industry experts argued that the decision to forego reusability rendered the Ariane 6 "already obsolete" before it even entered service.[118]

European officials, however, have defended the Ariane 6, citing the strategic need for independent access to space. They point to geopolitical disruptions, such as losing access to Russian Soyuz-ST rockets, as evidence of the necessity for a self-reliant European capability. Officials have also justified the rocket’s lack of reusability by arguing that the relatively low number of planned launches would make such a feature economically unviable.[122][123]

To support the programme, ESA’s member states have agreed to subsidise the Ariane 6 with up to €340 million annually from its 16th to its 42nd flight, expected to occur by 2031.[124] In exchange, governments will receive an 11% discount on launches.[122][125]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Desire for Competitive Ariane 6 Nudges ESA Toward Compromise in Funding Dispute with Contractor". Spacenews. 3 April 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b Smith, Rich (2 June 2018). "Europe Complains: SpaceX Rocket Prices Are Too Cheap to Beat". The Motley Fool. Archived from the original on 18 November 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lagier, Roland (March 2021). "Ariane 6 User's Manual Issue 2 Revision 0" (PDF). Arianespace. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 February 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  4. ^ Mathewson, Samantha (8 June 2024). "At long last: Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket set to debut on July 9". Space.com. Archived from the original on 8 June 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2024.
  5. ^ "Ariane 6 Vinci engine: successful qualification tests". ArianeGroup (Press release). 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 17 June 2024. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Sortie de crise pour la fusée européenne Ariane-6". Le Monde. 7 November 2023.
  7. ^ Next Ariane 6 launch slips to early 2025, Jeff Foust, SpaceNews, 8 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b Amos, Jonathan (3 December 2014). "Europe to press ahead with Ariane 6 rocket". BBC. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  9. ^ "Ariane 6 - Ariane Group". ArianeGroup. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Who we are" (PDF). Arianespace. May 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  11. ^ "Ariane 6". ESA. 23 January 2017. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  12. ^ a b "Ariane 6". CNES. 2 December 2014. Archived from the original on 14 February 2017. Retrieved 14 February 2017.
  13. ^ "Largest-ever solid rocket motor poised for first hot firing". SpaceDaily. 10 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  14. ^ "Successful first test firing for the P120C solid rocket motor for Ariane 6 and Vega C". Ariane Group. 16 July 2018. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  15. ^ Bergin, Chris (16 July 2018). "Static Fire test for Europe's P120C rocket motor". NASASpaceFlight. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Ariane 6". Arianespace. 5 August 2024. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
  17. ^ a b "Europe aims to end space access crisis with Ariane 6's inaugural launch". Spacenews. 24 June 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  18. ^ "ESA-developed P120C solid rocket motor enters production". Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  19. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (5 April 2022). "Amazon launch contracts drive changes to launch vehicle production". SpaceNews. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  20. ^ Guillermard, Véronique (13 August 2024). "Comment Ariane 6 s'est mise en ordre pour doubler la fréquence de ses vols". Le Figaro. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  21. ^ "Successful maiden flight of Ariane 6: Beyond Gravity contributed several products". Beyond Gravity. 9 July 2024. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  22. ^ "Ariane 6 overview". The European Space Agency (ESA). Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  23. ^ "Figure 5.3.1b C– Usable volume beneath payload fairing in single launch - Long fairing" (PDF). Ariane 6 User’s Manual Issue 2 Revision 0. Arianespace. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
  24. ^ "Ariane 6 series production begins with first batch of 14 launchers". Arianespace. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2019.
  25. ^ "Ariane 6 maiden flight likely slipping to 2021". SpaceNews. 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  26. ^ a b Parsonson, Andrew (29 October 2020). "ESA request 230 million more for Ariane 6 as maiden flight slips to 2022". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 11 July 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  27. ^ a b Berger, Eric (21 June 2021). "The Ariane 6 debut is slipping again as Europe hopes for a late 2022 launch". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 9 October 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2021.
  28. ^ a b Rainbow, Jason (13 June 2022). "Ariane 6 launch debut pushed into 2023". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 16 January 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  29. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (19 October 2022). "Ariane 6 first launch slips to late 2023". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 25 September 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  30. ^ Foust, Jeff (9 August 2023). "ESA confirms Ariane 6 debut to slip to 2024". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2023.
  31. ^ Stephen Clark (21 November 2012). "European ministers decide to stick with Ariane 5, for now". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  32. ^ Dumont, Etienne; Božić, Ognjan; May, Stefan; Mierheim, Olaf; Chrupalla, David; Beyland, Lutz; Karl, Sebastian; Klevanski, Josef; Johannsson, Magni; Clark, Vanessa; Stief, Malte; Keiderling, David; Koch, Patrick; Acquatella, B. Paul; Saile, Dominik; Poppe, Georg; Traudt, Tobias; Manfletti, Chiara (February 2015). "Ariane 6 PPH Architecture Critical Analysis: Second Iteration Loop" – via ResearchGate.
  33. ^ Feldman, Mia (11 July 2013). "European Space Agency Reveals New Rocket Design". IEEE Spectrum. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2017.
  34. ^ Amos, Jonathan (22 June 2017). "Full thrust on Europe's new rocket". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 March 2018. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
  35. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (24 May 2013). "With Ariane 6 Launch Site Selected, CNES Aims To Freeze Design of the New Rocket in July". Space News. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2013. Ariane 6 would fly in 2020 assuming a development go-ahead in 2014. CNES's Ariane 6 team is operating under the "triple-seven" mantra, meaning seven years' development, 7 metric tons of satellite payload to geostationary transfer orbit and 70 million euros in launch costs. CNES estimates that Ariane 6 would cost 4 billion euros to develop, including ESA's customary program management fees and a 20% margin that ESA embeds in most of its programs.
  36. ^ Peter B. De Selding (18 March 2014). "Questions Swirl around Future of Europe's Ariane Launcher Program". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  37. ^ a b c Svitak, Amy (10 March 2014). "SpaceX Says Falcon 9 To Compete For EELV This Year". Aviation Week. Archived from the original on 10 March 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2014. As SpaceX and other launch contenders enter the sector – including new rockets in India, China and Russia – Europe is also investing in a midlife upgrade of Ariane 5, the Ariane 5 ME (Midterm Evolution), which aims to boost performance 20% with no corresponding increase in cost. At the same time, Europe is considering funding a smaller, less capable but more affordable successor to the heavy-lift launcher, Ariane 6, which would send up to 6,500 kg (14,300 lb) to GTO for around US$95 million per launch.
  38. ^ de Selding, Peter (20 June 2014). "Airbus and Safran Propose New Ariane 6 Design, Reorganisation of Europe's Rocket Industry". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 24 November 2022. European space-hardware builders Airbus and Safran have proposed that the French and European space agencies scrap much of their previous 18 months' work on a next-generation Ariane 6 rocket in favour of a design that includes much more liquid propulsion.
  39. ^ Amos, Jonathan (5 July 2014). "Ariane 6: Customers call the shots". BBC. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  40. ^ "Safran-Airbus Group launcher activities agreement". Safran Group. 16 June 2014. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  41. ^ Michel Cabirol (7 July 2014). "Faut-il donner toutes les clés d'Ariane 6 à Airbus et Safran?" (in French). La Tribune. Archived from the original on 17 September 2020. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  42. ^ Cabirol, Michel (7 July 2014). "Privatisation d'Ariane 6 : comment Airbus et Safran négocient le "casse du siècle"" [Ariane 6 privatized: how Airbus and Safran negotiate the "heist of the century"] (in French). La Tribune. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  43. ^ Cyrille Vanlerberghe (8 July 2014). "Le choix d'Ariane 6 divise industriels et agences spatiales" (in French). Le Figaro. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2014.
  44. ^ a b "France raises heat on decision for next Ariane rocket". Expatica. 18 September 2014. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  45. ^ a b Cyrille Vanlerberghe (5 September 2014). "Ariane 6: la version de la dernière chance" (in French). Le Figaro. Archived from the original on 11 November 2020. Retrieved 18 September 2014.
  46. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (24 September 2014). "ESA's Ariane 6 Cost Estimate Rises with Addition of New Launch Pad". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
  47. ^ "ISS Expected To Take Back Seat to Next-gen Ariane as Space Ministers Meet in Zurich". SpaceNews. 22 September 2014. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 6 June 2015. The space ministers of France, Germany and Italy are scheduled to meet on September 23 in Zurich to assess how far they are from agreement on strategy and funding for Europe's next-generation Ariane rocket, upgrades to the light-lift Vega vehicle and — as a lower priority — their continued participation in the international space station. The meeting should give these governments a better sense of whether a formal conference of European Space Agency ministers scheduled for December 2 in Luxembourg will be able to make firm decisions, or will be limited to expressions of goodwill.
  48. ^ Peter B. De Selding (2 December 2014). "ESA Members Agree To Build Ariane 6, Fund Station Through 2017". SpaceNews. Retrieved 3 December 2014.
  49. ^ "This Reusable Space Freighter Would 'Open the Door' to European Space Exploration". Gizmodo. 19 September 2022. Archived from the original on 1 October 2022. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  50. ^ Wolny, Marcin (10 January 2016). "Europe in space, 2015 overview". Tech for Space. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  51. ^ "Ariane 6 design finalized, set for 2020 launch". Spacedaily.com. Space Daily. 28 January 2016. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  52. ^ Amos, Jonathan (28 January 2016). "Europe settles on design for Ariane 6 rocket". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  53. ^ a b de Selding, Peter B. (7 April 2016). "Airbus Safran Launchers aims for "the discipline of the flow" in Ariane 6 integration". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  54. ^ Clark, Stephen (24 June 2015). "Ariane 6 rockets likely to be assembled horizontally". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 4 November 2016. Officials said the preliminary plan calls for the Ariane 6 rocket to be integrated horizontally, a practice long used for Russian launchers and more recently adopted by United Launch Alliance's Delta 4 rocket family and SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
  55. ^ Clark, Stephen (16 December 2015). "Q&A with Stéphane Israël, chairman and CEO of Arianespace". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2022. When it comes to Ariane 64, we are at around US$90 to US$100 million, as opposed to Ariane 5, which is in terms of cost, around US$200 million. You see with the effort we're making, we want to reduce the cost around 40/50%, which is very ambitious.
  56. ^ a b Amos, Jonathan (7 April 2016). "Ariane 6 project 'in good shape'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  57. ^ Clark, Stephen (13 August 2016). "Ariane 6 rocket holding to schedule for 2020 maiden flight". spaceflightnow.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  58. ^ Peach, Matthew (6 November 2015). "Austrian researchers to adapt laser ignition for rockets". optics.org. SPIE Europe. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  59. ^ Henry, Caleb (9 July 2020). "ESA confirms Ariane 6 delay to 2021". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
  60. ^ a b Elizabeth Howell (3 December 2023). "1st launch of Europe's Ariane 6 rocket finally has June 2024 launch target". Space.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  61. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (5 June 2024). "Ariane 6 Maiden Flight Scheduled for 9 July". European Spaceflight. Archived from the original on 5 June 2024. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
  62. ^ a b Amos, Jonathan (5 June 2015). "Airbus unveils 'Adeline' re-usable rocket concept". BBC News. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 25 June 2015.
  63. ^ "Une version réutilisable d'Ariane 6 est à l'étude" [A reusable version of Ariane 6 is under study] (in French). Futura-Sciences. 9 January 2015. Archived from the original on 30 August 2016. Retrieved 7 June 2015.
  64. ^ Clark, Stephen (13 August 2016). "Ariane 6 rocket holding to schedule for 2020 maiden flight". Spaceflight Now. Archived from the original on 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  65. ^ Berger, Eric (21 May 2018). "Ariane chief seems frustrated with SpaceX for driving down launch costs". Ars Technica. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  66. ^ "Ariane 6, the new generation of European launch vehicules [sic]". Ariane Group. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  67. ^ Meddah, Hassan (7 February 2017). Vous avez aimé Ariane 6, vous allez adorer Ariane Next [If you liked Ariane 6, you will love Ariane Next] (Report) (in French). L'Usine nouvelle. Archived from the original on 23 December 2017. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  68. ^ "Callisto, Véhicule Spatial Réutilisable" (PDF). CNESmag (in French). No. 68. CNES. May 2016. p. 10. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  69. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (19 July 2024). "ESA Explores Crewed Mission Capabilities for Ariane 6 Rocket". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  70. ^ Henry, Caleb (8 January 2019). "Arianespace says full Ariane 6 production held up by missing government contracts". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  71. ^ Henry, Caleb (27 February 2019). "OneWeb's first six satellites in orbit following Soyuz launch". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 28 February 2019.
  72. ^ @jeff_foust (7 May 2019). "Stéphane Israël, Arianespace: ordered first production batch of 14 Ariane 6 rockets yesterday for missions in 2021-23. #SATShow" (Tweet). Retrieved 7 May 2019 – via Twitter.
  73. ^ "Ariane 6 launch returns in-house space access to Europe's armed forces". 10 July 2024.
  74. ^ Ajdin, Adis (27 April 2021). "French pioneering sail-powered boxship". Splash247. Archived from the original on 20 January 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  75. ^ "Wind-powered cargo ship completes its first transatlantic crossing". Project Cargo Journal. 21 June 2023. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  76. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (3 April 2015). "Desire for Competitive Ariane 6 Nudges ESA Toward Compromise in Funding Dispute with Contractor". SpaceNews. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
  77. ^ de Selding, Peter B. (4 November 2016). "ESA decision frees up full funding for Ariane 6 rocket". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  78. ^ Amos, Jonathan (9 November 2016). "Full rocket funding unlocked by ESA". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 11 March 2019.
  79. ^ Forrester, Chris (23 January 2020). "EU loans €100m to Arianespace". Archived from the original on 28 January 2021. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  80. ^ Krebs, Gunter D. "Ariane-6". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  81. ^ ESA Space Transport [@ESA_transport] (4 July 2024). "The mass of the dummy payload is 1600 kg and it was built by @ArianeGroup in Les Mureaux, France" (Tweet). Retrieved 9 July 2024 – via Twitter.
  82. ^ Amos, Jonathan (10 July 2024). "Europe's Ariane-6 rocket blasts off on maiden flight". BBC. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
  83. ^ Stephen Clark (10 July 2024). "Europe's first Ariane 6 flight achieved most of its goals, but ended prematurely". Ars Technica. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  84. ^ Andrew Parsonson (10 July 2024). "Ariane 6 Anomaly Will Have "No Consequence" On Upcoming Missions". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  85. ^ Adrian Beil (10 July 2024). "Ariane 6 successfully launches on maiden flight from French Guiana". NASASpaceflight. Retrieved 11 July 2024.
  86. ^ Foust, Jeff (8 November 2024). "Next Ariane 6 launch slips to early 2025". SpaceNews. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
  87. ^ a b c "Arianespace to launch eight new Galileo satellites". Arianespace (Press release). 6 January 2022. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  88. ^ a b Foust, Jeff (30 November 2023). "ESA sets mid-2024 date for first Ariane 6 launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  89. ^ a b "Planned launches". EUMETSAT. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  90. ^ a b "EUMETSAT to exploit ESA-developed launchers and flight operations software". EUMETSAT. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
  91. ^ Guillermard, Véronique (13 August 2024). "Comment Ariane 6 s'est mise en ordre pour doubler la fréquence de ses vols". Le Figaro. Retrieved 27 September 2024. Some 6 rockets are currently at different stages of production, including the first A64, which is due to take off in the second half of 2025 to deploy a batch of more than 30 satellites on behalf of Kuiper, the Amazon constellation.
  92. ^ Foust, Jeff (12 September 2023). "Arianespace to launch Intelsat small GEO satellite". SpaceNews.com. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  93. ^ "Meteosat series". EUMETSAT. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
  94. ^ "EUMETSAT to exploit ESA-developed launchers and flight operations software". EUMETSAT. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  95. ^ Krebs, Gunter (10 September 2022). "MTG-I 1, 2, 3, 4 (Meteosat 12, 14, 15, 17)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  96. ^ a b c d "All flights opportunities". Arianespace. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  97. ^ a b "Arianespace to Launch the First Four Second-Generation Satellites for Galileo on Ariane 6". Arianespace (Press release). 29 April 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  98. ^ "Q1 2024 Results & Acquisition of Intelsat | Intelsat Future Satellite Launch Schedule" (PDF). SES. 30 April 2024. p. 40. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  99. ^ "Arianespace Ariane 6 to launch Intelsat satellites". Arianespace (Press release). 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  100. ^ "Planet-hunting eye of PLATO". ESA. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  101. ^ https://astrobiology.com/2024/06/the-plato-mission.html
  102. ^ "Mission Operations". ESA. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  103. ^ "NEC and Skyloom to Pioneer 100 Gbps Space Optical Communications, Transforming Global Internet Connectivity". NEC (Press release). 19 March 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024. Our plan is to launch the product into space by 2026.
  104. ^ "Skyloom signs contract with Arianespace for first launch". Arianespace. 27 September 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  105. ^ @Arianespace (10 September 2021). "We are proud to launch Skyloom's 1st satellite Uhura-1 aboard an Ariane 6 in 2023. This laser-coms relay node will be a game changer for the industry. Congratulations to CEO Marcos Franceschini on this huge milestone" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  106. ^ "Arianespace to launch Australian satellite Optus-11 with Ariane 6". Arianespace (Press release). 17 November 2021. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  107. ^ https://www.thepress.co.nz/a/business/350411994/sky-tv-asks-customers-to-check-if-they-can-pick-up-signal-from-replacement-satellite
  108. ^ "Earth Return Orbiter – the first round-trip to Mars". ESA. 7 April 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2023.
  109. ^ "TInternet Speed in Greece to Surge 1,000 Times with Hellas Sat 5". To Vima. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
  110. ^ "ARIEL moves from blueprint to reality" (Press release). ESA. 12 November 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  111. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (17 July 2024). "ESA Targets 2031 for First Argonaut Lunar Lander Mission". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 17 July 2024.
  112. ^ "Athena | Mission Summary". ESA. 2 May 2022. Retrieved 4 May 2022.
  113. ^ "Athena X-ray observatory | Athena mission". Athena Community Office. Archived from the original on 6 February 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  114. ^ "Capturing the ripples of spacetime: LISA gets go-ahead". ESA. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  115. ^ "Arianespace signs unprecedented contract with Amazon for 18 Ariane 6 launches to deploy Project Kuiper constellation". Arianespace (Press release). 5 April 2022. Retrieved 5 April 2022.
  116. ^ Foust, Jeff (5 April 2022). "Amazon launch contracts drive changes to launch vehicle production". SpaceNews. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  117. ^ a b "SENER designs the mechanisms for the assembly of Electra, the first European commercial satellite with electric propulsion". SENER (Press release). 10 September 2019. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  118. ^ a b Miller, Katrina (9 July 2024). "Europe Rejoins Space Race but New Rocket's Flight Ends in Anomaly". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 23 August 2024. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  119. ^ Posaner, Joshua (10 July 2024). "How Europe's rocket program lost big to Elon Musk: The inside story". POLITICO. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  120. ^ Amos, Jonathan (9 July 2024). "Ariane-6 first launch: Europe's rocket blasts off for first time". BBC News. Retrieved 14 December 2024.
  121. ^ Berger, Eric (18 April 2023). "Europe's Ariane 6 rocket is turning into a space policy disaster". Ars Technica. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  122. ^ a b Cross, Theresa (3 July 2024). "Europe's Ariane 6 rocket set for maiden voyage amid stiff competition". Space Explored. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  123. ^ Posaner, Joshua (1 July 2024). "Europe smarts as Elon Musk's SpaceX wins key satellite deal". Politico. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  124. ^ Hepher, Tim; Roulette, Joey (10 July 2024). "Europe 'back in space' despite Ariane 6 debut glitch". Reuters. Retrieved 13 December 2024.
  125. ^ Castel, Frédéric (24 June 2024). "Europe aims to end space access crisis with Ariane 6's inaugural launch". SpaceNews. Archived from the original on 10 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Ariane 6.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ariane_6&oldid=1264677706"