Operator
European Space Agency (ESA)Manufacturer
European Space Agency (ESA)Dummy Payload
7/9/2024
Arianespace and the European Space Agency plan a long-duration hot-fire test of the Ariane 6 core stage in early October following a successful short-duration hot-fire test on 2023-09-05 and an upper-stage firing test on 2023-09-01.
Arianespace will launch the IS-45 small geostationary communications satellite for Intelsat on an Ariane 6 vehicle in 2026.
ESA is the overall procuring entity and launch system architect for the Ariane 6.
Ariane 6 is planned to launch in June–July 2024.
The launch of Ariane 6 took place on 12 August at 9:37 p.m. (2:37 a.m. on 13 August Paris time).
Delays in Ariane 6 development, retirement of Ariane 5, the loss of Soyuz access after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and the grounding of Vega C in late 2022 created a gap in European access to space.
SpaceX performed 83 Falcon 9 launches so far in 2025, which is more than eight times the projected peak annual launch rate for Ariane 6.
EUMETSAT moved the MTG-S1 weather satellite launch from Ariane 6 to SpaceX Falcon 9 to ensure the spacecraft would launch in 2025.
SpaceX performed 83 Falcon 9 launches in 2025, which is more than eight times the projected peak annual launch rate for Ariane 6.
Eumetsat moved the MTG-S1 launch from Ariane 6 to Falcon 9 to ensure the spacecraft would launch in 2025 and agreed to use Ariane 6 for future satellite launches.
CSO-3 was originally manifested to launch on Soyuz but was shifted to Ariane 6 after Russia halted Soyuz launches from French Guiana in 2022.
Avio's growth will be driven by a higher Vega C launch cadence, the introduction of Vega E, continued participation in the Ariane 6 programme, and the construction of a new defence production facility in the United States, expected to be completed by 2028.
The P160C engine will start operating on Europe's Ariane 6 and Vega-C launchers in 2026.
The P160C engine is expected to improve the performance of Ariane 6 and Vega-C launchers by around 10% at the same cost.
In April 2021, ArianeGroup awarded MT Aerospace a contract to supply components for the first 14 series-production Ariane 6 rockets.
On 24 September, Arianespace announced that it had been awarded the contract to launch the SATCOMBw-3 satellites aboard two Ariane 6 rockets.
Including the qualification model for the inaugural flight, MT Aerospace has been contracted to produce components for 15 Ariane 6 rockets.
MT Aerospace completed its first full-scale prototype storage tank for the Ariane 6 programme in July 2020.
MT Aerospace warned in August 2020 that delays to Ariane 6’s inaugural flight would massively impact the company.
ArianeGroup has contracted MT Aerospace to deliver key components for 27 Ariane 6 rockets, covering flights 16 through 42.