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Ariane 6 debut infographic
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SPACE

Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket inaugural launch

By Jordi Bou

July 9, 2024 - Europe’s new Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket, deemed the future of the continent’s ability to launch satellites into orbit, is scheduled to make its inaugural launch.

The stakes for Europe's launch capabilities are high. Ariane 6 is intended to replace the venerable Ariane 5, which took off for the final time last year after 117 launches and 27 years of service. Since then, European launches have been dependent on other – largely American – vehicles.

Ariane 6 will be available in two configurations depending on the required performance: Ariane 62 with two strap-on boosters, and Ariane 64 with four.

So far, Ariane 6 has orders for 30 launches, 18 of which are for U.S. technology company Amazon, to send up batches of satellites for a broadband internet service called Kuiper.

Entrepreneur Elon Musk‘s SpaceX company has upended the launch market in the past decade, with his reusable Falcons undercutting the Ariane-5’s price point.

Europe is moving towards reusability but the necessary technologies will not be in service until the 2030s.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 27/06/2024; STORY: Graphic News
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