The Ariane rocket of the 6th European Space Agency (ESA) was a satellite to the orbit. The start has been launched twice. The decision to produce this particular rocket was made more than a decade ago.
The Ariane 6 rocket, created by the European Space Agency (ESA), was on Thursday to the orbit of the French military satellite of observational land – said Arianespace. This mission is seen as a test showing Europe's chances to achieve more autonomy in strategic sectors.
Ariane 6 was launched from Kourou in French Guyana and it was the first commercial flight for this rocket.
The start of the rocket was already dismissed twice – first on February 26, and then on March 3 – which is not unusual in the space industry.
Ariane 6 is an ESA flagship product, and its Thursday start is a culmination of over 10-year efforts.
The Ariane 6 rocket took its first commercial flightReuters
Once it was partly
On July 9, 2024, the Ariane 6 test flight was partly successful. It was not a commercial mission. One of its most important elements was the attempt to launch in many times in space Vinci engine that drives the upper part of the rocket. Thanks to this, it is possible to place loads on several different orbits. During the Ariane 6 flight, the third firing of the engine was interrupted, because one of the power supply elements turned off for unknown reasons.
After the Ariane 5 rocket withdrawal in 2023, Europe practically did not have independent access to space. The war of Russia against Ukraine prevented it from using Russian Soyuz rockets, and the Italian Vega C by December last year did not fly.
EU countries decided to produce Ariane 6 in 2014 in response to growing competition on the commercial flight market. Her first start was to take place in 2020, but it was postponed several times. For this reason, Europe had to rely on Elona Muska Spacex in many situations.
Source of the main photo: Reuters