Ariane 6 is a launch system that has been in development since the early 2010s by ArianeGroup on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). It replaces Ariane 5 as part of the Ariane launch vehicle family. For this reason, the launch of Ariane 6, which had been worked on for a long time and was highly anticipated, was also eagerly awaited. A date was given for this.
Ariane 6 will be launched in mid-2024
Josef Aschbacher, director of the European Space Agency, announced yesterday that the first launch of the European Space Agency’s Ariane 6 rocket is planned for mid-2024. The news follows a successful hot fire test at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana on November 23.
The term ‘hot fire’ refers to the ignition of the engine with propellants, producing actual combustion and exhaust. The only difference from a real launch is that the thrusters are not fired; This ensures that the rocket is firmly planted on the ground. “With the completion of the latest testing, Ariane 6 has gone through the basic rehearsals required for qualification,” Aschbacher said at X. made the statement.
“We have validated our models, increased our operational knowledge and are now confident for the first launch period of Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher.” He also added his statements. Although the first flight will not carry large payloads into orbit, it will carry several small satellites.
If this launch is successful, Arianespace, the company developing the rocket, will aim for a second launch later in the year. The second launch will carry the CSO-3 reconnaissance satellite for the French military, company CEO Stéphane Israël said at a press conference.
Ariane 6 was first planned to be launched four years ago. However, the rocket experienced a series of delays due to technical problems, COVID-19 and design changes. Europe does not currently have independent access to space satellites, with Ariane 6’s predecessor, Ariane 5, officially decommissioned and Italy’s Vega C rocket grounded following a launch failure in December.
So, if everything goes as planned, Ariane 6 is expected to be released in around 6 months. So what do you think about this news? You can share your thoughts with us in the comments section.
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