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Ariane 6: behind the scenes of the rocket launch in Guyana
On Tuesday, July 9, the Ariane 6 rocket was able to take off from the Kourou site in French Guiana. A feat after four years of delay, which promises to relaunch Europe on the market.
(France 2)
On Tuesday, July 9, the Ariane 6 rocket was able to take off from the Kourou site in French Guiana. A feat after four years of delay, which promises to relaunch Europe on the market.
A technological gem sparkles in the Guyanese forest, Tuesday July 9, the Ariane 6 rocket deployed its 56 meters of height, ready to conquer space again. Around it, a rolling gantry was custom-built. With its 90 meters of height, it moves back to release the rocket. It takes off four years late. Its various elements were manufactured in Europe, then transported by sea to the Kourou site (Guyana), where Ariane 6 was assembled.
On site, one of the models used in its construction shows that the rocket is built horizontally. This assembly method reduces manufacturing costs and offers “the ability to respond more quickly to each customer who wishes to launch a satellite, with a maximum rate of 12 Ariane 6 per year”, explains a manager.
Ariane 6 comes in two versions and, thanks to its re-ignitable engine, will be able to launch several satellites. “The heart of the Ariane 6 market and the heart of the future market (…) are constellations, satellites that operate in groups,” highlights Lucia Linares, head of strategy and institutional launches at ESA.
