The rocket is to ensure Europe’s independence in the space sector

The final countdown has begun. Four years late, the Ariane 6 rocket is set to lift off for the first time on Tuesday above the Guiana jungle, carrying with it Europe’s hopes of regaining independent access to space.

The Ariane 6 rocket is set to take off for the first time from Kourou on Tuesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. (Paris time). The inaugural flight is all the more eagerly awaited given that the program has been delayed for four years. One year after the last flight of Ariane 5, which has accumulated 27 years of service, the next generation is finally ready. For its inaugural flight, Ariane 6 will embark eight cubesats on Tuesday evening, which are small satellites the size of a shoebox, as well as a two-ton inert mass on board to simulate the European Galileo satellites. In total, the mission should last a little less than three hours.

Ariane 6 is more suited to the European space market than Ariane 5. While the previous rocket aimed to place geostationary satellites in orbit at an altitude of 36,000 km and was too expensive for low-orbit missions, Ariane 6 can transport five tonnes of material to an altitude of 36,000 kilometres, as well as 10 tonnes to 100 kilometres above the Earth, where satellite constellations are placed. Ariane 6 is also more flexible. It can be used with two or four boosters, depending on needs. In addition, the upper stage engine can be re-ignited several times, to place satellites in different orbits during the same mission. All this helps reduce the costs of access to space. This new rocket is also strategic for Europeans, since it is about regaining autonomous access to space.

Since the retirement of Ariane 5, Europe no longer has the means to put its own satellites into orbit, the Italian Vega C rocket having missed its first commercial flight in 2022. Today, many daily services rely on space (communication, GPS, weather, climate observations). As the world’s second largest economy, Europe must ensure autonomous access to space.

Ariane 6 launches will remain more expensive than those of Elon Musk’s company, which is already capable of carrying out 90 launches per year with its Falcon 9. This is 10 times more than what is planned for Ariane 6. Space X rockets are also partly reusable. This is not the case for Ariane 6, and Europe will have to look into this technology, believes the head of ESA, the European Space Agency. But one thing at a time, for the moment, the Ariane 6 order book is filling up nicely, 30 missions are already scheduled.