On the 9th of July, Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6, made its maiden flight from the French Guiana spaceport, marking the return of EU launch capability since the last flight of Ariane 5 on 25 June 2023. While the launch was largely successful, an anomaly in the upper stage prevented the rocket from reaching its full planned altitude.
Having Ariane 6 in operation helps to address the current bottleneck in rocket launches, and reduces wait times for operators. Ariane 6 also enhances Europe's strategic autonomy and national security capabilities through the independent deployment of satellites.
See the launch highlights below!
