Europe’s new Ariane 6 large rocket is scheduled to launch for the first time on July 9 after a series of delays.
that much European Space Agency’s The Ariane 6 rocket, developed by (ESA) ArianeGroup, is scheduled to lift off from the European Spaceport in French Guiana. date rocketThe long-awaited first flight of the was announced on June 5 at the ILA Berlin Air Show. However, no specific launch time or period has been revealed yet.
“Ariane 6 opens a new era of autonomous and versatile European space travel,” said Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA. declaration From the space agency. “This powerful rocket is the culmination of years of dedication and ingenuity from thousands of people across Europe and, once launched, will re-establish Europe’s independent access to space.”
Related: Europe’s new Ariane 6 rocket has achieved a critical seven-minute engine burn.
Ariane 6 It is Europe’s next-generation heavy launch vehicle and consists of a main stage, an upper stage, and 2 to 4 solid rocket boosters. ESA officials said in a statement that the reignitable upper stage would allow a single flight to launch multiple missions in different orbits.
A new rocket will replace the historic one. Ariane 5was I left the company last July After 27 years of service and over 100 successful launches. Europe’s original plan was to have Ariane 6 operational by 2020, allowing for a seamless transition between the two launch vehicles. However, Ariane 6 a series of delays This is due to technical issues, COVID-19 and design changes.
“I would like to thank the field team for their tireless hard work, teamwork and dedication during the final stages of our first launch campaign,” Aschbacher said in a statement. “Ariane 6 is a European rocket that meets today’s needs and is adaptable to tomorrow’s ambitions.”
With the launch date officially scheduled, ESA and its partners are completing the final steps for liftoff, including fueling tests and a practice countdown known as a wet dress rehearsal scheduled for June 18.
“This will be the culmination of this flight. years of development “Teams at ArianeGroup and our partners across Europe are conducting testing,” ArianeGroup CEO Martin Sion said in a statement. “This will lay the foundation for commercial operations and significant growth over the next two years. Ariane 6 is a powerful, versatile and scalable launch vehicle that will ensure autonomous access to space for Europe.”
The first Ariane 6 launch will primarily be a demonstration flight, but will carry a variety of payloads already integrated into the rocket’s payload carrier. If successful, Ariane 6 could begin its second flight by the end of the year, with the goal of ultimately completing about 10 launches per year.
