Ariane 6

Timeline

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16.12.2024

news

Second Ariane 6 core stage assembly

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09.12.2024

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Second Ariane 6 launcher stages at Europe’s Spaceport

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03.12.2024

news

First boosters for the BSB

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18.11.2024

news

An ocean voyage for Ariane 6 stages

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12.11.2024

news

Acoustic test of the four-booster configuration Ariane 6 upper stage

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09.07.2024

news

Ariane 6 inaugural launch – mission successful

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09.07.2024

press

Europe's new Ariane 6 launcher takes to the skies

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09.07.2024

video

Ariane 6, Europe's new heavy launcher, made its maiden flight from the Guiana Space Centre on 9 July at 16:00 local time (+4 20:00 London time, +5 21:00 Paris time).

09.07.2024

photo

28.06.2024

news

WATCH OUR VIDEO OF THE ARIANE 6 UPPER STAGE AS IT TRAVELS THROUGH GERMANY FROM BREMEN TO LAMPOLDSHAUSEN

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28.06.2024

news

ARIANE 6: FIRST UPPER STAGE READY FOR HOT-FIRE TESTING

  • The first complete Ariane 6 upper stage has just left the ArianeGroup site in Bremen, where it was developed and integrated, for hot-fire testing on the German Aerospace Center (DLR) site in Lampoldshausen
  • This delivery represents a major step in the development of the new European Ariane 6 launch vehicle; its inaugural flight is scheduled for the second quarter of 2022
  • To download photos and video of the complete upper stage being loaded for transport, click here
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27.06.2024

news

THE 1ST NOZZLE OF THE P120 BOOSTER COMMON TO ARIANE 6 AND VEGA-C ON ITS WAY TO KOUROU

  • The 1st nozzle of the P120 solid rocket motor manufactured in the ArianeGroup plant in Le Haillan is en route for Kourou
  • The nozzle is an essential sub-assembly which creates thrust by ejecting the motor’s combustion gases
  • This new step confirms the progress made by the Ariane 6 program, which is on-schedule
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24.06.2024

news

SUCCESSFUL SECOND TEST FIRING FOR THE P120C SOLID ROCKET MOTOR FOR ARIANE 6 AND VEGA-C

  • A second P120C successful test firing of 135 seconds conducted in Kourou, French Guiana

  • P120C – the largest monolithic carbon-fiber solid rocket motor (SRM) in the world – is loaded with 142 tons of propellant

  • P120C will equip the boosters of both Ariane 62 and Ariane 64 and the Vega-C first stage
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21.06.2024

news

THE ARIANE 6 ENGINES ARE NOW READY

  • The three engines for Europe’s new Ariane 6 launcher have now completed their qualification tests, following the successful qualification testing of the P120C solid propulsion engine on October 7 at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana
  • The qualification test campaigns for the Vinci and Vulcain 2.1 liquid propulsion engines were held in 2018 and 2019, respectively
  • The Vulcain 2.1 and Vinci engines, which will be powering the first Ariane 6, are ready to be mounted on the core stage in Les Mureaux and on the upper stage in Bremen
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21.06.2024

press

Ariane 6: successful dress rehearsal

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21.06.2024

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Ariane 6 dress rehearsal

20.06.2024

news

ARIANE 6 VULCAIN ENGINE: SUCCESSFUL QUALIFICATION TESTING

  • The qualification tests of the Vulcain® 2.1 engine, which will power the Ariane 6 main stage, were completed during the 26th development test.
  • This final qualification test took place on July 16 on the P5 test stand at the DLR site in Lampoldshausen
  • Both Ariane 6 liquid propulsion engines have now completed their firing qualification tests
  • The qualification tests for the Vinci re-ignitable engine for the Ariane upper stage were completed in October 2018
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20.06.2024

news

MT AEROSPACE AND ARIANEGROUP SIGN DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS WITH ESA FOR ENHANCED ARIANE 6 COMPOSITE UPPER STAGE TECHNOLOGIES

  • MT Aerospace and ArianeGroup are signing two contracts to demonstrate maturity of all enabling technologies for a new lightweight, cost-optimized, versatile Ariane 6 composite upper stage

  • PHOEBUS is a project to validate technologies and concepts for an optimized upper stage on Ariane 6
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20.06.2024

news

ARIANE 6 SERIES PRODUCTION BEGINS WITH FIRST BATCH OF 14 LAUNCHERS

  • Arianespace has signed an order with ArianeGroup to begin manufacturing the first series-production batch of 14 Ariane 6 launchers across the European space industry.
  • Production of this initial batch of Ariane 6 launchers, which are to fly during the 2021-2023 timeframe, will be in parallel with the final batch of 8 Ariane 5 launchers.
  • These first series-production Ariane 6 launchers will roll out of the ArianeGroup plants from early 2021.
  • Ariane 6 is carried out within a European Space Agency (ESA) program. The Ariane 6 maiden flight is scheduled for 2020.
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20.06.2024

news

ARIANE 6 ON TRACK WITH TWO MAJOR MILESTONES

Wednesday 4 April saw two separate important events in the Ariane 6 program.

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20.06.2024

news

ARIANEGROUP TO START PRODUCTION OF THE FIRST ARIANE 62

  • The Ariane 6 Maturity Gate 6.2 industrialization review from 15 November and 14 December 2017 brought together ArianeGroup, its industrial partners, and independent experts

  • The positive conclusion of this review makes it possible to start production on the first Ariane 6 flight model

  • The first Ariane 6 flight is scheduled for mid-2020

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19.06.2024

news

ARIANEGROUP STARTS PRODUCTION OF THE FIRST FLIGHT MODEL FOR THE VINCI ENGINE COMBUSTION CHAMBER INTENDED FOR THE ARIANE 6 UPPER STAGE

  • VINCI® is the re-ignition motor of the upper stage of Ariane 6 which has been successfully tested more than 120 times

  • Construction of the first combustion chamber of the flight model has begun at the ArianeGroup site in Ottobrun

  • Airbus Safran Launchers will be re-named ArianeGroup on July 1
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19.06.2024

news

AIRBUS SAFRAN LAUNCHERS INITIATES PRODUCTION OF THE ARIANE 6 GROUND QUALIFICATION MODELS

  • The “Maturity Gate 6.1” industrialization review was held March 27 to April 20, 2017, among Airbus Safran Launchers, its industrial partners and independent experts

  • Based on the positive outcome of this review, production of the Ariane 6 ground qualification models has been green-lighted

  • The first flight of Ariane 6 is scheduled 2020
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18.06.2024

news

Airbus Safran Launchers et l'ESA signent la confirmation du Programme Ariane 6

This amendment to the agreement signed in August 2015 between Airbus Safran Launchers and ESA commits the entire €2.4 billion planned for the development and production of the new European launcher. i.e., €1.7 billion to be deployed between now and 2023.


On 13 September, the ESA Member States unanimously confirmed the continuation of the Ariane 6 program, following an in-depth review of the program’s technical and financial situations.

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17.06.2024

press

The top section of the first Ariane 6

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25.04.2024

photos

The first Ariane 6 booster for the maiden flight has reached the launch pad

24.04.2024

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The central body of the inaugural Ariane 6 flight is on the launch pad

15.04.2024

press

Successful final test firing of Ariane 6 upper stage

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05.03.2024

press

Ariane 6 inaugural flight stages being assembled

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23.02.2024

photos

Arrival of the stages of the inaugural Ariane 6 flight in French Guiana

12.02.2024

press

Ariane 6 inaugural flight stages on their way to French Guiana

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23.11.2023

press

Successful long-fire test of Ariane 6's main stage

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23.11.2023

video

The long-duration test firing of the Ariane 6 launcher on its launch pad at the Guiana Space Centre has been successfully completed.

25.10.2023

press

Successful launch timing tests for Ariane 6 on its launch pad

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05.10.2023

photos

Canopée, a modern sailing cargo ship to transport Ariane 6

06.09.2023

press

Ariane 6 main stage successfully completes firing test on launch pad

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06.09.2023

photos

Ariane 6's main stage has performed its first full-fire test on the launcher's launch pad in Kourou, as part of the combined tests.

01.09.2023

video

Another successful test firing of Ariane 6's upper stage

01.09.2023

press

Another successful test firing of Ariane 6's upper stage

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20.03.2023

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The first booster for the inaugural Ariane 6 flight is ready

16.01.2023

news

New Ariane 6 transport ship Canopée docks in French Guiana for the first time

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03.11.2022

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ARIANEGROUP TO DEVELOP PHOEBUS FOR ESA, AS A DEMONSTRATOR FOR ARIANE 6’S FUTURE CARBON UPPER STAGE

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18.10.2022

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FIRST FULLY INTEGRATED ARIANE 6 ON ITS LAUNCH PAD FOR COMBINED TESTS

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06.10.2022

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ARIANE 6: START OF UPPER STAGE HOT-FIRING TESTS

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31.08.2022

news

BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE ARIANE 6 LAUNCHER ASSEMBLY BUILDING

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12.07.2022

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FIRST ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THE ARIANE 6 CENTRAL CORE AND LAUNCH PAD FOR COMBINED TESTS

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27.06.2022

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ARIANE 6 CENTRAL CORE FOR COMBINED TESTS HAS NOW BEEN ASSEMBLED

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27.01.2022

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ARIANE 6 IS GETTING INTO SHAPE FOR COMBINED TESTS WITH THE LAUNCH PAD

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04.01.2022

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THE ARIANE 6 FIRST STAGES ON THEIR WAY TO KOUROU

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03.11.2021

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New photos of the combined tests of the Ariane 6 fairing

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13.07.2021

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ARIANEGROUP WINS ESA’S “ASTRIS” COMPETITION FOR AN EVEN MORE VERSATILE ARIANE 6

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08.06.2021

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ARIANE 6 FAIRING: END OF EARLY COMBINED TEST CAMPAIGN

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19.05.2021

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THE VERY FIRST ARIANE 6 FAIRING IS PUT THROUGH ITS PACES AT THE EUROPEAN SPACEPORT

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17.05.2021

news

NEW PHOEBUS CONTRACT PAVES THE WAY FOR DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE LIGHTWEIGHT COMPOSITE ROCKET STAGES

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11.05.2021

news

THE ARIANE 6 APU IS READY

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04.02.2021

news

LAUNCHER STAGE DELIVERY

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08.10.2020

news

Successful final test firing of the P120C
solid rocket motor for Ariane 6 and Vega-C

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09.06.2020

news

THE ARIANEGROUP KICK STAGE: TAKING ARIANE 6’S VERSATILITY TO NEW HEIGHTS

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05.05.2020

news

Ariane 6 transport containers: thinking inside the box!

ArianeGroup’s new containers for Ariane 6 have just been delivered to our sites. We take a closer look at this crucial step.

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29.10.2019

news

Bremen Ariane 6 Facility Inaugurated

  • ArianeGroup and invited guests today inaugurated the integration hall for the Ariane6 upper stage in Bremen, Germany
  • The first two Ariane6 upper stages are currently in the final assembly phase in the fully operational new facility
  • Equipped with the re-ignitiable Vinci engine, the upperstage is a key element for Ariane 6 versatility, capable of carrying out all missions to all orbits
  • The inaugural flight of Ariane 6 is scheduled for the second half of 2020
  • Download photos and videos here
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16.10.2019

news

Video: Alizés unveils the new vessel for Ariane 6 transport to Kourou

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01.10.2019

news

Ariane 6 on the home stretch

  • The Ariane 6 Critical Design Review (CDR) was completed on September 25 and allows the launcher to enter its final flight qualification phase
  • Production of test models and the first flight model, planned for launch in the second half of 2020, is well under way
  • At the same time, series production of the first 14 Ariane 6 launchers, which will fly between 2021 and 2023, was initiated on May 6
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29.08.2019

news

First Ariane 6 booster rear skirt now at ArianeGroup’s Issac site

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22.10.2018

news

Ariane 6 Vinci engine: successful qualification tests

  • Qualification tests on the Vinci® engine which will power the Ariane 6 upper stage were completed with the 148th test
  • This final qualification test took place on October 12 on the PF52 test bench at ArianeGroup’s Vernon site
  • Vinci® is a re-ignitable engine which contributes to the extreme versatility of the Ariane 6 launcher, whose first flight is scheduled for 2020
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15.02.2018

news

140 successful tests and several “firsts” for Vinci, the engine for Ariane 6

  • The re-ignitable Vinci® engine will power the upper stage of Ariane 6, whose first flight is scheduled for 2020
  • 140 bench tests and major “firsts”: 20 “boosts” accumulated in a single test of 300 seconds, 1,569 seconds of operation in a single test
  • Vinci’s operational flexibility allows for a wide range of missions, including the deployment of satellite constellations
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23.01.2018

news

Successful first test for the Ariane 6 Vulcain engine

  • The Vulcain®2.1 engine, which will power the main stage of Ariane 6, has completed a successful first test firing
  • The test was carried out on behalf of ArianeGroup by the DLR (German Aerospace Center) at its Lampoldshausen site
  • This is a version of the Ariane 5 Vulcain®2 engine optimized for Ariane 6
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12.05.2016

news

Vinci Test

Airbus Safran launchers have just begun the hot-fire testing campaign for the re-ignitable VINCI® upper stage engine on the P4.1 test bench at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Lampoldshausen. This is a key milestone for the development of Ariane 6.
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