Europe's new Ariane 6 launcher launched into space with minor problems
The rocket is intended to promote satellites into space for commercial and public clients in the future. Its first launch, which had to be delayed by an hour on the ground due to a "small problem," carried nearly 20 "passengers": microsatellites from universities and scientific experiments, including some from Germany.
Even towards the end of the flight, there was another small setback when the rocket deviated from its flight path. The upper stage of the rocket, which was supposed to land in a remote area in the Pacific, failed to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.
However, this did not dampen the mood of the responsible parties: According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the microsatellites were successfully deployed into orbit one hour and six minutes after takeoff. ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher spoke of a "historic day for the ESA and for Europe." Walther Pelzer, a member of the German Aerospace Center's management board, also spoke of a "great success," despite the minor disappointment at the end.
There was also joy over the successful launch in Berlin with the coordinator of the German government for aerospace. She declared the start to be "a strong sign for a sovereign and innovative Europe." She also spoke of an "incredibly important and essential milestone for the future development of European space travel."
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson wrote in an online service X of a "giant leap forward" for the ESA.
The predecessor model Ariane-5 had been in use for 27 years before its last launch in the previous year. Since then, the Europeans have not been able to launch satellites independently: Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they have no longer had access to the Russian carrier rocket Soyuz, which had been launched from French Guiana for ten years. The delay of the planned first launch of Ariane-6 in 2020 worsened the crisis.
The Ariane-6 project was decided upon in 2014 and cost 4.5 billion Euros. Germany is, after France, the second largest contributor to the Ariane-6 program of the ESA.
Ariane-6 will bring satellites into an orbit of several hundred kilometers, but also into a geostationary orbit in 36,000 kilometers altitude. In this altitude, the satellite's speed corresponds to the Earth's rotational speed, so that observers on the ground have the impression that it is not moving. The Vinci engine of the rocket can be re-ignited, allowing multiple satellites to be deployed at different points in space.
The first commercial launch of Ariane-6 is planned for the end of the year, with 14 others in the following two years. In the first phase, nine launches per year are planned. Ariane is thus far from competing with the US company SpaceX, which dominates the competition and completed 14 launches of the Falcon 9 rocket in May alone.
The space industry is booming. According to the consulting firm Novaspace, 822 billion Dollars (767 billion Euros) will be spent on rockets, satellites, and other parts of the space industry by 2032. Last year, it was still 508 billion Dollars.
Despite the growing demand, it is not enough to make Ariane-6 profitable. Only the first 15 flights have been funded so far. However, the 22 ESA member states have declared their readiness to contribute up to 340 million Euros annually, securing the 16th to 42nd flight of Ariane-6.
Ariane-6 already has 30 orders, with 18 of them being from Amazon, to launch satellites for its Kuiper project for satellite-based internet connections in space.
- The German Aerospace Center was one of the contributors to the microsatellites launched on the Ariane-6 rocket.
- The first launch of Ariane-6, which took place in French Guiana, was delayed due to a minor issue on the ground.
- The ESA, in collaboration with the Federal Government, aims to promote space travel for commercial and public clients using the carrier rocket Ariane-6.
- The Ariane-6 project, initiated in 2014, is a significant contribution from Europe and Germany, specifically, towards the advancement of space travel.
- NASA Administrator Bill Nelson praised the Ariane-6 launch as a significant step forward for the ESA and Europe in space travel.
- The upper stage of the Ariane-6 rocket, intended for a landing in the Pacific, experienced issues during re-entry, causing it to fail to re-enter the Earth's atmosphere.
- Anna Christmann, the coordinator of the German government for aerospace, expressed her joy at the successful launch of Ariane-6, calling it a strong sign for European sovereignty and innovation.
- The upcoming commercial launch of Ariane-6, planned for the end of the year, aims to compete with SpaceX's dominance in the industry with its Falcon 9 rocket.
- Amazon has placed 18 orders for Ariane-6 to launch satellites for its Kuiper project, contributing to the booming space industry worldwide.
