Europe's new Ariane 6 launcher to be launched into space for the first time
At its first launch, the new carrier rocket will have 18 "Passengers" on board: microsatellites from universities and scientific experiments, some of which are from Germany. The predecessor model Ariane 5 was in use for 27 years until its last launch in June of the previous year. Since then, the Europeans have not been able to independently put satellites into orbit.
The new carrier rocket, scheduled for its debut in French Guiana at the Kourou Space Center, is expected to carry all six components of the Ariane 6. Despite the absence of independent satellite launches by Europe since the last Ariane 5 launch in June, the hopes of resuming this capability lie with the Ariane 6. France, as a key member of Europe, will contribute to this project through its facilities in French Guiana.
