2023-11-30 12:01:50
The inaugural launch of the European Ariane 6 rocket is planned between June 15 and July 31, 2024, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on Thursday. The launcher must undergo two more tests in December.
“It’s a good day for Europe in space,” said ESA Director Josef Aschbacher, announcing this slot for the first flight of the future European heavy launcher, which was initially planned for 2020.
The decision follows the “complete success”, according to him, of a critical test carried out on November 23 in Kourou. It consisted of a firing over the entire duration of a mission of the Vulcain 2.1 engine, which powers the main stage of the launcher.
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The final date expected in spring 2024
The final launch date will probably be announced in March or April 2024, according to Josef Aschbacher. CNES President Philippe Baptiste specified that a “general qualification review” of the launcher will make it possible to secure a precise date for the launch. This review is ongoing and is expected to be completed around April.
This green light for the inaugural launch is the result of a joint decision by ESA, ArianeGroup – manufacturer of the launcher – and CNES (National Center for Space Studies), which provides the infrastructure for Guyana’s spaceport. Kourou.
Initially planned for 2020, the first flight of Ariane 6, designed to face competition from the American launcher Space X, has been postponed several times due to the Covid-19 pandemic and development difficulties.
Tests for the launcher
The launcher must undergo two more tests aimed at verifying its operation in so-called “degraded” conditions: December 7 with a test of the Vinci re-ignitable engine of the upper stage and December 15 with a filling test of all stages, in Kourou .
These tests aim to “verify that the reliability and robustness of the design [du lanceur] is in line with expectations”, declared Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup. Josef Aschbacher was pleased that “the technical issues have been ‘stabilized’ and the schedule too”.
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