In June 2023, representatives from ESA, the French space agency CNES, Ariane 6 and launch operator Arianespace met at ArianeGroup’s rocket factory in Les Mureaux, near Paris, to see how the all-new Ariane 6 is taking shape.

Ariane 6 builds on the heritage of its hugely successful predecessor, Ariane 5. But it will lift more payload at less cost and fly more often, to give Europe one of the world’s most flexible, reliable launch systems.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher acknowledged a temporary gap in launch capability that will mark the period between Ariane 5’s final flight and the beginning of Ariane 6 service. But, he stressed, Ariane 6 would continue an invaluable service: “This is guaranteed access to space for Europe. Because this makes it possible that we have navigation satellites, communication satellites, Earth observation satellites – all the satellites we need in daily life. Without these rockets, they could not fly.”

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