Ariane 6 is the latest in the Ariane rocket series, taking over from Ariane 5 with a design that will launch massive missions to low-Earth orbit and shoot intrepid explorers far, far out to deep space.

Ariane 6 stands at 56-62 m high depending on the size of the passenger its launching. It is taller (and straighter) than the Leaning Tower of Pisa When carrying its cargo or ‘payload’ it will weigh almost 900 000 kg (900 tonnes), roughly equivalent to two fully loaded Boeing 747-8 airplanes.

Ariane 6 has a modular structure consisting of three main portions stacked on top of each other: a main stage with either two or four boosters, an upper (orbital) stage and the payload in its fairing.

The new rocket will be available in two versions depending on the amount of thrust required: the Ariane 62 has two P120C boosters and the Ariane 64 has four, providing extra boost for heavier payloads or destinations further afield.

Ariane 6’s nose cone, technically called the fairing, is 5.4 m wide and fully adapted to carry the widest array of space missions. And it is flexible, available at both 14 m and 20 m tall it could carry four giraffes standing on each other’s shoulders.

The fairing consists of two huge half-shells, made in one piece from carbon-glass fibre composite which is ‘cured’ in an industrial oven, reducing cost and speeding up production. Fewer parts allow for horizontal as well as vertical assembly of the closed fairing and the launch vehicle, which is particularly important for Ariane 6.