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Powerful Ariane 6 rocket poised to restore Europe’s access to space

After years of delays, the heavy-lift launcher is finally ready to send major scientific missions into space.
  1. Davide Castelvecchi
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The Ariane 6 rocket pictured on the launchpad in 2023.

The Ariane 6 rocket on the launch pad at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana. Credit: M. Pédoussaut/ESA

Update: Ariane 6 performed a flawless launch at 20:00 BST on 9 July, and the upper stage reached its 'nominal' orbit. But its engine failed to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at the scheduled time. "It did reignite, and then it stopped,” said Martin Sion, chief executive of ArianeGroup, in a post-launch press conference. The team will now analyze flight data to understand what happened to the Vinci engine, which had never before been tested in microgravity. The issue will have "no consequence on the next launches”, said Arianespace chief executive Stéphane Israël.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02191-1

Updates & Corrections

  • Update 10 July 2024: This article was updated following the successful launch of Ariane 6.

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