Ariane 6 – Spaceflight Now

Arianespace launches its heaviest payload to date with Amazon Leo flight

June 17, 2026 Will Robinson-Smith

The Leo Europe 03 mission will see Arianespace send a batch of 36 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit. Liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana is scheduled during a window that opens up at 8:53 a.m. Kourou time (7:53 a.m. EDT / 1153 UTC).

Arianespace successfully launches Ariane 6’s first commercial launch following Monday scrub

March 3, 2025 Will Robinson-Smith

The launch will be managed by Arianespace and will carry the third satellite for the Optical Space Component (CSO– Composante Spatiale Optique) program. Liftoff is scheduled for Thursday, March 6, at 1:24 p.m. Kourou time (11:24 a.m. EST, 1624 UTC).

European Space Agency launches inaugural Ariane 6 rocket, encounters upper stage issue

July 7, 2024 Will Robinson-Smith

The first flight of the rocket will carry several payloads unto low Earth orbit for a variety of customers, including NASA. The rocket launched from French Guiana on July 9, 2024, at 4 p.m. GFT (3 p.m. EDT, 1900 UTC), however, it ran into the anomaly about an hour and 50 minutes into the mission.

ESA Director General: Ariane 6 aiming for summer 2024 debut

November 30, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher said Thursday the Ariane 6 is expected to launch for the first time between June 15 and July 31, 2024. The determination comes on the heels of what ESA determined to be a successful hot fire test of the rocket’s main engine.

Amazon unveils plans for $120 million satellite processing facility for its internet constellation

July 21, 2023 Will Robinson-Smith

On Friday, online retail giant amazon will join with members of Space Florida to reveal its plans for a 100,000-square-foot satellite processing facility located at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility (LLF) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

Viasat seeks replacement for Ariane 6 for launch of third ViaSat 3 satellite

April 30, 2023 Stephen Clark

On the eve of launching its first ViaSat 3 internet satellite on a SpaceX rocket, Viasat says it has moved the launch of an identical spacecraft off of Europe’s long-delayed Ariane 6 rocket, and is considering bids from other rocket companies.

Arianespace announces competition for free nanosatellite launch

April 14, 2021 Stephen Clark

Arianespace announced this week it is organizing a contest open to startups, labs, and universities for a free launch of a nanosatellite on a future rideshare mission, likely on an Ariane 6 or Vega rocket.

Earth observation, deep space exploration big winners in new ESA budget

November 29, 2019 Stephen Clark

European Space Agency member states on Thursday committed nearly 12.5 billion euros ($13.8 billion) to fund ESA programs over the next three years, promising money to grow Europe’s fleet of satellites studying Earth’s changing climate, contribute to NASA-led lunar exploration efforts, and continue ESA’s participation in the International Space Station until 2030.

Launch providers announce rideshare missions large and small

August 19, 2019 Stephen Clark

SpaceX and Arianespace recently announced plans to launch rideshare missions to sun-synchronous and geostationary orbit, dedicating big rocket capacity for small satellites as the U.S.-based launch broker Spaceflight committed to using a new Indian microsatellite launcher set to debut later this year.

European space mission to get close-up view of new comet

June 21, 2019 Stephen Clark

A new flyby mission selected by the European Space Agency this week for launch in 2028 will be the first to intercept a new comet or interstellar object fresh from the frozen depths of the outer solar system, or beyond.