Ariane 6 launch site in French Guiana. Photo: Arianespace

Arianespace and ArianeGroup are targeting the first commercial flight of the Ariane 6 rocket to take place in the first quarter of 2025, mid-February at the earliest. 

This comes after the Ariane 6 rocket made its debut in July of this year. The European Space Agency (ESA) operated the demonstration flight, and Arianespace will operate the rocket commercially. ArianeGroup is the prime contractor for the launch vehicle. 

The mission deployed its satellites successfully, but there was an issue in the final stage with the auxiliary propulsion unit (APU) that caused the loss of two reentry capsules — Nyx Bikini for The Exploration Company and SpaceCase for Ariane Group. 

ArianeGroup said in a Nov. 8 update that flight software has been corrected to re-ignite the APU and deorbit the upper stage in future missions. 

The main stage and upper stage for this flight have been integrated at ArianeGroup’s sites in France and Germany and will soon be shipped to French Guiana on the Canopée ship. The Ariane 6 launch complex has also been handed over to Arianespace and ArianeGroup and preparations are underway for the second flight. 

“Arianespace is getting set for the first commercial launch of Ariane 6, and the next ones that will take place in 2025. We again thank our customers, the French Space Agency and the French Ministry for the Armed Forces, for their trust. We are preparing this fresh start for Europe in space with enthusiasm,” commented Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace.