Ariane 6 Nears Maiden Flight: Twin Cores Assembled at European Spaceport

Written by Copernical Team Tuesday, 26 March 2024 14:22

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Paris, France (SPX) Mar 26, 2024

ArianeGroup is in the process of assembling the central core for the inaugural Ariane 6 launch, marking a significant milestone in the launcher's development. The operation, taking place at the Launcher Assembly Building in French Guiana's Europe's Spaceport, involves the meticulous mating and integration of the launcher's main and upper stages. This precision-driven process is critical, as the

Ariane 6 Nears Maiden Flight: Twin Cores Assembled at European Spaceport
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Mar 26, 2024

ArianeGroup is in the process of assembling the central core for the inaugural Ariane 6 launch, marking a significant milestone in the launcher's development. The operation, taking place at the Launcher Assembly Building in French Guiana's Europe's Spaceport, involves the meticulous mating and integration of the launcher's main and upper stages. This precision-driven process is critical, as the stages must align perfectly to facilitate electrical connections, achieved with a narrow gap of just 150 mm. The stages are then securely joined using a bolted inter-stage structure.

Following the removal of the launcher used for combined tests, the first flight model of Ariane 6 now occupies the launch pad, with the test launcher's central core stored at the same facility. This setup temporarily houses the central cores of both the test and inaugural flight models during the assembly phase of the latter, before its transfer to the launch zone.

Managed by the European Space Agency (ESA) and spearheaded by ArianeGroup as the industrial lead contractor, the Ariane 6 program represents a collaborative effort involving numerous partners. The French Space Agency (CNES) and its contractors are tasked with the construction and operation of the dedicated launch pad at the Kourou launch complex.

Recent updates from the Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force, comprising ESA, CNES, ArianeGroup, and Arianespace, highlight the progress toward the first flight. Notable achievements include the integration of the main and upper stages, the readiness of the first booster, and the disassembly of the test model to clear the launch pad. The upcoming milestones leading up to the inaugural launch include the completion of the second booster, the verticalization of the central core, and the arrival of payloads at Kourou.

Aiming for a launch window between June 15 and July 31, 2024, Ariane 6 is designed to succeed Ariane 5, featuring an upper stage restart capability to cater to various mission types, including satellite constellation deployments. This advancement underscores Europe's commitment to enhancing its space transportation capabilities through the collective efforts of ESA's member states.