Key milestones towards inaugural flight:

12 April 2024: Upper stage firing test, Lampoldshausen, Germany

The last hot firing test (HFT-5) of the Ariane 6 upper stage was completed successfully on April 12 at the German Aerospace Center DLR P5.2 test stand in Lampoldshausen.

The aim of this test was to gather further data for future Ariane 6 missions after its inaugural flight. The test focused on demonstrating operation of the upper stage under non-nominal conditions (deviations from the normal operating conditions expected during flight), notably of the APU (Auxiliary Propulsion Unit) which is unique hardware that allows Ariane 6 to be a versatile launcher and launch a diverse roster of missions. DLR and ArianeGroup teams carried out a test sequence profile that included loading the stage tanks and preparing it for flight. The test included three long APU boosts that lasted for a total duration of 66 minutes.

This test follows from a test in December 2023. The success of this last test concludes the hot-firing test campaign on the upper stage.

24 April 2024: Transfer and verticalisation of central core, Kourou, French Guiana

The Ariane 6 flight model-1 central core was transferred from the launcher assembly building to the launch pad where it was lifted to its vertical launch position for further assembly.

25-26 April 2024: Transfer of the boosters to the launch pad, Kourou, French Guiana

The two boosters for the Ariane 6 flight model-1 were transported on 25 and 26 April to the launch zone, where operations have started to connect them to the central core.