Ariane 6 stands out: Europe frees itself in the race for space!
Ariane 6 stands out: Europe frees itself in the race for space!
On March 6, 2025, the countdown for the start of the Ariane 6 at the Kourou Spaceplacer station in Kourou in French-Guayana was successfully heralded. The first use of the new rocket, which was much criticized and late, was a significant step for European space travel. Despite all the technical concerns about the topicality of the technology used and the risks, such as a possible fire in the first use for paying customers, the start went smoothly. The Ariane 6, which was designed as the successor to the Ariane 5, demonstrated its reliability by exposing the freight in space as planned an hour after the start. Europe has once again promoted a satellite to space on its own and asserted itself in the current geopolitical situation. This is reported by the Weser-Kurier
The start of success of the Ariane 6 was not only a technological triumph, but also an answer to the challenges of the global space market. With the aim of replacing the Ariane 5, the Ariane 6 presents itself as a flexible rocket with a modular design, which can carry different payloads of up to 21.6 tons in close -up railways. This flexibility is made possible by two configurations, the Ariane 62 with two solid boosters and the Ariane 64 with four. The successful maiden flight of the rocket, which took place on July 9, 2024, marked the beginning of a new era for the European space travel, as the describes.
a milestone for European space travel
The development of Ariane 6 under the direction of Arianegroup in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA) is seen as a symbol of European independence and technological sovereignty. The rocket is not only used in the commercial area, but is also intended to support scientific missions and straw observations and prepare for future missions for lunar and planetary exploration. The ESA plans to increase the starting frequency to up to ten starts a year until 2027 to strengthen competitiveness in the global space market.
The production capacities for the Ariane 6 have been optimized to reduce costs. For this purpose, the upper grades in Bremen and the booster in France are manufactured. This strategic cooperation aims to not only improve efficiency, but also to find solutions for a wide range of space missions, including the development of new technologies for modular space stations and satellite maintenance in space.
historical background
The way to European space travel began to create an independent, third space complex beyond the American and Soviet dominance. Decades earlier, especially in the 1960s, politicians and scientists in France, Great Britain and Germany developed the foundations for European cooperation in the field of space travel. These efforts that had arisen from the experience of the Second World War ultimately led to a Europeanization that still forms the basis for many of the European space initiatives. Historically, these developments have laid the foundation for today's success of the Ariane 6, such as the Spatial Zeit-Podcast discussed.
In view of the recent successes and the progress of European space travel, Europe is again ready to survive in international competition and to pursue their own ambitious goals.
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| Ort | Kourou, Französisch-Guayana |
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