Ariane 6
Europe’s New Way to Space
Within a matter of months of the historic decision taken by representatives of the ESA member states during the December 2014 Ministerial Conference in Luxembourg to build a latest generation European launcher, the European Space Agency has signed a contract with ArianeGroup: This joint venture between Airbus Group and ArianeGroup will be in charge of the development of the Ariane 6 launcher in its two versions, Ariane 62 and 64.
Building on the successful Ariane 5 launcher family, Ariane 6 in its two configurations is a new family of competitive, versatile, efficient and reliable launchers. This development will not only guarantee Europe independent access to space, but also allow and competitiveness on the commercial market.
Ariane 6 in brief
- Up to 12 launches per year.
- An altitude of 36,000 km (geostationary transfer orbit),
- 12 participating countries: Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Austria, Ireland, Romania and Norway.
Ariane 6 is the latest addition to the most reliable family of launchers, with over 60 successful Ariane 5 launches in a row!
One Launcher – Two Configurations
Ariane 6, in its 2 versions (A62 and A64), will be able to meet the expectations of the satellite launch market, able to bring spacecraft of both average mass and heavy mass into Space.
ArianeGroup Launchers is using its know-how for next-generation European launchers, through the mastery of all the skills required for manufacturing launcher components.
ArianeGroup
The creation of ArianeGroup opens a new chapter in the history of the launcher industry. Reflecting the joint ambition of Airbus Group and ArianeGroup to boost the European space industry to unscaled heights, our new company will develop innovative and competitive solutions by uniting the strengths of two leading contributors to modern launch vehicles.
ArianeGroup is equally owned, combining Airbus Defence and Space’s expertise in launchers (especially in France and Germany), and Safran’s expertise in liquid and solid rocket propulsion.
The goal of ArianeGroup is to provide comprehensive, advantageous solutions in this increasingly competitive market, based on a family of versatile, high-performance, cost-competitive launchers that meet the needs of both government and commercial customers.