“Europe is back” in space: Ariane 6 successfully launched its payload of micro-satellites into orbit on Tuesday, marking the inaugural flight of the new rocket. However, the mission concluded with the failure of the upper stage’s atmospheric reentry.
“This is a historic day for ESA and for Europe,” affirmed Joseph Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), while his counterpart at the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), Philippe Baptiste, proclaimed, “Europe is back.”
The launch marked Europe’s return to independent access to space, but the mission was not flawless. The rocket deviated from its intended trajectory at the end of the flight, and the upper stage’s planned re-entry into the atmosphere, designed to occur far from inhabited land in the Pacific Ocean, did not take place.
This “anomaly” did not overshadow the relief experienced by European space officials, who celebrated the successful achievement of the primary mission objective: launching satellites into orbit.
“It is a great success despite the slight disappointment” at the conclusion of the mission, emphasized Walther Pelzer, director of DLR, the German space agency and the second-largest contributor to the Ariane 6 program following France.
“A giant step”
Inside the Jupiter room, the mission control tower located 17 kilometers from the Kourou launchpad in French Guiana, the apprehension surrounding the potential failure of a flight that had been anticipated for four years quickly dissipated, giving way to relief and applause.
“Nominal propulsion, trajectory as expected,” announced operations director Raymond Boyce before the upper stage ignited. He later repeatedly declared, “Calm flight.”
Before the satellites were even successfully deployed, the head of NASA, Bill Nelson, lauded the event on the social media platform X, hailing it as “a giant step for @ESA with the first launch of its powerful new generation rocket.”
Despite extensive ground tests and simulations conducted over several months, a degree of risk persisted. Historically, nearly half of all inaugural rocket launches worldwide have ended in failure, as witnessed in 1996 with the first Ariane 5, which, however, only experienced two failures in 117 launches.
Restartable engine
To mitigate the potential loss of valuable commercial satellites, the rocket, which was delayed by four years during development, carried approximately ten university micro-satellites.
It also transported two atmospheric re-entry capsules that were scheduled to be released at the end of the mission, laying the groundwork for the space cargo ship that ESA aims to acquire. The rocket’s trajectory deviation at the end of the flight prevented this from occurring.
Conceived in 2014, Ariane 6 is capable of deploying satellites into geostationary orbit, at an altitude of 36,000 kilometers, like Ariane 5, as well as placing constellations in orbit just a few hundred kilometers from Earth.
To achieve this, the rocket’s upper stage incorporates the Vinci engine, the launcher’s primary innovation. During the flight, Vinci successfully ignited twice to propel the upper stage to the designated location where it released the “cubesats.”
However, its third ignition, intended to facilitate atmospheric re-entry, failed to occur due to the unexplained shutdown of the upper stage’s auxiliary power unit (APU) at that stage. The APU is a small engine used for trajectory adjustments, explained Martin Sion, head of rocket manufacturer Arianegroup.
Second flight at the end of the year
He emphasized that this final mission phase in “microgravity might not be tested on the ground.”
This Ariane 6 flight held strategic importance for the Europeans, who aim to maintain their presence in the face of the American giant SpaceX, which currently launches its reusable Falcon 9 rockets approximately twice a week.
Since the last Ariane 5 flight a year ago, Europe has lacked the ability to launch a satellite into orbit independently. Moreover, following the invasion of Ukraine, Europeans no longer have access to the Russian Soyuz medium-lift launcher, which had operated from Guyana for ten years. Additionally, the other European rocket, Vega-C, has been grounded since the end of 2022 following an accident.
Following this inaugural flight, several months will be dedicated to analyzing data transmitted by the launcher’s numerous sensors. Despite the issue encountered at the end of the mission, Stéphane Israël, head of Arianepace, which operates the launcher, assured that it does not jeopardize the first “operational” launch scheduled for the end of the year, which will deploy the French military observation satellite CSO-3.
The challenge moving forward will be to successfully increase the frequency of launches: six are planned for 2025 and eight for the following year. Ariane 6 has 29 flights currently booked.
The Return of European Space Power: Ariane 6’s Successful Launch and its Delicate Re-entry Issue
Europe has roared back into the space race, marking a historic moment with the successful launch of the Ariane 6 rocket on July 11, 2023. The mission, however, concluded with a minor setback as the upper stage’s atmospheric re-entry failed. Despite this misstep, the event signifies a significant milestone for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the future of European space exploration.
A Triumphant Return to Autonomous Space Access
The launch of Ariane 6 symbolizes the return of Europe’s independent access to space. “This is a historic day for ESA and for Europe,” exclaimed Joseph Aschbacher, ESA Director General. His sentiment was echoed by Philippe Baptiste, head of the French National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), who exuberantly declared, “Europe is back.”
The success of the launch, placing the micro-satellites into orbit, is a testament to the years of dedicated research and development poured into this project. “It is a great success despite the slight disappointment” at the end of the mission, stated Walther Pelzer, head of the German space agency, DLR.
A Look at the Launch: A Journey of Success and Setback
The launch of Ariane 6 was met with immense anticipation and apprehension. After years of meticulous planning and ground tests, the moment of truth had arrived. The atmosphere in the Jupiter room, the mission control tower located near the launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana, was palpable.
The anxieties of potential failure quickly dissipated as the launch commenced smoothly. “Nominal propulsion, trajectory as expected,” announced operations director Raymond Boyce. Even before the satellites were successfully deployed, Bill Nelson, head of NASA, took to X (formerly Twitter) to congratulate ESA, calling it “a giant step” for the agency.
The risk of failure, however, is always present with rocket launches. Historically, almost half of all maiden rocket launches worldwide have encountered setbacks. While Ariane 5 experienced only two failures in 117 flights, the anticipation for Ariane 6’s maiden voyage was understandably heightened.
Challenges and Successes: Analyzing the Mission
To mitigate the potential loss of valuable commercial satellites during the inaugural launch, Ariane 6 carried approximately ten university micro-satellites instead. To further explore the potential of space cargo ships, the rocket also carried two atmospheric re-entry capsules, intended for release at the end of the mission.
However, a slight deviation from the planned trajectory prevented the release of these capsules. The issue arose when the rocket’s upper stage, equipped with a Vinci engine, failed to ignite for the third time due to an unexplained shutdown of the auxiliary power unit (APU). This APU is responsible for fine-tuning the rocket’s trajectory.
The Vinci engine, the centerpiece of the Ariane 6 upper stage, is a groundbreaking innovation with the unique capability of multiple ignitions. It successfully ignited twice during the flight, successfully deploying the “cubesats.”
The third and final ignition of the Vinci engine, which would have facilitated re-entry, remained unrealized due to the failure of the APU. Although the incident might not be simulated on the ground, the team will be analyzing the data from the mission to understand the cause of this anomaly.
A Strategic Launch: The Future of European Space Exploration
The success of Ariane 6 holds immense strategic significance for Europe. It enables the continent to maintain its competitiveness in the realm of space exploration as it faces the growing influence of the American giant, SpaceX, which has rapidly become a dominant player with its reusable Falcon 9 rockets.
Since the last launch of an Ariane 5, a year ago, Europe had been unable to independently launch satellites. The invasion of Ukraine further complicated the situation by disrupting access to the Russian Soyuz medium launcher and the grounding of the European Vega-C rocket following an accident in 2022.
To ensure the long-term success of Ariane 6, the data from the first launch will be thoroughly analyzed by the European Space Agency. Despite the unexpected hiccup, plans for the first “operational” launch, slated for later this year, remain unchanged. It is scheduled to carry the French military observation satellite CSO-3.
Looking Ahead: A Roadmap To Continued Success
The ambition for Ariane 6 is ambitious. The program plans to increase the number of yearly launches incrementally, with six launches in 2025 and eight in 2026. The rocket has already secured 29 launch contracts, indicating a bright future as Europe seeks to remain a critical player in space.
While the re-entry issue has cast a shadow on the otherwise triumphant launch of Ariane 6, it is important to remember that this was the first ever flight of the new rocket. With meticulous analysis and corrective measures, the European Space Agency is confident in its ability to overcome this setback and to continue forging a path of progress for European space exploration.
