Ariane 6

The next-generation launch vehicle

The Ariane 6 launcher will provide Arianespace with new levels of efficiency and flexibility to meet customers’ launch services needs across a full range of commercial and institutional missions.

To ensure Arianespace’s continued competitiveness, this next-generation launcher has been conceived for reduced production costs and design-to-build lead times, all while maintaining the quality and reliability that have made Ariane 5 an industry leader.

Ariane 6 features a modular configuration based on core stages powered by lower and upper liquid propellant modules, which are supplemented by either two or four strap-on solid rocket motors. Enhancing Ariane 6’s competitiveness is the series production of its rocket engines and a technology-sharing approach with Arianespace’s Vega C – particularly this lightweight launcher’s P120 engine that also will be used in Ariane 6’s solid rocket motors.

ArianeGroup is prime contractor and design authority for Ariane 6, while the European Space Agency (ESA) oversees procurement and architecture of the overall launch system.

 

Two versions of Ariane 6

A62: with two solid rocket motors

– Initial performance to geostationary transfer orbit: more than 5 metric tons

– Initial performance to sun-synchronous orbit (800 km.): more than 5.5 metric tons

A64: with four solid rocket motors

– Initial performance to geostationary transfer orbit: 11 metric tons with growth potential

– Initial performance to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO+, 2,200 km. perigee): 9.3 metric tons

Ariane 6 brochure
PDF / 3 MB
Ariane 6 User’s Manual
PDF / 8 MB