ESA: Ariane 6 inaugural flight (Official Broadcast) (9 July 2024)
ESA: Ariane 6 inaugural flight (Official Broadcast) (9 July 2024) The Ariane 6 rocket is set to launch at 16:00 local time (21:00 CEST), with a live streamed at 15:30 Kuru French Guyana time. This is a significant moment for Europe, as it will ensure autonomous access to space and all its science, Earth observation, technology development, and commercial possibilities. The launch will have three phases, each demonstrating various abilities for Europe's newest heavy-lift rocket. Phase 1 will launch the rocket off Earth and into space with the thrust from the main stage powered by the Vulcain engine and the force from two powerful P120C boosters. Phase 2 will involve the separation of the main stage from the upper stage and the first boost of the upper stage's Vinci engine, inserting it and its passengers into an elliptical orbit 300 by 700 km above Earth. Phase 3 will involve tech demos, deorbiting, and capsule separation. The final phase will push the cryogenic upper stage to its limits and validate its ability to perform under microgravity conditions. The controlled deorbit of the upper stage back through Earth's atmosphere over the South Pacific 'NEMO point' will prevent it from becoming space debris. The two reentry capsules onboard will separate from the upper stage, and all three will safely descend back home. Europe?s new rocket Ariane 6 powered Europe into space taking with it a varied selection of experiments, satellites, payload deployers and reentry demonstrations that represent thousands across Europe, from students to industry and experienced space actors. This inaugural flight, designated VA262, is a demonstration flight to show the capabilities and prowess of Ariane 6 in escaping Earth's gravity and operating in space. Nevertheless, it had several passengers on board. Ariane 6 was built by prime contractor and design authority ArianeGroup. In addition to the rocket, the liftoff demonstrated the functioning of the launch pad and operations on ground at Europe's Spaceport. The new custom-built dedicated launch zone was built by France's space agency CNES and allows for a faster turnover of Ariane launches. Ariane 6 is Europe?s newest heavy-lift rocket, designed to provide great power and flexibility at a lower cost than its predecessors. The launcher?s configuration ? with an upgraded main stage, a choice of either two or four powerful boosters and a new restartable upper stage ? will provide Europe with greater efficiency and possibility as it can launch multiple missions into different orbits on a single flight, while its upper stage will deorbit itself at the end of mission. ESA?s?main roles in the Ariane 6 programme is as contracting authority ? managing the budget from Member States participating in the Ariane 6 development programme; and as launch system architect ? ensuring that the rocket and launch pad infrastructure work together. Ariane 6 is the latest in Europe's Ariane rocket series, taking over from Ariane 5 featuring a modular and versatile design that can launch missions from low-Earth orbit and farther out to deep space. The launch will be covered in several languages: English: https://youtube.com/live/B0oFpOJaIYc French: https://youtube.com/live/AfNPzSOalEU German: https://youtube.com/live/a_87OnvB_fQ Without comment or subtitles: https://youtube.com/live/ogXamYYJpQk
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