The heavy European launcher Ariane 6 took off this Tuesday, August 12, in the Kourou space center on Tuesday, August 12 in French Guyana, noted an AFP correspondent on the spot.
Successful takeoff. For its second commercial flight, Ariane 6 must put in orbit the Metop-SG-A1 meteorological satellite, the first new generation satellite in polar orbit. The rocket took off on the scheduled schedule, 9:37 p.m. Local time on Tuesday August 12.
The satellite on board, weighing just over four tonnes, is intended to improve the precision of weather forecasts and climate understanding. Built by Airbus Defense and Space for the European Organization for the exploitation of meteorological satellites (EUMETSAT) as part of a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA), it will be placed in Héliosynchrone orbit at an altitude of 800 km.
This satellite has six instruments, including Iasi-ng, an infrared sounder which will provide measures twice as precise as its predecessor Iasi. This sounder will measure the temperature and water vapor profiles in the atmosphere, the temperature of the oceans and continents, as well as 16 essential variables for climatic monitoring – such as greenhouse gases, desert dust or cloud cover – only detectable from space.
Another key tool: Sentinel-5 of the European Copernicus program for monitoring the main air pollutants and stratospheric ozone.
Third launch since the inaugural flight in 2024
This is the third launch of Ariane 6 since its inaugural flight in July 2024 and the second salesperson after that of March 6 with a military satellite.
“Third launch, third success!” Haded David Cavaillolès, the executive president of Arianespace. “There was no better start possible.”
The other light European rocket, Vega-C, resumed the flights until December 2024 after being immobilized for two years in the wake of an accident that led to the loss of satellites.
The Ariane 6 command book now has 32 flights offering years of activity at the Guyanese space center. The rate of shots will increase over the months: “Our target is to do nine to ten launches per year”, aims David Cavaillolès.