Ariane in the air
On 6 March 2025, the engines of Europe’s newest rocket roared into action, sending Ariane 6 into the sky. Launched from a spaceport in French Guiana, Ariane 6 made its first commercial flight to space. Aboard the heavy-duty rocket was the CSO-3 Earth-observing satellite, which was successfully deployed into orbit around 497 miles above Earth’s surface. The next Ariane 6 launch is expected to take place in August 2025.