Arianespace has shared an animation showing what the first launch of Europe’s next-generation heavy-lift Ariane 6 rocket will look like.
The Ariane 5 rocket flew its last mission in June, leaving Europe without a heavy-lift vehicle to carry spacecraft to orbit.
Its operator, Arianespace, is working on the rocket’s successor, the Ariane 6, and revealed last week that it will take its maiden test flight no earlier than June 15, 2024.
On Sunday, the France-based aerospace company shared an animation (below) showing what a typical launch will look like, including the various phases of flight as the vehicle heads to orbit.
Arianespace is building two versions of the Ariane 6. Ariane 62 will fly with two strap-on boosters while the more powerful Ariane 64 will fly with four.
