Ariane 6 successfully completes maiden flight

18. July 2024 | Blog

Yesterday at 16:00 local time, Europe's new heavy-lift launcher, Ariane 6, successfully completed its maiden flight from its launch pad near Kourou in French Guiana. The 56-meter rocket took off from a modern, newly constructed launch pad, sending a strong signal of Europe's ambitions in space.   

This flight, known as VA262 in the A62 configuration, demonstrated the capabilities of the new cryogenic Vinci engine powering the upper stage. It successfully placed the first three satellites - OOV-Cube, Curium One and Robusta-3A - into their intended orbits. This latest-generation engine was developed by the Ariane Group in Vernon (France) and Ottobrunn (Germany) and assembled with the upper stage in Bremen (Germany). The successor to Ariane 5, whose last flight took place a year ago on July 6, 2023, is scheduled for one flight this year and six more launches in 2025.    

As a small part of this impressive mission, Teijin Carbon has supplied materials used in various secondary structures of the rocket. These materials help ensure the reliability and performance of the Ariane 6 and underscore our commitment to innovation and quality in the space industry.