spacetoday.net: ESA plans July launch of first Ariane 6

Posted: Sun, May 26, 2024, 11:19 AM ET (1519 GMT)
ESA and partners on the Ariane 6 are targeting the first two weeks of July for the rocket's inaugural flight. In an update Tuesday, the Ariane 6 joint team that includes ESA, ArianeGroup, Arianespace and French space agency CNES said that preparations for the rocket's long-delayed debut are going well, with a qualification review successfully completed at the end of April. The final major test for the vehicle will be a fueling test and countdown rehearsal called a wet dress rehearsal, scheduled for June 18. A specific, albeit tentative, date for the launch will be announced at the ILA air show in Berlin in early June.