Posted: Sat, Oct 18, 2025, 11:17 AM ET (1517 GMT)
The first launch of the more powerful version of the Ariane 6 won’t take place this year. Arianespace said Thursday that the fourth and final launch of the Ariane 6 this year will be of a pair of Galileo satellites using the Ariane 62, with two solid-rocket boosters. That is the same version used on earlier Ariane 6 launches as well as one scheduled for early November. The first Ariane 64 launch, carrying Amazon Project Kuiper satellites, was previously projected to take place this year but will now slip into early 2026. The Ariane 64 is critical to Arianespace’s plans to ramp up its flight rate as Amazon is the biggest commercial customer of the Ariane 6.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  Arianespace press release