An Ariane 6 rocket roared skyward with a French military reconnaissance satellite aboard Thursday in the first commercial flight for the European heavy-lift launcher.
The rocket took off smoothly from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, quickly disappearing into thick clouds. Video images beamed back from the rocket showed the Earth’s beautiful colours and curvature.
The rocket’s mission was to deliver the CSO-3 military observation satellite into orbit at an altitude of around 800 kilometers (500 miles).
It was the first commercial mission for Ariane 6 after its maiden flight in July 2024.
The launch comes as Europe‘s commercial space industry struggles to remain competitive in the face of Elon Musk‘s SpaceX.
Read moreLaunch of Europe’s Ariane 6 space rocket postponed due to ‘anomaly’ on the ground
Boosting autonomy
The launch of the CSO-3 satellite into orbit will complete a network of three French military imaging satellites, with the first two carried into space on Russian Soyuz rockets in 2018 and 2020.
Europe has not been able to use Russia’s Soyuz rockets since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022, while the workhorse Ariane 5 was retired in 2023.
European nations have been trying to boost their security autonomy, an effort that has taken on renewed urgency since the Trump administration’s rapprochement with Russia.
The CSO-3 satellite is expected to strengthen France’s intelligence capabilities, allowing the army to receive extremely high-resolution images.
Europe has only a handful of military satellites, compared to the hundreds sent into orbit by the United States and China.
Given the military role of the satellite, strict security precautions are being taken to limit access at the Kourou spaceport on the northern coast of South America, with three Rafale fighter jets deployed to patrol the surrounding skies.
Europe has struggled to find a way to independently launch its space missions.
The Vega-C launcher did not resume flights until December 2024 after being grounded for two years following an accident that resulted in the loss of two satellites.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)
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