Ariane & Vega

[MartG]

Beati Dogu said:

If all goes well, they'll can scale it up and put it into service... in around 2030.

Slow by SpaceX standards, but rapid compared to NASA

[MartG]

Preparation and tests for the inaugural flight of #Ariane6, Europe’s next-generation launch vehicle, are under way at Europe's Spaceport. A major step of this testing involves the closure of the Ariane 6 fairing around the payload

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2021/09/...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 core stage has arrived in Kourou

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 upper stage undergoing tests

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 core stages being assembled

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

First Vega C being assembled

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Interesting article on ESA's plans for the future https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 Tests model erected

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Vega C launch imminent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uXUM6xC0Vk

[MartG]

Went well ( eventually ) - pity it was too cloudy for ground based cameras to follow it

[MartG]

Ariane 6 slips to end of 2023

https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/10/ariane-6-s...

[MartG]

To orbit and back with Space Rider

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Vega C VV22 failed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CokbWoYm9w4

[MartG]

Ariane 6 upper stage test fired

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

Ariane 6 hot fire test ( albeit with inert SRBs )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_RXvywHK5w

[MartG]

Artiane6 full stage hot fire tes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bk9bpNIygpc

[MartG]

Ariane 6 first flight now targeted for July the 6th

https://www.esa.int/Enabling_Support/Space_Transpo...

[MartG]

hidetheelephants said:

Russ35 said:

The final Vega flight might have an issue.

Apparently 2 of its fuel tanks went missing during a refurbishment of the Italian manufacturers site. They were found at a landfill after being crushed.

https://europeanspaceflight.com/the-case-of-the-mi...

HTF do you lose fuel tanks for a space rocket?

Italy