Europe’s Ariane 6 launch vehicle blasted off into space on Wednesday with new, more powerful boosters.
The rocket lifted off in the afternoon from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying 36 satellites for Amazon.
Ariane 6 is the successor to Ariane 5, which was in service from 1996 to 2023. It lifted off for the first time in mid-2024.
It is set to carry satellites into space for commercial and public customers and is significantly cheaper than its predecessor, the European Space Agency (ESA) said.
Depending on the mission, the flexible rocket can be equipped with two or four solid-fuel boosters.
Until now, it has flown with P120C boosters but this time the rocket was equipped with the more powerful P160C models. The P160C motor can carry more solid propellant, making the rocket more capable.
More than a dozen countries were involved in building Ariane 6.
After France, Germany is the second-largest backer among ESA member states and has borne about 20% of the costs of around €4 billion ($4.6 billion).
The upper stage was assembled in Germany, with major components and engine systems produced and tested in German facilities as well.
