First Ariane 6 with four boosters successfully launched

Space Travel First Ariane 6 With Four Boosters Successfully Launched

2026-02-16 From ESA | Translated by AI 1 min Reading Time

Related Vendors

On February 12, 2026 at 16:45 GMT (17:45 CET), the first Ariane 6 in the heavy-lift configuration was launched from the European spaceport in French Guiana. During this mission, the launcher system carried 32 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit.

The Ariane 6 can be modularly adapted to any mission—either with two or four boosters and a variable payload fairing length.(Image: ESA-M. Pedoussaut) — The Ariane 6 can be modularly adapted to any mission—either with two or four boosters and a variable payload fairing length.
(Image: ESA-M. Pedoussaut)

Technically, this sixth flight marks a milestone in the modular architecture of the new three-stage European rocket. It can be modularly adapted to any mission—either with two or four boosters as well as a variable length of the payload fairing (the vertically splitting nose cone). The version with four boosters and the long fairing variant was used here for the first time.

New Performance Class of Carrier Systems

This version, known as Ariane 64—the number 6 stands for the type, the number 4 for the boosters—doubles the system performance compared to the standard version with two boosters, which has operated successfully five times since its maiden flight in 2024. The P120C boosters, which are also used in the smaller Vega-C, form the heart of the thrust. These boosters are currently one of the world's most powerful series-produced monolith engines (one-piece housing). The integration of two additional boosters and the massive additional thrust they generate has increased the payload capacity for the low earth orbit (LEO) at an altitude of 289 miles from 11.4 short tons to around 23.8 short tons. In terms of design, Ariane 6 has thus moved into a completely new performance class of launcher systems.

Subscribe to the newsletter now

Don't Miss out on Our Best Content

Business E-mail

Please enter a valid mailadress.

By clicking on „Subscribe to Newsletter“ I agree to the processing and use of my data according to the consent form (please expand for details) and accept the Terms of Use. For more information, please see our Privacy Policy. The consent declaration relates, among other things, to the sending of editorial newsletters by email and to data matching for marketing purposes with selected advertising partners (e.g., LinkedIn, Google, Meta)

Date: 08.12.2025

Naturally, we always handle your personal data responsibly. Any personal data we receive from you is processed in accordance with applicable data protection legislation. For detailed information please see our privacy policy.

Consent to the use of data for promotional purposes

I hereby consent to Vogel Communications Group GmbH & Co. KG, Max-Planck-Str. 7-9, 97082 Würzburg including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG (hereafter: Vogel Communications Group) using my e-mail address to send editorial newsletters. A list of all affiliated companies can be found here

Newsletter content may include all products and services of any companies mentioned above, including for example specialist journals and books, events and fairs as well as event-related products and services, print and digital media offers and services such as additional (editorial) newsletters, raffles, lead campaigns, market research both online and offline, specialist webportals and e-learning offers. In case my personal telephone number has also been collected, it may be used for offers of aforementioned products, for services of the companies mentioned above, and market research purposes.

Additionally, my consent also includes the processing of my email address and telephone number for data matching for marketing purposes with select advertising partners such as LinkedIn, Google, and Meta. For this, Vogel Communications Group may transmit said data in hashed form to the advertising partners who then use said data to determine whether I am also a member of the mentioned advertising partner portals. Vogel Communications Group uses this feature for the purposes of re-targeting (up-selling, cross-selling, and customer loyalty), generating so-called look-alike audiences for acquisition of new customers, and as basis for exclusion for on-going advertising campaigns. Further information can be found in section “data matching for marketing purposes”.

In case I access protected data on Internet portals of Vogel Communications Group including any affiliated companies according to §§ 15 et seq. AktG, I need to provide further data in order to register for the access to such content. In return for this free access to editorial content, my data may be used in accordance with this consent for the purposes stated here. This does not apply to data matching for marketing purposes.

Right of revocation

I understand that I can revoke my consent at will. My revocation does not change the lawfulness of data processing that was conducted based on my consent leading up to my revocation. One option to declare my revocation is to use the contact form found at https://contact.vogel.de. In case I no longer wish to receive certain newsletters, I have subscribed to, I can also click on the unsubscribe link included at the end of a newsletter. Further information regarding my right of revocation and the implementation of it as well as the consequences of my revocation can be found in the data protection declaration, section editorial newsletter.