ESA's Ariane 6 launch delayed again due to ground system anomaly
Science: ESA's Ariane 6 mission was set to take off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana but was called off minutes before launch due to a ground system anomaly.
Europe’s Ariane 6 commercial launch has been postponed for the second time due to an anomaly detected on the ground, French aerospace company Arianespace announced on Monday. The mission was set to take off from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana but was called off minutes before launch. Arianespace CEO David Cavailloles confirmed that the decision to delay the launch was necessary and that it would not take place on the scheduled day.
The first commercial flight of Ariane 6 was initially scheduled for 26 February but was delayed due to a previous anomaly. Arianespace has not provided a revised launch date.
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CSO-3 Satellite
The mission aims to deploy the CSO-3 satellite, developed for the French Defence Procurement and Technology Agency (DGA) and the French space agency CNES, on behalf of the French Air and Space Force’s Space Command (CDE). The satellite is part of the Optical Space Component (CSO) programme, which enhances France’s defence and reconnaissance capabilities.
Ariane 6 is Europe’s next-generation heavy-lift launcher, designed to succeed the Ariane 5 rocket. It comes in two configurations: Ariane 62, equipped with two boosters, and Ariane 64, with four boosters for higher payload capacity.
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The Ariane 62 version was set to carry the CSO-3 satellite into a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of approximately 800 km. The satellite was expected to separate from the rocket around an hour and six minutes after launch. The CSO-3 satellite is the third and final component of the CSO constellation, joining CSO-1, launched in December 2018, and CSO-2, launched in December 2020.
The satellites are supposed to be positioned in different sun-synchronous orbits to perform distinct roles: CSO-1 and CSO-3 focus on reconnaissance, covering operational theatres, and providing revisit capability, while CSO-2 is dedicated to high-resolution imaging and analysis. The constellation is designed to support the Multinational Space-based Imaging System (MUSIS), an initiative led by the DGA.
The CSO satellites are built by Airbus Defence and Space, with Thales Alenia Space supplying the very high-resolution optical imaging instrument. Each satellite has an expected operational lifespan of ten years. Arianespace has been working closely with CNES and the French military to ensure the successful deployment of the CSO-3 satellite, but further technical evaluations will now be required before a new launch date is confirmed.