30/04/2026
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Up to date on 30 April 2026
On 30 April 2026, 4 P120C boosters ignited and lifted Ariane 6 to the skies, for the second time. Flight VA268 took 32 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation to low-Earth orbit. Liftoff occurred at 05:57 native time (09:57 BST/10:57 CET) from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, with separation of the final satellites after 114 minutes.
The higher stage was then fired a 3rd time to make sure a secure deorbit and permitting Ariane 6 to stick to the zero particles strategy.
Get able to witness Europe’s strongest rocket, Ariane 6, fly with 4 boosters, as soon as once more. Carrying 32 Amazon Leo satellites to low Earth orbit, flight VA268 is ready to liftoff on 30 April 2026 between 9:08-09:57 BST (10:08-10:57 CEST, 5:08-05:57 native time).
Comply with the launch stay
Watch the launch stay beginning half an hour earlier than liftoff on Arianespace’s broadcast. The flight will take 114 minutes from liftoff to separation of the final satellites.
| Time in CEST | Time after liftoff (hours:minutes) | Occasion |
| 09:40 | Programme begins | |
| 10:08 | 00:00 | Liftoff |
| 10:11 | 00:02 | Boosters separation |
| 10:12 | 00:03 | Fairing jettison |
| 10:16 | 00:07 | Vulcain 2.1 engine shuts off |
| 10:16 | 00:07 | Core stage separation |
| 10:17 | 00:08 | First Vinci ignition – first increase begins |
| 10:28 | 00:19 | Finish of first increase |
| 10:30 – 11:15 | 00:21 – 01:06 | Programme break |
| 11:20 | 01:11 | Second Vinci ignition – second increase begins |
| 11:21 | 01:12 | Finish of second increase |
| 11:22 – 11:47 | 01:13 – 01:38 | Programme break |
| 11:49 | 01:40 | Payload separation begins |
| 12:09 | 02:01 | Finish of broadcast |
Full scale and full energy
That is the seventh flight of Ariane 6, the second with 4 boosters.
Having 4 boosters as an alternative of two give the rocket much more energy, enabling it to take round 21.6 tonnes to low Earth orbit, greater than double the ten.3 tonnes it may carry to orbit with simply two boosters.
The P120C boosters utilized by Ariane 6 are one of the highly effective one-piece motors in manufacturing on the planet.
Similar to within the first flight with 4 boosters, Ariane 6 can be utilizing the lengthy fairing on flight VA268. This 20-metres tall fairing homes the 32 Amazon Leo satellites inside, however may in all probability match a humpback whale!
For the Ariane 6 programme, the European Area Company works with an industrial community throughout 13 European international locations, led by prime contractor and design authority ArianeGroup, with Arianespace because the launch service supplier. Along with growth actions, ESA helps and displays Ariane 6 exploitation to make sure a dependable and obtainable launch system for its Member States, together with threat oversight, decision of anomalies and steady efficiency enchancment via devoted help programmes.
For extra data obtain the media kit.
