Posted: Sat, Dec 2, 2023, 9:46 AM ET (1446 GMT)
ESA has set a mid-2024 date for the first Ariane 6 launch. At a briefing early Thursday, ESA announced that the inaugural Ariane 6 flight was scheduled for between June 15 and July 31 of next year, with a more precise date to come after qualification reviews in the spring. ESA set the date after reviewing data a hot-fire test of the core stage last week. That test was a success, ESA said, although the core stage shut down about 45 seconds early because of a faulty sensor and "very conservative" test thresholds. The first Ariane 6 will carry a set of smallsats, with the second, slated for late 2024, to launch a French military reconnaissance satellite.

Related Links:

•  SpaceNews article
•  BBC article
•  Reuters article