Ariane 6 Second Flight & First Commercial Mission Delayed February 2025

Preparations are underway for Ariane 6's second flight and inaugural commercial mission, which will now launch no earlier than mid-February. Originally scheduled for December, the mission has been delayed to the first quarter of 2025 due to ongoing preparations and adjustments.

The launch is anticipated to carry the French military’s CSO 3 reconnaissance satellite, will occur “from mid-February.” This mission marks the first Ariane 6 launch managed by Arianespace, the commercial launch provider overseeing the deployment of payloads for various clients on the Ariane rocket.

The delay comes after a mostly successful debut of the Ariane 6 in July. In the months following that flight, both Arianespace and the European Space Agency (ESA) had aimed to execute the rocket's second launch by year’s end, initially targeting December. In a September briefing, Stéphane Israël, CEO of Arianespace, confirmed expectations for a December launch, aligning with Vega C’s return to flight, currently scheduled for December 3.

Analysis of July Anomaly

During its July debut launch, an anomaly prevented Ariane 6’s upper stage from completing its final deorbit burn, a key mission phase.

Engineers traced the issue to an exceeded temperature threshold, which triggered a protective measure that halted the auxiliary power unit (APU) before the burn. Arianespace and ArianeGroup engineers implemented a software update to address the temperature limit and ensure future reliability.

While Arianespace did not attribute the delay to a single problem, it highlighted “a small number of deviations” observed during the July flight. According to the company, these issues have been understood, and corrective measures have been implemented. “The APU software change has been implemented,”

Preparations Underway

Arianespace confirmed that Ariane 6’s core and upper stages remain at manufacturing facilities in France and Germany, respectively. Both stages are expected to reach the French Guiana launch site “soon.” Preparations are also underway to ready the launch infrastructure for this and subsequent missions.

Future Missions on Track

“I can assure you we are on a good track for the next launches,” - Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General

Despite the rescheduled launch, Arianespace maintained that the mid-February shift would not affect subsequent missions. While the company has not released a formal mission schedule, Arianespace’s projected six Ariane 6 launches in 2025.

The impending launch, carrying the CSO 3 reconnaissance satellite, will be pivotal in demonstrating Ariane 6’s readiness for commercial operations and its capabilities to support diverse missions across a range of orbits. With the upcoming launch preparations underway, Arianespace and its partners are setting the stage for Ariane 6 to become a mainstay in Europe’s space infrastructure.