Ariane 6 Demo Flight Launch Thread! (ESA Rideshares)
Ariane 6 Demo Flight Launch Thread! (ESA Rideshares)
Welcome everyone! It's time for another new rocket!
| Scheduled for (UTC) | 2024-07-09 19:00 |
|---|---|
| Scheduled for (local) | 2024-07-09 16:00 (GFT) |
| Launch site | ELA-4, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana |
| Launch vehicle | Ariane 62 |
| Payloads | Multiple |
| Mission success criteria | Successful launch and deployment of payloads into Low Earth Orbit |
Livestreams
| Stream | Link |
|---|---|
| ESA (English) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0oFpOJaIYc |
| ESA (Français) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfNPzSOalEU |
| ESA (Deutsch) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_87OnvB_fQ |
| ESA (clean feed) | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogXamYYJpQk |
| Arianespace (English) | |
| Arianespace (Français) | |
| Space Affairs | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQhzzFK5sgs |
| Spaceflight Now | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ch6wPRb4Og |
| NASASpaceflight | |
| Everyday Astronaut | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1WGk5XSNXk |
| The Launch Pad | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPAG2TG63oA |
Stats
☑️ 1st ever Ariane 6 mission
☑️ 1st ESA mission of 2024, 15th mission overall
Payload info
- SpaceCase SC-X01: Test platform for reentry technologies such as new-generation ablative materials for thermal protection systems.
- GRBBeta: 1U CubeSat – Gamma Ray Burst detection
- ISTSAT: 1U CubeSat – Characterisation of aircraft’s ‘cone of silence’ and in-flight performances of a custom-made Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system.
- 3Cat4: 1U CubeSat – Techno demo Flexible Microwave Payload.
- OOV-Cube: Microsatellite – IoT agriculture use case demo.
- CuriumOne: With a duplicate ASTRIS Engineering Qualification Model PCB as primary payload.
Please feel free to post updates and questions in the comments!
FYI to everyone: there are several fake "ESA Official" YouTube channels running deepfaked Elon crypto scam streams that claim to be "Ariane 6 Launch Stream".
They're nothing new, but sharing in case anyone hasn't seen it before. Those aren't real streams!
Upper stage separation
That was one of the more cinematic stage separations I've seen in a while. Beautiful shot from the upper stage camera.
Yes beautiful!
I'm impressed by the quality of their onboard cameras, without the help of starlink.
Seems like they might be between ground stations right now. Haven't seen live video from the upper stage for a few minutes. Telemetry still looks good though.
https://x.com/esa/status/1810792159295180959
The tech-demo phase of Ariane 6 is still in progress but has shown an unexpected result which will only affect the end of the mission.
On the webcast, they stated that the Auxiliary Propulsion Unit (APU) switched off shortly after it it powered up after SECO-2. Without the APU, they have no way to settle the propellants in the tanks, and thus can't reignite the upper stage for the final burn.
From the live camera feed, it looks as though the upper stage was spinning, so there may have been some loss of control as well.
ESA webcast is live! https://youtube.com/watch?v=B0oFpOJaIYc
Looks like we have SECO-1 and nominal orbit insertion!
Edit: Webcast commentary scheduled to resume T+52 minutes for a circularization burn and the first set of payload deployments.
Thank you for the info. I'm watching because of you posting this.
You're welcome! Glad people find these threads useful!
MECO, stage separation, and stage 2 ignition confirmed!
SRB separation confirmed!
Wohoo a proper launch thread. Thank you!
Let's hope they manage to launch at the beginning of the window.
So for Amsterdam/Berlin timezone that's starting at 20:00 tonight.
So launch window start has been shifted by one hour according to my info: 21:00 - 00:00 Amsterdam/Berlin CEST.
Thanks! Updated the main post.
All nominal, successful booster separation, fairing jettisoned
Fairing jettison confirmed!
Décollage!
Rocket fuelled up now , so everything going ahead smoothly...
Webcast commentary is back!
Edit: SES-2 confirmed!
Edit2: SECO-2. Nominal orbit confirmed. First payload deployments scheduled for T+1:05.
Edit3: Confirmation of cubesat deployments confirmed! Next up will be SES-3 at T+2:37.