Ariane 6 inaugural flight succeeds with 17 payloads including re-entry demonstrator from German space agency

ArianeGroup / Arianespace/Ariane 6

Ariane 6 lifted off on its maiden flight on 9 July 2024 from French Guiana, successfully deploying 17 payloads including a re-entry demonstration capsule, a CubeSat deployer, and three small satellites. The flight validated Europe's new heavy-lift launcher design after two decades of development.