Ariane 64

Ariane 6 was conceived in the early 2010s as a replacement for Ariane 5. Following definition studies in 2012, ESA announced in July 2013 an architecture known as PPH, with solid-motor lower stages and a cryogenic upper stage, capable of lifting up to 6,500 kg to geostationary transfer orbit. In December 2014 the current configuration, with liquid stages and strap-on solid boosters, was selected over the all-solid alternative. The project's primary contributors were France (55.3%), Germany (21%) and Italy (7.6%), with the remaining work distributed among ten other participating countries.

The debut was planned for 2020, but the schedule slipped repeatedly: to 2021 in May 2020, to the second quarter of 2022 after an additional request for €230 million in October 2020, then to late 2022, to 2023 and finally to 2024. The first flight, in the two-booster Ariane 62 configuration, took place on 9 July 2024; the launch succeeded, but the upper stage could not complete its final deorbit burn and the mission was recorded as a partial failure. The second launch, on 6 March 2025, successfully delivered the CSO-3 reconnaissance satellite.

The Ariane 64 configuration did not fly until 12 February 2026, on mission VA267 from the ELA-4 complex at the Guiana Space Centre. It carried 32 satellites of the Amazon Leo constellation, and also introduced the long fairing. Mission VA268 followed on 30 April 2026, again with 32 satellites, and on 17 June 2026 the first Ariane 64L Block 2 flew with P160C boosters and 36 satellites, the heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane. The programme was designed to raise the annual cadence from seven to eleven missions and, measured as cost per kilogram to orbit, has achieved a 40% reduction, although it has drawn criticism over its development cost and its lack of reusability.