Arianespace’s Ariane 6
ESA and Arianespace are also working on the Ariane 6 rocket, which has been under development since 2014. The “overarching aim of Ariane 6 is to provide guaranteed access to space for Europe at a competitive price without requiring public sector support,” according to ESA. Once built, Ariane 6 should be capable of lifting 4.5 tons to Sun synchronous orbital (SSO) heights reaching 500 miles (800 km), and upwards of 10.5 tons to geostationary transfer orbits (GEO). Ariane 6 was supposed to debut in 2020, but the rocket won’t launch any earlier than 2023.
