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<\/p>\nThe debut of Europe\u2019s new heavy-lift launcher, Ariane 6, has slipped once again, this time to a no-earlier-than target of the \u201clast quarter of 2023.\u201d<\/p>\n
News of the delay came from ESA, CNES, ArianeGroup, and Arianespace officials during an Oct. 19 media briefing, though officials declined to define what caused the most recent multi-month delay to the debut flight. Instead, officials simply reiterated past issues that were already accounted for before the most-recent launch delay and declined to provide anything further.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Path Ahead<\/p>\n
Overall, officials across ArianeGroup, CNES, ESA, and Arianespace met in May 2022 for a full review of the readiness and key milestones ahead for Ariane 6.<\/p>\n
The review highlighted several areas of inefficiency and triggered the creation of a streamlined management team who now seeks to work with project teams \u201con the development of the launcher and to reinforce activities and make sure we can work together as the three major entities in the development of the launcher,\u201d noted Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General.<\/p>\n
A primary goal of the May 2022 review was to gain confidence in a launch date based on the remaining milestones ahead.<\/p>\n
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The Combined Test Ariane 6 full stack test article on the launch pad in French Guiana. (Credit: ESA-Manuel Pedoussaut)<\/p>\n
That review, along with work completed over the summer months in French Guiana and at various test and build facilities, indicate a no earlier than launch target of \u201cthe last quarter of 2023,\u201d related Aschbacher.<\/p>\n
Major critical path items ahead of the first flight include the continuation of the hot fire test sequence of Ariane 6\u2019s upper stage and its Vinci engine. That test campaign began on Oct. 5 with a successful 45-second firing of the Vinci engine.<\/p>\n
Andr\u00e9-Hubert Roussel, CEO of ArianeGroup, noted, \u201cWe\u2019re in the process of looking at terabytes of data to make sure we are good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere remain a number of tests to perform, up to three hot firing tests before qualification of the engine for first flight.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moreover, significant work remains at the launch site in French Guiana, where the Combined Test full stack of Ariane 6 is fully assembled on the launch mount.<\/p>\n
Initial communication demonstrations between the ground and the vehicle have proven successful, with initial tests still required for the fueling and electrical systems.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n