The Ariane 6 rocket is on its final stretch before its first commercial flight carrying a military satellite on Monday evening, marking a highly symbolic mission for Europe amid a shift in the United States’ space strategy.
Under a light tropical rain, the gantry was removed, revealing Ariane 6 on its launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana, early Monday morning, just hours before the scheduled 13:24 local time (16:24 GMT) lift-off.
"Everything is going well, with favourable weather conditions regarding ground and high-altitude winds and the absence of lightning," said Toni Tolker-Nielsen, European Space Agency’s Director of Space Transportation.
The satellite, CSO-3 (short for “Optical Space Component”), will be placed in an 800-kilometre orbit, completing a mini-constellation for Earth observation for the French Ministry of Defence.
In Europe, only France and Italy have military satellites (five optical and two radar, respectively). Both countries share information, according to Bertrand Denis, Vice-President of Earth Observation at Thales Alenia Space, the Franco-Italian joint venture manufacturing the optical instrument for the CSO satellites.
Illustration picture shows a testing replica of the Ariane 6 space launch system at a royal visit to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, France on Wednesday 12 April 2023. Credit: Belga
Eight European countries, including Germany and Belgium, obtain images from the French constellation in exchange for financial contributions, while Sweden provides access to the strategic antenna in Kiruna, Swedish Lapland.
The United States and China each have "hundreds" of military or dual-use satellites, noted Philippe Steininger, author of "Space Revolutions" and consultant for Cnes.
This mission is crucial for the French military as the CSO-3, which will enhance intelligence capabilities, has been awaiting launch since 2022.
