This mission marks the first flight of the Ariane 64 configuration — the four-booster (heavy-lift) variant of the Ariane 6 rocket family developed by ESA and ArianeGroup.
Ariane 6 has two main versions:
- Ariane 62: equipped with 2 solid rocket boosters.
- Ariane 64: equipped with 4 solid rocket boosters.
Comparison of Launch Costs and Payload Capacities
| Rocket | Cost per Launch ($ million)* | Payload to LEO (t) |
|---|---|---|
| Ariane 5 | 150 – 200 | 16 – 20 |
| Ariane 6 | 75 – 115 | 10.4 – 21.7 |
| Falcon 9 | 67 | 17.4 – 22.8 |
| Falcon Heavy | 97 – 150 | 63.8 |
*Launch cost estimates are approximate and sourced from public references such as Wikipedia.
For official details on the Ariane 6 program, see: ESA – Ariane 6 overview
Scott Maneley reflecting on the european space programm after Ariane 5 was retired: Europe Retires Ariane 5 Before Ariane 6 Is Ready????
Mission Details
The VA267 flight will deploy 32 satellites into low Earth orbit (LEO) as part of Amazon's broadband satellite constellation, known as Amazon Leo (previously referred to as Project Kuiper), from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
This is the first of 18 planned launches contracted by Amazon with Arianespace using Ariane 6 rockets to support the deployment of the constellation.
Available live streams: TBA
- ESA stream Flight VA267 | Amazon Leo LE-01 | Ariane 6 I Arianespace
- NASASpaceflight: Arianespace Launches First Ariane 64
Further Information
Scott Manley: What Is This Debris Falling Off The Sides Of Rockets?
Scott Manley: How Europe Designed and Evolved The Ariane Rocket Over Last 4 Decades