Europe's Ariane 5 rocket refuses to retire - last launch postponed indefinitely
French company Arianespace is unable to make not only the first launch of Ariane 6, but also the last launch of Ariane 5. The final mission has been postponed indefinitely.
Here's What We Know
Ariane 5 is a heavy European rocket that first flew into space in the mid-1990s. The 117th launch should be its last. It was scheduled for 16 June 2023, but the company announced the postponement of the VA261 mission.
The Ariane 5 rocket will orbit the Heinrich-Hertz-Satellite experiment and the Syracuse 4B military communications satellite. They have already been stowed in a hangar. The company says the payloads are in stable condition.
It has come to light that there is a risk to the redundancy of a critical function on the Ariane 5. Consistent with safety requirements, Arianespace has decided to postpone the roll-out of the #VA261 launch vehicle.
- Arianespace (@Arianespace) June 15, 2023
Analyses are underway to determine a new launch date.
The postponement of the launch is due to a threat to critical rocket functions. In particular, the malfunction involves pyrotechnic transfer lines, which are linked to rocket boosters. A new date will be announced before the end of this month.
Source: Arianespace
