Scenes from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana during the unloading of the launch vehicle adapter and ballast at the final assembly building for the first Ariane 6 flight on 19 January 2024.

Placed on the top of Europe’s new rocket the launch vehicle adapter connects the launcher to the ballast and passengers for its first flight. The payloads will arrive later this year and prepared at the payload preparation facilities to prepare the cargo for launch and connecting everything to this payload adapter.

Once complete the payload is put under the protective nose cone. This fairing will ensure the cargo is kept at a nice ambient temperature and humidity while also protecting it from the elements. It also provides a sleek aerodynamic shape to help Ariane 6 overcome the atmosphere as it thunders upwards to space.

Teams from ArianeGroup, France’s space agency CNES and ESA are working hard to get the first Ariane 6 to fly ready to be moved to the all-new launch pad, where the central core will be raised to its vertical launch position. This is also where the two boosters for the first Ariane 6 flight will be connected. Lastly the payloads will be placed on top of the central core and covered by the fairing – Ariane 6’s nose cone that splits vertically in two.

Ariane 6 is an all-new design, created to succeed Ariane 5 as Europe's heavy-lift launch system. With Ariane 6's upper stage restart capability, Europe's launch capability will be tailored to the needs of multiple payload missions, for example to orbit satellite constellations. This autonomous capability to reach Earth orbit and deep space supports Europe's navigation, Earth observation, scientific and security programmes. Ongoing development of Europe's space transportation capabilities is made possible by the sustained dedication of thousands of talented people working in ESA's 22 Member States.

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