Arianespace has successfully launched a reconnaissance satellite for the French military on the second flight of the Ariane 6 rocket. The launch took place on March 6 from Kourou, French Guiana, and marked the first of five planned launches in 2025.
The CSO-3 satellite is the third and final in a series of reconnaissance satellites designed to provide high-resolution imagery for France’s European allies. Airbus Defence and Space built the satellite bus, while Thales Alenia Space provided the imaging payload.
This launch comes after a mostly successful debut in July 2024, when the Ariane 6 reached orbit but failed to perform a final deorbit burn, stranding the upper stage and reentry vehicles in orbit. Arianespace had planned to conduct its second Ariane 6 launch before the end of the year, but it was delayed several times due to issues with ground systems.
The company is now on track to achieve its goal of 9-10 Ariane 6 launches per year as soon as possible. The 2025 schedule is backloaded to the second half of the year, with the next launch potentially taking place in August.
Arianespace has secured several high-profile contracts, including a deal with Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband constellation and an institutional contract with the European Commission and ESA. The company aims to deliver its commitments to these customers, as well as its ramp-up plans for the Ariane 6 rocket, under the leadership of new CEO David Cavaillolès.
Source: https://spacenews.com/ariane-6-launches-french-spysat-on-second-flight