Watch a test engine run for the most powerful Ariane 6 rocket

Depending on the configuration, two or four P120C engines designed in Europe will be attached to

the sides of the future Ariane 6 launch vehicle as boosters for takeoff. The P120C will also be used as the first stage of the Vega-C.

After it was fully loaded 142tons of fuel, the engine 13.5 m long and 3.4 m in diameter was ready to simulate takeoff and the first phase of flight. The engine ran for 130 seconds and developed a maximum thrust of about 4500 kN. The test was carried out at the Europa spaceport in French Guiana and did not reveal any anomalies.

New European Ariane 6 launch vehicle aloneof the most powerful in the world and capable of performing a wide range of tasks. The Ariane 6 will be available in two versions, depending on the performance required - the A62 with two overhead boosters and the A64 with four.

Depending on the orbit, the A62 can launch a payload of approximately 4,000 - 7,000 kg, while the A64 can launch a payload of approximately 11,000 - 16,000 kg.

At over 60 meters, the Ariane 6 will weigh nearly 900 tons when launched with full payload. This mass is equivalent to one and a half Airbus A380 passenger aircraft.

For the development of Ariane 6 ESA works withan industrial network of more than 600 companies in 13 European countries, including 350 small and medium-sized enterprises led by the general contractor ArianeGroup.

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