Ariane 6: The Race to Speed Up Space Launches

Ariane 6, the newest rocket from Arianespace, has a big goal: to launch 10 times a year. But reaching that speed won't happen overnight. The company is aiming high, but it's a tough challenge. Right now, Ariane 6 has only launched twice. The first launch was last July, and the second was in March, sending a French spy satellite into space. The plan is to launch four more times by the end of this year, including the first launch of the more powerful Ariane 64 version. But how soon can they reach 10 launches a year? That's the big question. The CEO, David Cavaillolès, says they're working hard but taking it step by step. He hints that it might take a few years to hit that target, maybe even until 2029. Why the rush? Ariane 6 has a lot of customers waiting. Amazon is one of the biggest, with a contract for 18 launches to send up its Project Kuiper satellites. There's also a big European project called IRIS², which needs 13 launches in 2029 and 2030. But it's not just about Amazon. More countries and companies want their own space projects and don't want to depend on just one provider, like SpaceX. This is a big chance for Ariane 6 to step up. The first Ariane 64 launch is coming soon, maybe even before the end of this year. The team is working hard to make it happen, learning from the previous launches. But can they keep up the pace? Only time will tell.