Seen from above: liftoff of first Ariane 6 with P160C-based boosters

On 17 June 2026 at 09:21 local time (13:21 BST, 14:21 CEST), Ariane 6 flight VA269 soared to orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. 36 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation left Earth powered by four P160C-based boosters, the first time these upgraded boosters were used – making this launch the most powerful so far for Europe’s heavy-lift rocket.

This shot was captured from a camera placed at the top of the mobile hangar that protects Ariane 6 as it is assembled on the launch pad. Hours before launch it rolls away so Ariane 6 can blast off into space. The debut of the four new boosters based on the P160C solid-propellant rocket motor allowed 36 Leo satellites to be launched – four more than the two Leo launches Ariane 6 has delivered before.

The P160C solid-rocket motor holds 156 tonnes of propellant, 14 tonnes more than its predecessor P120C and is 14.5 m tall. In the runup to an Ariane 6 launch the P160C motor is turned into an Ariane 6 booster by adding aerodynamic fairing and other hardware such as connections specific for Ariane 6. Although P160C is a meter taller than the P120C motor, the additional height does not affect the connection to Ariane 6’s central core nor the height of the Ariane 6 booster as there is room in the fairing to accommodate the height increase.

Ariane 6 is the latest rocket in a long history of launchers to fly from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana – demonstrating the power of multinational cooperation for over five decades. Ariane 6 is Europe’s heavy-lift launcher and a key element of ESA’s efforts to ensure autonomous access to space for Europe’s citizens. Its modular and versatile design allows it to launch all types of missions, from low-Earth orbit to deep space. The new P160C boosters increase considerably performance, payload capacity and competitiveness, allowing for more satellites to be launched, further elevating the future of Europe.

On 17 June 2026 at 09:21 local time (13:21 BST, 14:21 CEST), Ariane 6 flight VA269 soared to orbit from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. 36 satellites for Amazon’s Leo constellation left Earth powered by four P160C-based boosters, the first time these upgraded boosters were used – making this launch the most powerful so far for Europe’s heavy-lift rocket.

This shot was captured from a camera placed at the top of the mobile hangar that protects Ariane 6 as it is assembled on the launch pad. Hours before launch it rolls away so Ariane 6 can blast off into space. The debut of the four new boosters based on the P160C solid-propellant rocket motor allowed 36 Leo satellites to be launched – four more than the two Leo launches Ariane 6 has delivered before.

The P160C solid-rocket motor holds 156 tonnes of propellant, 14 tonnes more than its predecessor P120C and is 14.5 m tall. In the runup to an Ariane 6 launch the P160C motor is turned into an Ariane 6 booster by adding aerodynamic fairing and other hardware such as connections specific for Ariane 6. Although P160C is a meter taller than the P120C motor, the additional height does not affect the connection to Ariane 6’s central core nor the height of the Ariane 6 booster as there is room in the fairing to accommodate the height increase.

Ariane 6 is the latest rocket in a long history of launchers to fly from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana – demonstrating the power of multinational cooperation for over five decades. Ariane 6 is Europe’s heavy-lift launcher and a key element of ESA’s efforts to ensure autonomous access to space for Europe’s citizens. Its modular and versatile design allows it to launch all types of missions, from low-Earth orbit to deep space. The new P160C boosters increase considerably performance, payload capacity and competitiveness, allowing for more satellites to be launched, further elevating the future of Europe.