Europe's workhorse space launcher Ariane 5 will be retired after this last flight planned for 16 June 2023. The launch VA261 will be the 117th flight of Ariane 5 and 347th launch for the Arianespace family of launchers.
The rocket will propel to space two satellites towards the Geostationary orbit: Heinrich-Hertz-Satellit, designed and manufactured by OHB System on behalf of the German Space Agency with funding of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Change and with the participation of the German Federal Ministry of Defence, and SYRACUSE 4B, designed and manufactured by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space for the French Armament General Directorate (DGA).
These will be the 1152nd and 1153rd satellites to be launched by Arianespace.
The successor of Ariane 5, called surprisingly Ariane 6, will hopefully make its first flight in the end of this year.
Read more about the VA261 from the Arianespace press release.
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