CVA

Ariane 6 has just launched from Kourou, carrying 36 Amazon Project Kuiper satellites into low Earth orbit, the heaviest payload ever flown by an Ariane launcher.

This is mission LE-03, the third of 18 launches Arianespace will conduct for Amazon's broadband constellation.

100 Kuiper satellites in orbit, placed there in just 5 months. 🌍

Europe delivers. Again.

Ariane 6 launches today. 🚀
VA269 lifts off this afternoon from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, carrying 36 Amazon Leo satellites to low Earth orbit.

A few milestones to watch for:

Mission 3 of 18 for the Amazon Leo constellation. The first Ariane 6 flight with the upgraded P160C boosters. The heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane launcher, 22 tons, 900 tonnes at liftoff.

Watch the launch live today at 13:53 Paris time on Arianespace's YouTube channel. 🛰

The full picture of what happens between liftoff and orbit. 🛰

Tomorrow, Ariane 6 (VA269) will lift off from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, carrying 36 Amazon Leo satellites to low Earth orbit at 465 km.

Here's what the mission profile looks like:
Liftoff and ascent phase → Upper stage 1st ignition → Sequenced separation of the 36 satellites → Upper stage 2nd ignition for orbit circularization → Upper stage 3rd ignition for controlled deorbitation.

3 engine ignitions. 1 hour and 51 minutes. Zero debris left in orbit.

This is what precision access to space looks like and Europe is leading it.
Watch the launch live on June 17 at 13:53 Paris time on Arianespace's YouTube channel 🚀

June 17. 13:53 Paris time. Europe launches again. 🚀

VA269 will place 36 Amazon Leo satellites into low Earth orbit, making it the heaviest payload ever carried by an Ariane launcher, and marking the 100th Arianespace satellite delivered for the Amazon Leo constellation.

Mission 3 of 18. Europe is building momentum.

Watch the launch live on Arianespace's YouTube channel. Follow us for the full breakdown.

3 days to launch. 🔥

Ariane 6 is fully assembled on the launch pad in Kourou, four P160C boosters attached, 36 satellites on board, ready to go.

VA269 is the first flight of the upgraded P160C boosters, carrying 10% more solid propellant than the previous P120C version.

More power. More capacity. More ambition.

June 17 : liftoff window: 11:53–12:22 UTC 🛸

Four years ago today, Vega-C lifted off for the first time from Kourou. Mission VV21. A new chapter for European small launchers and for the cities and industries behind it.

Built by Avio in Colleferro, near Rome, Vega-C brought a 40% payload increase over its predecessor and opened dedicated launch access to universities, research institutions and smaller space nations across Europe.

It's not just a rocket. It's proof that European space ambition comes in all sizes.

Happy birthday, Vega-C.

Save this to remember the milestone, and tag someone who should know this story

On June 17, Europe's most powerful Ariane 6 ever will lift off from Kourou. Here's what makes it different.

Flight VA269 will be the first Ariane 6 mission to fly with four P160C boosters, the next-generation solid rocket motors that replace the P120C used on all previous flights.

Same external dimensions. Completely redesigned inside.

→ 156 tonnes of solid propellant per booster (+10% vs P120C)
→ One metre longer combustion chamber
→ ~4,700 kN of thrust at liftoff
→ +2 tonnes payload capacity for Ariane 64
→ One of the largest monolithic carbon-fibre solid boosters in the world

The result: 36 Amazon Leo satellites on board, 4 more than on VA267 and VA268, making VA269 the heaviest payload ever launched by an Ariane rocket.

The P160C is built by Avio in Colleferro, near Rome, and ArianeGroup in France, two industrial partners at the heart of the Ariane Cities network.

June 17. Watch history. 🚀

On May 27, at the prestigious Grand Curtius Museum in Liège, a significant milestone was celebrated: the 65th anniversary of the partnership between the 12th Line Regiment Prince Léopold, 13th Line Regiment and the City of Liège, one of our member cities.

To mark the occasion, a rich programme was organised, bringing together history, community, and space.

At the heart of the ceremony, Alain Conde-Reis, representative of the European Space Agency, delivered a presentation that captivated the audience. He covered ESA's missions, the strategic importance of Europe's independent access to space, the challenges of space transportation, and the growing role of space in defence.

This is what CVA is about: being present where space meets society, history, and the people who shape our cities.

Thank you to ESA and to the City of Liège for making this moment possible. 🛰

📷 Photo credit: City of Liège

. .

Did you know? 🛰

Vega-C can deliver payloads to three different orbits on the same mission.
Its AVUM+ upper stage is equipped with a liquid engine capable of up to 7 re-ignitions, allowing it to place satellites exactly where they need to be, then safely deorbit itself at the end.

Vega-C liftoff from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana at 00:52 local time (04:52 BST/05:52 CEST) on 19 May 2026. Vega-C carried the Smile mission to space on flight VV29.