By The Numbers: A look at European rocket Ariane 64's maiden launch

PARIS — Europe's Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled to make a powerful debut with a new equipment configuration Thursday, flying with four boosters to carry Amazon's internet satellites.

The launch will take place at Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

The flagship of Europe's rocket industry is competing in a highly competitive global market against heavyweight players, including Elon Musk's market leader SpaceX.

Here's a look at the Ariane 6 rocket's technology by the numbers:

4

For the first time, the rocket is equipped with four boosters around its core stage, giving it the name Ariane 64.

Their role is to provide extra thrust, allowing the rocket to carry about 21.6 metric tons (23.8 tons) into low Earth orbit, which is more than double what it can lift with just two boosters.

5

Ariane 6 has completed five flights using two boosters — all successful — including its maiden launch in July 2024. Thursday's launch will be the sixth and the first with a commercial customer.

Last year, the European rocket focused on institutional missions, placing into orbit a French military reconnaissance satellite, a French weather satellite and European Union-sponsored Earth observation radar and navigation satellites.

13

The Ariane 6 programme is backed by 13 nations, all members of the European Space Agency.

The core stage, the upper stage and the boosters cross the Atlantic to French Guiana on a cargo ship equipped with sails to reduce emissions and save fuel.

Ariane 64 is 62 meters (203 feet) high with a core stage of 5.4 meters (17.7 feet) wide.

32

Thursday's mission is set to place 32 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit.

Amazon launched its first internet satellites in 2025 as the company seeks to become a key player in the mega-constellation market currently dominated by SpaceX's thousands of Starlink satellites.

1 hour and 54 minutes

The mission is expected to last 1 hour, 54 minutes, from liftoff to separation of all satellites.

In addition to its boosters, Ariane 6 is powered by one main engine at the base of its core stage that uses supercooled hydrogen and oxygen as fuel.