The final launch of the Ariane 5 rocket, which has been in operation for 27 years, has been delayed by 24 hours due to unfavorable weather conditions, according to operator Arianespace. The rocket was scheduled to take off from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, between 2130 and 2305 GMT on Tuesday. However, due to high altitude winds above the Guiana Space Centre, Arianespace decided to postpone the launch. The next available launch window is now between 2200 and 2305 GMT on Wednesday, if weather conditions improve.
This is the second time the final flight of the Ariane 5 has been delayed. Originally scheduled for June 16, it was postponed due to issues with pyrotechnical lines in the rocket’s booster. These lines have since been replaced.
The payload for this final launch includes a French military communications satellite and a German communications satellite. The Ariane 5 rocket has played a significant role in Europe’s communication satellite market since its introduction in 1996. Its ability to carry a larger load than its predecessor, the Ariane 4, allowed Europe to establish itself in this market.
The Ariane 5 was supposed to be replaced by the Ariane 6 in 2020. However, delays in the development of the next-generation rocket have left Europe without an independent means of launching heavy-load missions into space.
