Ariane 6 flies today with four P160C solid boosters for the first time, lifting 36 Amazon Leo satellites from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. The Ariane 64 configuration gives the launcher more thrust and a higher LEO payload margin, enough to carry the heaviest payload Ariane has placed into orbit.
The mission, designated VA269 by Arianespace and LE-03 by Amazon, extends the company’s broadband constellation deployment and marks the third of 18 booked launches. The booster upgrade replaces the earlier P120C hardware and turns Ariane 6 into a more competitive option for large constellation batches.
For Arianespace, the flight is a live demonstration of Ariane 64’s upper end.