Ariane 6 Satellite Passengers Deployed by Exolaunch
Ariane 6 Satellite Passengers Deployed by Exolaunch
ESA, NASA and Spacemanic Payloads Orbited on the First Launch
Four satellites aboard Arianespace’s Ariane 6 maiden flight were deployed using technology developed by Exolaunch. The liftoff occurred on Tuesday, July 9 from the Guiana Space Center, also known as Europe's Spaceport, in Kourou, French Guiana.
"This launch is not only a testament to the technical prowess and collaborative spirit of the European space community, but also a stepping stone towards a more robust, competitive European presence in the global space industry."
Jeanne Allarie, Exolaunch.
The launch featured ESA’s ISTSat-1 and 3Cat-4, NASA’s CURIE, and Spacemanic’s GRBBeta satellites. The successful deployment of these satellites underscores Exolaunch’s commitment to facilitating groundbreaking scientific research and technological advancements through reliable and innovative satellite deployment solutions.
"This launch is not only a testament to the technical prowess and collaborative spirit of the European space community, but also a stepping stone towards a more robust, competitive European presence in the global space industry," said Jeanne Allarie, chief commercial officer at Exolaunch. "We look forward to the opportunity to support future Ariane 6 launches and ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of space exploration.”
ESA’s ISTSat-1, developed by students at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, aims to demonstrate ADS-B technology, validating detection capabilities and assessing antenna and receiver performance for receiving messages from commercial aircraft. 3Cat-4, a CubeSat from Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya, features a flexible microwave payload technology demonstrator with scientific objectives related to GNSS for Earth observation and AIS receiver validation.
NASA’s CURIE mission comprises two near-identical 3U CubeSats designed to explore low-frequency radio interferometry in space. These CubeSats will study solar radio bursts by maintaining a 1-3 km (≈0.6-1.86 miles) separation post-deployment, contributing to the understanding of heliospheric space weather and serving as a proof of concept for future space-based interferometry observatories.
Spacemanic’s GRBBeta, a 2U CubeSat, acts as a tech demonstration for the future CAMELOT constellation, aiming to detect and localize gamma-ray bursts from space. Managed by Spacemanic and led by the Technical University of Košice, this mission tests new subsystems, including an advanced GNSS positioning module and a radio modem for instant telemetry.
The successful launch of Ariane 6 represents a significant milestone for the European space industry, heralding a new era of enhanced access to space for European entities. Ariane 6 is designed to offer flexibility and cost-efficiency, making it an attractive option for various space missions. Through supporting this historic launch, Exolaunch reinforces its dedication to fostering growth and innovation in Europe’s space sector.