KOUROU, 3 March 2025 (BSS/AFP) – Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6, is set to conduct its first commercial mission on Monday, as European nations aim to secure independent access to space amidst a surprising thaw in relations between Moscow and Washington.
This high-profile mission comes as French President Emmanuel Macron advocates for Europe to lessen its security reliance on the United States, while the European space industry struggles to stay competitive against the likes of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
After multiple delays, the Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled for launch from the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana at 13:24 local time (16:24 GMT) on Monday.
The launcher will carry the CSO-3 satellite, a French military satellite designed to be placed in orbit at approximately 800 kilometres (500 miles) altitude.
The CSO-3 satellite is expected to enhance France’s military autonomy and bolster its intelligence-gathering capabilities.
Following the invasion of Ukraine by Vladimir Putin in 2022, Europe lost the ability to use Russia’s Soyuz rocket for satellite launches. Furthermore, the Ariane 5 was retired in 2023.
“The whole world is watching us,” remarked David Cavailloles, CEO of the French aerospace company Arianespace, in an interview with AFP last February.
Sovereign Space Access
Originally planned for December, the mission was delayed to 26 February and then to 3 March due to issues with transporting the satellite to the Kourou launchpad, according to Arianespace.
The upcoming mission will mark Ariane 6’s second launch, following its inaugural flight in July 2024.
The CSO-3 satellite will complete a network of three French military imaging satellites, joining the first two launched in 2018 and 2020, which were launched aboard Soyuz rockets.
“It’s always better to have your own launcher and to fire it from home,” said General Philippe Steininger, a consultant for the French Space Agency (CNES).
Due to the military nature of the satellite, strict security measures will be in place at the Kourou spaceport, located on South America’s northern coast. Additionally, three Rafale fighter jets will patrol the surrounding skies.
“The satellite has to be protected,” said Carine Leveau, Director of Space Transport at CNES. “It has special instruments that must not be seen by just anyone.”
The CSO-3 satellite will provide France’s military with high-resolution images critical to their operations.
“It is very important for the armed forces to conduct their operations and for our political authorities to make decisions in a completely sovereign manner, with first-hand information that does not depend on anyone else,” explained Steininger, author of Space Revolutions.
“This satellite makes it possible to produce highly accurate military maps, thanks to 3D imaging,” he added.
Autonomous Access to Space
Europe’s other launcher, Vega-C, resumed flights only in December 2024 after a two-year hiatus following an accident that resulted in the loss of two satellites.
This setback left Europe without the ability to launch satellites into orbit for nearly a year, compounded by delays with Ariane 6 and a lack of cooperation with Russia.
“It was very important for France and for Europe to regain this autonomous access to space, because we cannot have a space policy today without the means to send our satellites into space independently,” noted Lionel Suchet, acting head of CNES.
“What matters in these cases is ensuring that everything is secure. Like all launches, it is a risky endeavour,” he added.
Some of the images captured by the CSO-3 satellite will be shared with Germany, Belgium, and Sweden.
Related Information:
The Ariane 6 rocket is part of a broader European strategy to boost its space industry. Europe’s space ambitions have taken on added importance in recent years as countries aim to secure their sovereignty in the face of growing tensions with Russia and increased competition from private companies like SpaceX. As Europe seeks to reduce its dependency on foreign space programmes, its ability to launch satellites independently plays a crucial role in its security, intelligence, and technological development.