Ariane 6 mobile gantry under construction

The ELA-4 launch zone at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana is currently undergoing reconstruction in preparation for Europe’s Ariane 6 launch vehicle.

In this image you see the construction of the mobile gantry that will house and protect Ariane 6 before launch.

Work platforms will enable engineers to access the vehicle levels to vertically position Ariane 6’s central core directly on the launch table, add two or four boosters depending on the launch configuration, and integrate the fairing that houses the payload.

A mobile gantry gives engineers better access to the launcher, allowing them to make adjustments without moving the rocket back to the assembly building – unlike Ariane 5, which is moved on a table to the pad on launch day.