Mobile gantry for Ariane 6 under construction

The mobile gantry – a 90 metre-high mobile metallic structure weighing 8,200 tonnes when fully equipped, that rolls on rails. 8,200 tonnes – that is, over 8 million kilograms – is nearly one thousand tonnes heavier than the Eiffel Tower and is equivalent to the mass of approximately 1,640 elephants.

The mobile gantry is equipped with platforms to give access to the launch vehicle for integration on the launch pad. It stores and protects Ariane 6 until it is retracted five hours before launch.