The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
Find out more about space activities in our 23 Member States, and understand how ESA works together with their national agencies, institutions and organisations.
Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
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Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The Ariane 6 test model upper composite – consisting of two half-fairings and a payload mock-up with the structural adapter needed to join it to the core stage – made the 10 km trip from the encapsulation building to launch pad on 12 October 2022.
Assembly, transfer and installation of an upper composite validated the Ariane 6 assembly process. Over the next weeks, teams from ESA, ArianeGroup and French space agency CNES made the mechanical, electrical and fluid connections which joined the test model of the Ariane 6 to the launch pad.
With Ariane 6 fully integrated with the pad, so-called combined tests validated the rocket, launch pad and shared electrical, fluid and mechanical systems as a complete system. The combined tests included tank filling and drainage operations which guarantee smooth-running of a launch sequence. Flight and control bench software were also be tested.