Artist's view of Europe's launcher family

Shown from left to right: Vega, Vega-C, the two booster Ariane 6 (A62) and the four booster Ariane 6 (A64) variants, as well as Space Rider. Ariane 5 and Vega are operated from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Vega-C increases the performance from Vega’s current 1.5 t to about 2.2 t in a reference 700 km polar orbit, covering identified European institutional users’ mission needs, with no increase in launch service and operating costs. Ariane 6 has a modular architecture and uses either two boosters (Ariane 62) or four boosters (Ariane 64), depending on the required performance. The P120C solid-propellant boosters will be common with Vega-C. Space Rider is an uncrewed robotic laboratory about the size of two minivans. After launch on Vega-C it will stay in low orbit for about two months. Experiments inside its cargo bay will allow technology demonstration and benefit research in pharmaceutics, biomedicine, biology and physical science. At the end of its mission, Space Rider will return to Earth with its payloads and land on a runway to be unloaded and refurbished for another flight.