These are exciting days at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana and throughout several sites in ESA Member States as the development of Ariane 6 enters its final phase. Ariane 6 parts are being shipped from Europe for combined tests on the new Ariane 6 launch base. These tests rehearse all activities and systems involving the rocket and launch base on an Ariane 6 launch campaign. On the final test, the Ariane 6 core stage will perform a static hot firing while standing on its recently inaugurated launch pad. It will be from this new launch base that ESA’s Ariane 6 rocket will soon be launched for the first time.

Meanwhile in Europe, Ariane 6’s upper stage will experience the conditions of space at a new test bench at the DLR German Aerospace Center in Lampoldshausen. After this, all is ready for the much anticipated first flight of ESA’s new heavy-lift rocket from Europe’s Spaceport.

It includes an interview with :

- Daniel Neuenschwander, Director of Space Transportation in English, French and German 

- Tony Dos Santos, Technical Manager at Europe’s Spaceport, ESA in English