I-European Space Agency's (ESA) i-Ariane 6 rocket iya kubhabha okokuqala ngoJuni 15, 2024. Iza kuthwala uluhlu lweesathelayithi ezincinci, kuquka ezimbini ezivela kwi-NASA, izikhulu ze-ESA zongezwa.
Emva kweminyaka emine yokulibaziseka, u-Ariane 6 wenza inkqubela phambili: imodeli ehlanjululweyo ye-rocket-lift-lift yavavanywa kwindawo kwiveki ephelileyo eKourou, eFrench Guiana.
"Sicinga ukuba yonke into ihamba ngegama ngaphandle kweengxaki ezinkulu, silindele ukuba i-Ariane 6 iza kwenza indiza yayo yokuqala phakathi kwe-15 kaJuni kunye ne-31 kaJulayi kunyaka ozayo," kusho umlawuli we-ESA uJosef Aschbacher.
Nangona kunjalo, walumkisa kamva kwingcaciso ukuba "kunokubakho ukulibaziseka okanye okunye okwenzekayo."
I-Ariane 5 yazisa iisathelayithi zaseYurophu kwi-orbit kwikota yenkulungwane. Imisebenzi ephawulekayo iquka ukuqaliswa kwe-James Webb Space Telescope, i-Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), kunye ne-spacecraft yaseRosetta.
IYurophu igxininise ukuba ifuna ukufikelela ngokuzimeleyo kwindawo ukuze isungulwe, kodwa kutsha nje ithe yathembela - njengoninzi lweshishini - kwi-SpaceX.
U-Ariane 6 wakhawulwa ekuqaleni kuka-2010 ukuze abonelele ngexabiso eliphantsi lokuqaliswa kweerokhethi. Kodwa zininzi zobugcisa imiqobo kunye nobhubhani we-COVID-19 uthintele umsebenzi wokuvula umnyango we-Ariane 6 ngo-2020.
Kwanangaphambi kobhubhane, impumelelo ye-SpaceX ngetekhnoloji enokusetyenziswa kwakhona yenza ukuba i-rocket entsha yaseYurophu iphelelwe lixesha. Kuze kube ngu-2030, i-ESA ayicwangcisi ukuba ne-rocket yayo enokusetyenziswa kwakhona. Ngelo xesha, i-SpaceX's Starship iya kube sele igqibile ukwenza umsebenzi wembali ukuya eNyangeni.
