Irokhethi ye-European Space Agency’s (ESA) Ariane 6 izondiza okokuqala ngoJuni 15, 2024. Izothwala uxhaxha lwamasathelayithi amancane, okuhlanganisa namabili avela ku-NASA, izikhulu ze-ESA zengeza.
Ngemuva kweminyaka emine yokubambezeleka, u-Ariane 6 uthuthuka: imodeli eyehlisiwe yerokhethi elithwala kanzima ihlolwe endaweni ngesonto eledlule eKourou, eFrench Guiana.
"Uma sicabanga ukuthi yonke into ihamba ngendlela ngaphandle kwezinkinga ezinkulu, silindele ukuthi i-Ariane 6 izokwenza indiza yayo yokuqala phakathi kukaJuni 15 noJulayi 31 ngonyaka ozayo," kusho umqondisi we-ESA uJosef Aschbacher.
Kodwa-ke, uxwayise ngokuhamba kwesikhathi esithangamini ukuthi "kungaba nokubambezeleka okukodwa noma okunye okungenzeka."
I-Ariane 5 yethula amasathelayithi aseYurophu ku-orbit ingxenye yesine yekhulunyaka. Imisebenzi ephawulekayo ihlanganisa ukwethulwa kwe-James Webb Space Telescope, i-Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE), kanye nomkhumbi-mkhathi i-Rosetta.
I-Europe igcizelele ukuthi idinga ukufinyelela okuzimele esikhaleni ukuze yethulwe, kodwa muva nje ithembele - njengengxenye enkulu yemboni - ku-SpaceX.
I-Ariane 6 yakhulelwa ekuqaleni kuka-2010 ukuze inikeze amarokhethi ashibhile. Kodwa abaningi Ubuchwepheshe izithiyo kanye nobhubhane lwe-COVID-19 kuvimbele umsebenzi ohleliwe wokuvula iminyango ka-Ariane 6 ngo-2020.
Ngisho nangaphambi kwalolu bhubhane, impumelelo ye-SpaceX ngobuchwepheshe obusebenzisekayo yenze i-rocket entsha yaseYurophu yaphelelwa yisikhathi. Kuze kube ngu-2030, i-ESA ayihleli ukuba ne-rocket yayo engasetshenziswa kabusha. Ngaleso sikhathi, i-SpaceX's Starship izobe isiqedile ukuhambela eNyangeni.
