Successful ArianeGroup 6 core stage long-duration hot-fire test ArianeGroup European Space Agency - ESA CNES On November 23, 2023, teams from ArianeGroup, the French Space Agency (CNES), and the European Space Agency (ESA) successfully carried out the long-duration hot-fire test of the Ariane 6 core stage on its launch pad at Europe’s Spaceport, French Guiana. This new complete hot-fire test of Ariane 6’s core stage is a key step in the combined tests campaign. It follows on from the initial integration of the Ariane 6 launcher on its launch pad, electrical and fluids functional qualification tests, and the first launch sequence tests. These tests were successfully carried out on July 18, 2023 with the very first countdown sequence rehearsal, covering preparation, fueling, and draining operations, on September 5, 2023 with the ignition and four-second stabilized operation of the core stage Vulcain 2.1 engine, and on October 23, at night, with a 30-hour-long launch sequence plus multiple qualification tests on several launch system functions. #France #SpaceEnablers #WorkInSpace #SpaceIndustry #Space #Launch #CNES #ESA #Europe https://lnkd.in/ex7WWKJR
