Europe is set to launch its most powerful Ariane 64 rocket with four boosters from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on Thursday February 11, 2026.
The rocket, named after its four thrusters, is launched with the aim of deploying 32 satellites into orbit for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation.
ArianeGroup of Europe plans to position itself as one of the world leaders in the rocket industry against the giants that already dominate the market, notably SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk.
In conversation with the Associated Press journalists, who were given rare access to the facilities under strict conditions and confidentiality rules, Hervé Gilibert, technical director of ArianeGroup, said: “This is a special launch, something new for us on Ariane 6. This flight will mark the debut of the four-booster configuration.
He said the rocket was now twice as powerful as the version in flight since 2024, adding: “It is capable of carrying much heavier payloads into space.”
Although the European Space Agency is funded by all member countries, the main work takes place at two sites: Bremen in Germany for the upper stage and Les Mureaux in France for the lower stage.
The mission is expected to last nearly an hour and 50 minutes, completing a full orbit to deploy the satellites.
