“With this first successful launch by Ariane 6, Europe has finally recovered its capacity to access space.”
Ariane 6 lifted off from French Guiana on 9 July and put its first satellites into a 600 km orbit an hour later. ESA’s director general calls it “effectively reinstating European access to space,” which admits Europe had lost it. This was a demonstration flight. The first commercial launch waits on a second rocket that ships this autumn.