‘French and European pride’: Macron lauds Ariane 6’s launch carrying Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite

PARIS (France):French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday hailed the successful launch of Europe’s heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6 carrying the Copernicus Sentinel-1D Earth observation satellite as a moment of “French and European pride”, celebrating the mission’s role in advancing environmental monitoring and planetary protection.

The mission, which took place from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on Tuesday, carried the Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite, marking a significant milestone in space exploration and environmental monitoring.

In a post on X, Macron celebrated the achievement, stating, “French and European pride: from French Guiana, Ariane 6 rises into space once again, carrying the best of our expertise and a satellite to better observe the environment and protect our planet. Bravo to the teams!”

According to a release by the ArianeGroup, the Ariane 6 rocket successfully placed the Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite into a Sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 693 kilometres, 34 minutes after lift-off.

The satellite will contribute to global environmental monitoring, providing essential data for tracking sea ice, glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills, as well as enabling all-weather, day-and-night surface imagery of Earth.

The mission, known as VA265, represents the third commercial flight of the Ariane 6 rocket, marking another achievement for Arianespace, the company that markets and operates the European heavy-lift launcher, the release stated.

Arianespace CEO David Cavaillolès praised the launch, emphasising the company’s ongoing commitment to space exploration and environmental protection.

“Tonight, Arianespace has successfully launched the EU’s Copernicus Sentinel-1D satellite on board Ariane 6. This mission underscores our commitment to using space for the benefit of life on Earth, while supporting Europe’s significant ambitions in space,” Cavaillolès said in the statement.

The Sentinel-1D satellite, built by Thales Alenia Space, is part of the European Union’s Copernicus programme, the world’s most advanced Earth observation system. Managed by the European Commission with partial funding from the European Space Agency (ESA), Copernicus provides continuous, free, and reliable Earth observation data for public authorities, companies, and citizens globally.

With this launch, Arianespace has now launched seven Sentinel satellites as part of the Copernicus programme. The success of Ariane 6’s fourth consecutive flight demonstrates the reliability and performance of the European rocket, highlighting the work of ArianeGroup and its industrial partners.

“Ariane 6 has proven its reliability and performance, and the production ramp-up is well underway, guaranteeing Europe’s sovereign access to space,” said Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup.

The Sentinel-1D satellite will carry advanced radar instruments to provide Earth observation data, vital for monitoring environmental changes and ensuring better protection of the planet.

This is the 356th launch by Arianespace and the 4th Ariane 6 launch.

This is also the 7th Sentinel satellite launched by Arianespace and the 109th spacecraft built by Thales Alenia Space, which was launched by Arianespace.

ArianeGroup is an industrial company delivering critical missions for the space and defence sectors, equally owned by Airbus and Safran.

The group is the lead contractor for the Ariane 6 European launcher for the European Space Agency (ESA) and for the French oceanic deterrent force’s M51 strategic missile, as well as for the French Defence Armament Procurement Agency (DGA). (ANI)