Kourou/Augsburg, February 12, 2026 – Ariane 6 has successfully completed its first flight with four solid fuel boosters. The rocket lifted off today from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying 32 satellites for Amazon’s broadband constellation, Amazon Leo (formerly Kuiper), into low Earth orbit.
The successful launch of the four booster version marks another milestone in the success story of Europe’s heavy lift launch vehicle. In this more powerful configuration, Ariane 6 can deliver around 20 metric tons of payload to space – nearly twice as much as with only two boosters.
Today’s launch was the first for a commercial customer and also the first in a series: Amazon has booked 17 additional flights for the deployment of its communications network.
“Ariane 6 confirms its role as a globally competitive launch vehicle with this mission,” says Ulrich Scheib, CEO of MT Aerospace AG. “In the coming years, the launch cadence will continue to rise steadily. At MT Aerospace, we have expanded our production capabilities to help drive the industrialization of spaceflight.”
MT Aerospace manufactures tanks and structural components for Ariane 6 and, with a ten percent work share, is one of the program’s largest suppliers. Since October 2025, the company has been a wholly owned subsidiary of the OHB Group.
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