Arianespace signed two agreements on Ariane 6 with key European institutions at the 17th European Space Conference. The European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA), and EUMETSAT have reaffirmed their support for Ariane 6, Europe’s new heavy-lift launcher.

The European Commission and ESA have entrusted Arianespace with the launch of Sentinel-1D in the second half of 2025, with the 2-booster version of Ariane 6 (Ariane 62). The satellite is part of Copernicus, the Earth observation component of the European Union’s Space Programme. As the world’s most advanced Earth observation system, Copernicus provides continuous, free, and reliable Earth observation data and services to public authorities, companies, and citizens around the globe. Sentinel-1D will carry advanced radar technology to provide an all-weather, day-and-night supply of imagery of the Earth’s surface, delivering data essential to monitoring sea ice, tracking icebergs and glaciers, subsidence, and oil spills.

The launch of EUMETSAT’s Metop-SG-A1 satellite, already announced on Ariane 6, is advanced to August 2025, on Ariane 6’s second commercial flight (VA264). Part of the EUMETSAT Polar System – Second Generation (EPS-SG) program, the satellite will take global observation of weather and climate from a polar orbit to a new level, providing high-resolution observations of temperature, precipitation, clouds, winds, sea ice, aerosols, pollution, soil moisture, volcanic dust, and a multitude of other parameters.

In addition to its core instruments scanning the Earth from a Low Orbit, the Metop-SG-A1 satellite will also carry the Sentinel-5 payload, an instrument part of Copernicus. The Sentinel-5 mission is a high-resolution spectrometer system operating in the ultraviolet to shortwave infrared range. This system enables the monitoring of nitrogen dioxide, ozone, sulphur dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, and other trace gases, – data supporting global air quality and pollution monitoring and climate applications.

David Cavaillolès, CEO of Arianespace, declared; “By reaffirming their trust towards Europe’s new heavy-lift Ariane 6 launcher, our European partners strengthen Europe’s space industry and its sovereignty. We are extremely proud to deliver what we are committed to providing: Europe’s autonomous access to space. I thank once again the European Commission, ESA, and EUMETSAT for entrusting Arianespace and Ariane 6.”

“This year, the Ariane 6 launcher will play a key role in securing and sustaining the operations of Copernicus with the launch of Sentinel-1D and the launch of Sentinel-5A on board Metop-SG-A1. The choice of Ariane 6 is a clear sign of the European Commission’s engagement to support the European launcher industry,’’ said Director for Satellite Navigation and Earth Observation at the European Commission, Christoph Kautz.

“Developed by ESA, these satellite missions are equipped with state-of-the-art technology to deliver crucial data that brings significant benefits to both society and the economy. With our European partners, the European Commission and EUMETSAT we are very happy that the Ariane 6 launcher will carry these precious missions into space, enabling them to begin their operational life in Earth’s orbit,” said Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes.

“This agreement builds on our long-standing collaboration with Arianespace and highlights the vital role of the European space infrastructure industry in the successful delivery of our programs. Metop-SGA1, developed in partnerships with ESA and industry, will deliver enhanced weather and environmental data to protect lives and improve livelihoods: with Arianespace’s expertise and outstanding facilities, we look forward to this satellite becoming operational and soon providing these critical data for EUMETSAT’s member states and beyond,” added Phil Evans, Director-General of EUMETSAT.

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