The European Space Agency’s long-awaited Ariane 6 rocket launched successfully from the Guiana Space Center in French Guiana, marking its maiden voyage after years of setbacks.

The launch proceeded smoothly, achieving key milestones such as satellite deployment.

However, approximately 2 hours and 50 minutes into the mission, an anomaly occurred during the rocket’s return phase, attributed to an engine reignition issue, CNN has reported.

Despite this setback, the ESA aims for the Ariane 6 to enhance their launch capabilities and compete with SpaceX in the satellite launch market.

Written by B.C. Begley