Europe's Ariane 6 Rocket Launches French Military Satellite in Milestone Mission

The launch marks a critical step in Europe's push for space autonomy and enhanced military intelligence capabilities.

Ariane 6 successfully completed its first commercial mission, launching from French Guiana at 1:24 PM local time (4:24 PM GMT).
The rocket carried the CSO-3 satellite, designed to strengthen France's military intelligence and autonomy with high-resolution imaging capabilities.
The mission is part of Europe's broader strategy to secure independent access to space following the retirement of Ariane 5 and the cessation of cooperation with Russia's Soyuz rockets.
Strict security measures, including patrols by Rafale fighter jets, were implemented due to the military nature of the satellite.
The CSO-3 satellite completes a trio of French military imaging satellites, with some data to be shared with Germany, Belgium, and Sweden.