French Guiana, July 9, 2024, 16:00 local time.
At Europe’s Spaceport, Ariane 6 - Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket - stands ready for its inaugural flight.
All eyes are on the launch, including those of an excited team of KONGSBERG engineers.
A new dawn for European space exploration
With an estimated success rate of 50-70% for inaugural flights, the Ariane 6 launch is a milestone for the history books. Through the maiden flight of Europe’s next-generation Ariane rocket, European access to space has been fully restored. Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) is proud to be a key industrial partner in this achievement.
Simen Von der Lippe, project engineer at Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace.I wasn’t prepared for just how emotional and significant the moment would be when the rocket launched, and the successful outcome became a reality,
He witnessed the launch together with his colleagues on a big TV-screen in his hometown Oslo, and if not for the cloud cover, they could have been able to spot it with the naked eye as it soared above the city. Now, he’s eagerly anticipating the next launch in December, crossing fingers for clear skies.
The versatile successor
Ariane 6 is a European expendable launch system operated by Arianespace and developed and produced by Ariane Group on behalf of the European Space Agency (ESA). Succeeding the Ariane 5, the Ariane 6 is the latest in Europe's Ariane rocket series, featuring a modular and versatile design that can launch missions from low-Earth orbit and farther out into deep space. Ariane 6 has the flexibility to launch both heavy and light payloads to a wide range of orbits for applications such as Earth observation, telecommunication, meteorology, science and navigation.
This inaugural flight was a demonstration flight whose aim is to show the capabilities and prowess of Ariane 6 in escaping Earth's gravity and operating in space. Aboard were several satellites, deployers and experiments from space agencies, companies, research institutes, universities and young professionals.
Enduring partnership
Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (KONGSBERG) has been a proud key partner in the Ariane program for 33 years, contributing to the success of Ariane 5.
During this time, we have delivered Level Conditioners for 117 launches, products crucial for measuring fuel levels in the rocket's liquid propellant system.
Additionally, we have supplied Booster Attachment and Release Mechanisms (UPPA), vital for securely fastening and releasing the 30-meter tall boosters, which provide over 90% of the rocket's thrust.
Having played a vital role in more than 100 successful launches with 135,000 kg of mechanisms delivered, KONGSBERG is now taking its contributions to the next level with the Ariane 6 program.
In addition to the above-mentioned products, we are also delivering the Optical Safety Barriers (OSB-boxes), which will be series-produced specifically for Ariane 6, marking a new chapter in our collaboration.
An expensive light switch
Heidi Brovoll Andersen is leading the KONGSBERG-project working to transition the OSB-boxes into full-scale series production by 2025. Kicking off in 2020, the project experienced some delays due to Covid but are now making a remarkable progress and is ahead of schedule with 100 units delivered by October.
The agreement is a significant milestone for KONGSBERG's space mechanisms department and marks a new frontier for the company in large-scale production within the space industry.
The OSB boxes delivered by KONGSBERG come in two types: OSB-F (functional mechanism) and OSB-S (safety mechanism). These boxes play a critical role in ensuring the safe and precise operation of the rocket by controlling the passage of laser light during key stages of the launch, particularly during booster separation. 
“You might think of it as an expensive light switch,” Heidi remarks with a smile.
A total of 21 Ariane 6 launches are planned by 2025, with 11 launches annually thereafter. For each flight, Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace supplies between 9 and 11 OSB units, meaning approximately one flight set per month. This volume highlights the importance of the project Heidi leads in achieving its goals for full-scale series production.
Heidi Brovoll Andersen, Senior Project EngineerWe have a long-term contract to deliver for Ariane 6 over the next two to three decades. "However, rocket technology evolves rapidly, and requirements can shift yearly. This means we must constantly adapt and stay ahead of the technological curve.
SimenI was never really worried about the performance of our units during the launch this summer. My bigger concern was whether everything else would go as planned.
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Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGWith the successful first flight of Ariane 6, the European space industry has moved into a new era. This historic launch demonstrates the unfailing commitment of our teams and partners, whom I would like to thank warmly for this success, which reflects on the entire European industry. Seeing Europe’s new launcher lift off into space marks the culmination of an outstanding technical and technological adventure, and the beginning of a long history of Ariane 6 operations.
