Ariane 6 in trouble — remaining 2026 launches delayed

French newspaper La Tribune reported on 17 September that a problem had been found on Ariane 6. The paper suggested the discovery would force a rethink of the rest of the year’s launch calendar: Europe’s heavy-lift rocket had been expected to fly as many as four more times before the end of 2026. Now two would be a good outcome – and one is more likely.

The apparent cause is a possible issue with the Vulcain engine’s turbopump. No detailed technical information has been released, but Arianespace and ArianeGroup are currently weighing the best way to repair the pumps.

The full-year target of eight flights is now likely to fall to five or six.

In practice, the only remaining Ariane 6 launch this year may be the Amazon Leo LE-04 mission planned for October – if the pump can be repaired and cleared for flight in Kourou.

The MetOp-SG-B1 launch planned for November and the Galileo satellites planned for December could slip into early next year if the pump has to be shipped back to Europe for repairs and inspections.