The Ariane 6 first stage rocket is being assembled at the ArianeSpace assembly facility in Les Mureaux, France./Courtesy of ArianeGroup-PepperBox-Julien Hazemann

On the 7th (local time), after traveling west for about an hour by car from Paris, France, a small city called Les Mureaux appeared. Although it seems like an unremarkable small city at first glance, it is a high-tech industrial site known as the center of the European space industry. The factory assembling the next-generation space launcher (rocket) Ariane 6, nicknamed 'Europe's pride', is located here.

The comprehensive assembly facility for space launch vehicles in Les Mureaux is operated by the European private space company Arianespace. This marks the first time the company has revealed the Ariane 6 comprehensive assembly facility to the Korean media. After passing through strict security procedures at the main gate, a wide field was the first thing to be seen. The Ariane 6 comprehensive assembly facility appeared only after driving another 5 minutes from the main gate. The Seine River was visible not far away.

The space launcher factory's picturesque surroundings have a purpose. The Ariane launch vehicles assembled here are transported via the Seine River to the port city of Le Havre in Normandy. From there, they are transferred to the dedicated cargo ship 'Canopee' for Ariane 6, which then goes to the French Guiana Space Centre in South America, where the launch site is located.

Opposite the Ariane 6 comprehensive assembly facility was a facility that had been assembling Ariane 5. The two facilities differed in shape. The facility assembling Ariane 5 was long and vertical. This was because the main body of the Ariane 5 rocket, which measures 55m in length, was assembled upright. In contrast, the newly built Ariane 6 assembly building is long and horizontal because, unlike Ariane 5, Ariane 6 is assembled lying down.

The Ariane 6, developed by the European Space Agency (ESA), stands at the French Guiana space center in South America./Courtesy of ESA

Caroline Arnoux, Arianespace's business director, said, "During the assembly of Ariane 5, we had to repeatedly work to stand the launcher up vertically and then lay it down horizontally, which took more time and incurred unnecessary expenses," and explained, "Since all assembly of Ariane 6 is done horizontally, we can save on such expenses, and the assembly is done at the worker's eye level, making it much more efficient."

Ariane 6 is the next-generation space launcher developed by Europe over a 10-year period. The European Space Agency (ESA) selected Ariane 6 to replace Ariane 5, which completed 117 flights over the past 30 years and was retired in 2023. Development started in 2014.

The initial launch was planned for 2020. However, due to technical issues and the COVID-19 pandemic, development was delayed, and it was only in July of last year that the test launch could finally take place. Ariane 6 succeeded in its first commercial launch in March of this year, replacing Ariane 5.

Ariane 6 was created to compete with SpaceX's main rocket, Falcon 9. It has an important mission to maintain Europe's position in the space launch market, which is dominated by SpaceX.

Testing is in progress for the Vinci engine used in the Ariane 6./Courtesy of ESA

The assembly building was in the process of constructing the first stage of Ariane 6, which is scheduled to launch from Guiana at the end of this year. At the first-stage assembly site, the Vulcain 2.1 engine and the Vinci engine used for the second stage rocket were on standby. Across from it, large fuel tank assembly was also underway.

Even though the assembly of the first stage rocket, engine, and fuel tank was underway simultaneously, the process did not feel chaotic or disorderly, thanks to automation through robotics. The atmosphere inside the assembly facility was pleasant, similar to observing a semiconductor process.

Arianespace stated that lowering production expenses through process efficiency and automation is the key to Ariane 6. In addition to process automation using robotics, some of the core components of the engine were being produced using 3D printing technology. This method builds three-dimensional parts by layering plastic onto metal powder.

Monitor screens were displayed everywhere in the assembly work areas, showing the ongoing work processes and the inventory of necessary parts. An assembly facility official explained, "Here, people act as assistants."

Another important feature of Ariane 6 is the ability to replace boosters, the auxiliary thrust generation devices, and the fairings, which cover the satellite. Ariane 6 comes in two models: the A62 model with two boosters and the A64 model with four boosters. The length of the fairings can also be adjusted according to the satellite being carried. The Vinci engine, which is used in the second stage, is also capable of reignition. Director Caroline Arnoux emphasized, "Flexibility is the most significant feature of Ariane 6," stating that it can meet a variety of market demands.

The Ariane 6 booster is also compatible with another European launch vehicle, Vega C. Both Ariane 6 and Vega C can use the same booster, which helps save on production expenses and ensures launch reliability for performance upgrades.

Ariane 6 is a project involving participation from across Europe. While the first stage assembly of Ariane 6 is conducted in France, over 600 corporations across Europe produce its components. The assembly of the second stage rocket takes place in Bremen, Germany, the fairings in Rotterdam, Netherlands, the boosters in Bordeaux, France, and the engines in Vernon, France. This is why Ariane 6 is referred to as the pride of Europe.

아리안스페이스의 차세대 로켓 '아리안 6호'를 제작하고 발사장으로 이송하는 모습./ArianeGroup

Director Caroline Arnoux noted, "Thirteen European countries participated in the development of Ariane 6," adding, "We plan to conduct about five additional launches this year and aim for eight to ten launches annually moving forward." He further stated, "Arianespace has sent eight Korean satellites into space since 1992, and we are currently preparing for the launches of Arirang 6 and 7," emphasizing that "Korea is a long-standing cooperative partner of Arianespace."

(This article was prepared with the support of the Korea Press Foundation (KPF) 2025 KPF Diploma Aerospace Program.)