Ariane 6 Achieves Third Launch as Europe Leads in Earth Observation
Ariane 6 successfully launched its third mission, beating Vulcan to this milestone, while China deployed its sixth batch of Guowang satellites using the Long March 5B. SpaceX launched its 100th mission of the year, including satellites for Amazon's Project Kuiper, highlighting its dominant role in commercial space launches. The Portuguese government approved a spaceport in the Azores, and China revealed its first marine rocket recovery ship. ULA's Vulcan rocket achieved its first national security launch, marking a key operational milestone. Additionally, NASA's Artemis II astronauts trained for nighttime launch procedures, and China continues expanding its satellite internet constellation.