PARIS, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Europe's latest heavy-lift rocket, Ariane 6, has successfully completed its first commercial launch, placing a satellite in orbit, Arianespace announced on Thursday.

The launch took place at 16:24 GMT from Kourou, French Guiana. It carried a satellite for the French Air and Space Force's Space Command.

"With this first commercial mission, Ariane 6 successfully placed CSO-3 (satellite) into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) at an altitude of 800 km," Arianespace noted, adding that the spacecraft separation occurred 1 hour and 6 minutes after liftoff.

Arianespace CEO David Cavailloles emphasized that this successful beginning of the Ariane 6's commercial operation consolidates Europe's independent access to space.

For its first commercial mission, Ariane 6 was configured in the Ariane 62 version, equipped with two boosters and a short fairing.

As Europe's next-generation heavy rocket, Ariane 6 completed its maiden flight on July 9, 2024. The launcher is available in two configurations based on mission requirements: Ariane 62, equipped with two boosters, and Ariane 64, with four boosters for higher payload capacity. Enditem

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