On 4 November 2025, the skies above Kourou in French Guiana will witness a new chapter in the history of European space exploration as Ariane 6 lifts off with Sentinel-1D. At 18:03 local time (22:03 in Paris), the Ariane 6 launcher will take off from the European Spaceport on its fourth flight and third commercial mission, designated VA265.
Sponsored by the French city of Mulhouse Alsace Agglomération — President City 2025 of the Ariane Cities Community (CVA) — this mission will proudly carry the city’s logo on the rocket’s fairing. This symbolic gesture strengthens the bonds between European cities involved in the Ariane programme and highlights their contribution to scientific and technological cooperation across the continent.
On board is Sentinel-1D, an Earth observation satellite belonging to the European Union’s Copernicus programme. Developed under a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) and built by Thales Alenia Space, this satellite will complete the Sentinel-1 constellation, providing essential data for environmental monitoring, emergency management and climate change studies.
Approximately 34 minutes after liftoff, Sentinel-1D will be released into a Sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 693 kilometres. From there, it will observe our planet with millimetre precision, thereby strengthening Europe’s ability to monitor the oceans, ice masses, forests and urban areas.
This Ariane 6 flight represents both a technological advance and Europe’s shared commitment to observing, understanding and protecting the Earth. It is a mission that embodies the spirit of cooperation that defines the European space programme. From Seville, Spain’s Space Capital, we send our best wishes for success in reaching this new milestone.
You can watch the launch live here.
Image credit: Arianespace / ArianeGroup
