Ariane 64 | Comet Interceptor

Planetary Science

Time to liftoff

Targeting August 2028

Target Window

August 2028

Exact time to be confirmed

Net Precision

Month

— Mission

Comet Interceptor

Heliocentric N/A· Helio-N/A

ESA's Comet Interceptor consists of three spacecraft which will be positioned at the Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2, where they will wait for a long-period comet or an interstellar object to come by. Once the desired target appears, the spacecraft will separate and perform a flyby of the target, compiling a detailed 3D profile of a comet.

— Rocket

Ariane

Ariane 64

Ariane 6 variant with four solid boosters, enabling heavier payloads.

Length: 63 m
Diameter: 5.4 m
Launch Mass: 860 t
LEO Capacity: 21,650 kg
GTO Capacity: 12,000 kg
Maiden Flight: 2026

Launches

Success

— Launch Pad

Ariane Launch Area 4

Guiana Space Centre

ELA-4, is a launch pad and associated facilities at the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana. The complex is composed of a launch pad with mobile gantry, an horizontal assembly building and a dedicated launch operations building. ELA-4 is operated by Arianespace as part of the Ariane 6 program.

Latitude

5.2563°

Longitude

-52.7868°

Pad Launches

Timezone

America/Cayenne

Ariane Launch Area 4

Guiana Space Centre

5.256°, -52.787°

— Launch Provider

Commercial

Arianespace

Est. 1980 · CEO: David Cavaillolès

Arianespace SA is a multinational company founded in 1980 as the world's first commercial launch service provider. It undertakes the production, operation, and marketing of the Ariane programme. Their vehicles launch exclusively from French Guiana in South America.

328

Total

313

Success

Pending