The Ariane 6 rocket made its inaugural flight on Thursday, successfully launching 32 spacecraft for Amazon's satellite broadband project. Liftoff occurred at 11:45 am EST from the Guiana Space Center, propelled by a hydrogen-fueled main engine and four solid rocket boosters. This configuration, known as Ariane 64, maximized the rocket's thrust, generating over 3.4 million pounds. Less than two hours after launch, the upper stage deployed all satellites at an altitude of 289 miles. Both Amazon and Arianespace hailed the mission as a success. Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency, emphasized the launch's significance for Europe’s capabilities in satellite deployment. He noted the increased payload capacity and mentioned ongoing upgrades for future launches, including a mission for the planet-hunter Plato. David Cavaillolès, CEO of Arianespace, highlighted the Ariane 64’s ability to handle large-scale constellation missions, marking a new chapter for European launch services. Arianespace is set to conduct 18 more missions to facilitate the deployment of Amazon’s satellite constellation.