Europe's most powerful rocket launches for 1st time, carrying 32 Amazon internet satellites to orbit

Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket just notched another milestone. The most powerful version of the Ariane 6 — known as the 64, because it sports four strap-on solid rocket boosters — lifted off for the first time ever today (Feb. 12). The Ariane 64 launched from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana at 11:45 a.m. EST (1645 GMT; 1:45 p.m. local time in Kourou), carrying 32 satellites aloft for the Amazon Leo broadband constellation. All of the spacecraft were deployed in low Earth orbit (LEO) by one hour and 54 minutes after liftoff as planned, according to Arianespace, the France-based company that operates the Ariane 6. More

(Source: Space.com - Feb 14)