ArianespaceAriane 62Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
CSO-3
Launched
March 6, 2025 · 16:24 UTC
Image: ESA/CNES/Arianespace/ArianeGroup/Optique vidéo du CSG–S. Martin
Summary
CSO-3 launched on an Arianespace Ariane 62 from Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana on March 6, 2025 at 16:24 UTC. It was Arianespace's 318th launch, 1st this year and humanity's 6,894th orbital launch attempt. It was the 2nd Ariane 62 flight and the 1st this year. The payload was bound for Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO). One object from this launch is catalogued.
- Watch
- Vehicle
- Ariane 62 · Arianespace
- Booster
- No booster details on record.
- Mission
- Government/Top Secret · Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO)for DGA, FAF, CNES
- Milestone
- 2nd Ariane 62 flight · 1st this yearArianespace's 318th launch1st this yearhumanity's 6,894th orbital launch attempt45th orbital launch attempt this year
Webcast
Flight preview
Flight timeline
- T−7SIgnition
- T−0Liftoff
- T+2M18SSRB Separation
- T+4M30SFairing Separation
- T+7M46SStage 2 Separation
- T+7M54SSES-1
- T+56M21SSES-2
- T+1H6MPayload Separation
- T+2HSES-3
Catalogued objects
1 catalogued: 1 payload; 1 still in orbit
- CSO-3 · NORAD 63156 · in orbit
Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org
About this launch
The CSO-3 (Composante Spatiale Optique-3 satellite is the third of three new-generation high-resolution optical imaging satellites for the French military, replacing the Helios 2 spy satellite series.
Pad
Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
2nd launch from Ariane Launch Area 4, 1st this year · 324th from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
Local pad time at liftoff: Mar 6, 1:24 PM GMT-3, in daylight
9 launches from this pad · 336 from Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana
239 days after the previous launch from this pad
All launches from Guiana Space Centre, French GuianaOpen in maps
Updates
Launch successful.
Show 9 earlier updates
Payload deployed!
hitura-nobad · 3/6/2025 · source
Liftoff!
hitura-nobad · 3/6/2025 · source
Official Webcast by arianespace has started
LL2 · 3/6/2025 · source
Rescheduled for March 6.
Cosmic_Penguin · 3/5/2025 · source
Next possible attempt on March 5, TBC
Nosu · 3/4/2025 · source
Launch attempt scrubbed. New launch date tba.
hitura-nobad · 3/3/2025 · source
Official Webcast by arianespace has started
LL2 · 3/3/2025 · source
Adding seconds to T-0
Nosu · 3/3/2025 · source
Now targeting March 3 at 16:24 UTC
Nosu · 2/25/2025 · source
Questions
When did CSO-3 launch?
CSO-3 launched on March 6, 2025 at 16:24 UTC.
Where can I watch CSO-3?
Coverage: Flight VA263 | CSO-3 | Ariane 6 | First Commercial Flight I Arianespace; Vol VA263 | CSO-3 | Ariane 6 | Premier vol commercial I Arianespace. Watch the replay
What rocket launched CSO-3?
Ariane 62, flown by Arianespace. Ariane 62 spec sheet
Where did CSO-3 launch from?
Ariane Launch Area 4, Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana. Liftoff was Mar 6, 1:24 PM GMT-3 local time at the pad.
What orbit was CSO-3 going to?
Sun-Synchronous Orbit (SSO), a government/top secret mission.
How many satellites did CSO-3 launch?
1 payload from this launch is catalogued, still in orbit (Data from J. McDowell, planet4589.org).