SpaceX's Starship spacecraft disintegrated soon after launch on Thursday, but thousands of miles away another new rocket enjoyed an easier ride on its first commercial mission.

"CSO-3 is the third in a constellation of three military Earth-observation satellites for the DGA-led MUSIS program (Multinational Space-based Imaging System)," the French space agency CNES said ...

The European Space Agency's Ariane 6 rocket successfully launched a French military satellite into space this week on its first commercial mission. View on euronews ...

The CSO-3 satellite is expected to strengthen France's military autonomy and improve its army's intelligence capabilities. Europe has not been able to use Russia's Soyuz rockets since Moscow invaded ...

CSO-3, like its two predecessors, will provide high-resolution imagery for France for European allies. Airbus Defence and Space built the satellite bus and Thales Alenia Space provided the imaging ...

The 184-foot-tall (56-meter) rocket lifted off from Kourou, French Guiana, at 11:24 am EST (16:24 UTC). Twin solid-fueled boosters and a hydrogen-fueled core stage engine powered the Ariane 6 through ...

The next launch date is not yet known. The mission is to take the CSO-3 satellite into space. CSO-3 will complete a network of three French military imaging satellites, with the first two launched ...

It has special instruments that must not be seen by just anybody," said Carine Leveau, CNES director of space transport. The CSO-3 satellite will complete a network of three French military ...