Ariane 6 (2013 Concept)

PPH Configuration Ariane 6 ESA Ministerial 2014

Mission Profile

Ariane 6 (2013 Concept), also known as the PPH (Propulseur à Poudre Homologué) configuration, was an early design proposal for the successor to Ariane 5 presented at the 2014 ESA Ministerial conference. This two-stage concept featured a liquid-fueled core with solid strap-on boosters arranged in a configuration quite different from the final Ariane 6 design, aimed at achieving a dramatic reduction in launch costs to restore European commercial launch competitiveness. While sharing the overarching goal of a new generation European rocket, the PPH configuration was substantially revised through the design process before the current Ariane 6 — featuring the Vulcain 2.1 core and P120C solid boosters — entered development and flew its maiden mission in 2024.