Ariane 64 with SUSIE

SUSIE (Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration)

Mission Profile

Ariane 64 with SUSIE is a speculative concept combining the Ariane 6 in its most capable 4-booster configuration with the SUSIE (Smart Upper Stage for Innovative Exploration) reusable upper stage studied by ArianeGroup. Standing approximately 63 meters tall with a liftoff mass of 860,000 kg and generating 15,400 kN of thrust, this configuration would offer substantial heavy-lift capability while enabling upper stage recovery for reuse. SUSIE, described as a winged reusable vehicle capable of surviving atmospheric reentry, represents an ambitious step toward making Ariane 6 competitive with reusable rockets. The speculative timeline suggests potential operations around 2030, though the concept remains in early study stages.