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Uncrewed heavy launcher deploys French military satellite

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First operational mission seen as test for European

autonomy

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(Updates throughout with successful deployment, background,

Arianespace CEO)

By Tim Hepher

March 6 (Reuters) - Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket

successfully deployed a French spy satellite in its first fully

operational launch on Thursday, completing a return to space for

a continent facing questions over its role amid a security rift

with the United States.

The uncrewed launcher lifted off from Europe's spaceport

in Kourou, French Guiana, at 1:24 p.m. local time (1624 GMT).

Controllers later said its CSO-3 reconnaissance satellite had

separated smoothly, completing a trio of military platforms.

The twice-postponed launch gave a symbolic boost to

European efforts to expand its autonomy on a day that European

leaders were

holding a summit

to sharply boost European defence, though Ariane launch

capacity remains dwarfed by U.S. rival SpaceX.

"We are consolidating our independent access to space

and helping to guarantee sovereignty on behalf of our citizens,"

David Cavailloles, CEO of launch operator Arianespace, said.

European nations agreed in 2014 to develop Ariane 6 for

commercial and institutional launches in response to growing

competition. But its arrival, originally due in 2020, was

repeatedly delayed.

The delays left Europe

relying on Elon Musk's

SpaceX for some launches including part of its Galileo

positioning system.

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Since the retirement of the workhorse Ariane 5 in 2023,

Europe has had little independent access to space, with war in

Ukraine cutting Western ties to Russian Soyuz rockets and

Italy's Vega C grounded for two years until last December.

European Space Agency chief Josef Aschbacher has

repeatedly warned of a "crisis" in European space access.

Ariane 6 had staged a partially successful inaugural

test flight

on July 9 last year

, carrying out a series of trials but leaving its upper

stage in orbit after a software glitch.

Thursday's launch was carried out for the French Air

Force's Space Command.

Although carrying a military payload, the journey was

technically considered a commercial debut because it was handled

by Arianespace, rather than the European Space Agency.

Ariane 6 is built by ArianeGroup, co-owned by Airbus

and Safran.

Airbus also built the satellite, while its

high-definition optical instrument was built by Franco-Italian

Thales Alenia Space (TAS), controlled by Thales and

Leonardo.

Airbus and TAS are

discussing setting up a new venture

to combine money-losing satellite activities as part of

their target telecoms market shifts to Musk's Starlink in lower

orbit. Thales CEO Patrice Caine said this week talks remained

"exploratory".