The rocket was launched from the space base in French Guiana in South America at 17.30, Swedish time, with a French military satellite in its payload.
The launch went as planned and the main stage separated from the rocket, according to the French operator Arianespace's web broadcast.
About an hour later, cheers erupted in the control room – the mission had succeeded and the satellite had entered orbit.
This means that European countries can now, on their own, launch large satellites into orbit for the first time since Russia restricted access to its Soyuz rockets after the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Europe has only ten military satellites – five French and five Italian – significantly fewer than the USA and China, which have several hundred such satellites, according to French General Philippe Steininger.
