The European Space Agency (ESA), Arianespace, and French space agency CNES are set to launch the first Ariane 6 from the European Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana on Tuesday, July 9.

The heavy rocket is set for 12 launches per year, carrying satellites and competing with companies like Space X

The predecessor, Ariane 5, sent the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) into orbit in 2021, as well as comet explorer Rosetta in 2004 and the Planck cosmology telescope in 2009.

The Ariane 6 launch has seen years of delays. On its first flight, the rocket will carry a number of small experiments built by private companies, research institutes and space agencies.