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# ESA confirms P160C booster upgrade qualified for Ariane 6 and Vega C
- URL: https://sovereigntymonitor.eu/news/2025-12-19-esa-p160c-booster-qualified/
- Published: 2025-12-19T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-08T12:02:06.000Z
- Description: ESA concluded the qualification review of the upgraded P160C solid rocket booster and confirmed it for operational use on Ariane 6 and Vega C, after an April 2025 test firing, with first flight due on an Ariane 64 mission in 2026.
- Author: Reidar Balstad
- Tags: Defence and space, #news, #reported, #editor-read

Reported Editor-read [European Spaceflight, 23 December 2025](https://europeanspaceflight.com/ariane-6-and-vega-c-p160c-booster-upgrade-fully-qualified/?ref=sovereigntymonitor.eu)

**What it does not test.** It does not establish a firm launch date for the first operational P160C flight, only that the hardware is cleared for use.

**How this item counts.** This item is dated before the index starts on 1 January 2026, so it does not count in the [European Sovereignty Index](https://sovereigntymonitor.eu/sovereignty-index/).

**How this item was made.** Drafted by an AI system (Claude (Anthropic)) from the source cited above; read and approved by the editor on 2026-10-07\. [How the record is made](https://sovereigntymonitor.eu/method/#how-the-record-is-made)