Time is running out. The European Space Agency intends to launch reusable rockets for the post-Ariane 6 era to catch up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX company, ESA director Josef Aschbacher said in an interview with AFP.
This summer, ESA shortlisted five companies: the German Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, the French Maiaspace, the British Orbital Express Launch and the Spanish PLD Space for its European Launcher Challenge project.
Over time, their number will be reduced to two or even one, noted Joseph Aschbacher.
This project aims to open the market for European institutional launches, until now reserved for large programs such as Ariane or Vega, to new private players who are developing small reusable launchers.
Ariane 6, whose maiden flight took place in July 2024 and which has completed two commercial flights, was conceived as an evolution of the Ariane 5, seeking above all reliability for institutional and commercial missions.
The next flight is scheduled to depart Kourou, French Guiana, on November 4 at 9:03 p.m. GMT: Ariane 6 will launch the Sentinel-1D satellite into orbit for the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation program.
Given the number of launches planned for the Ariane 6, its reuse was not considered profitable in the short term. Adding reusability would have further delayed the commissioning of this heavy rocket, a key element of Europe’s sovereign access to space of which it was deprived for a year.
It is criticized for its cost compared to reusable competitors such as SpaceX with Falcon 9.
Source: BFM TV
