Unlock the Editor’s Digest for Free

Europe’s New Heavy-Lift Rocket Soars into Space

In a major milestone, Europe’s first new heavy-lift rocket in almost 30 years, Ariane 6, successfully launched into space on Tuesday. This significant achievement promises to end a crisis over Europe’s ability to deploy its own satellites into orbit.

Ariane 6: A New Era for European Space Program

Ariane 6 lifted off from its launch pad near Kourou in French Guiana at approximately 4 pm local time. The mission was declared a success by the European Space Agency (ESA), despite encountering a problem with its auxiliary power unit (APU). The APU failed to switch on in the final phase of the flight, which meant the rocket’s upper stage could not be brought back to Earth in a controlled re-entry. Instead, it will continue to orbit the Earth for potentially several years before eventually being pulled into the atmosphere, where it will partially burn up.

A New Era for European Space

The successful launch of Ariane 6 marks a significant moment for Europe, as it regains autonomous access to space. This achievement will allow Europe to play an active role in shaping global space travel. The ESA director-general, Josef Aschbacher, hailed the launch as a "beautiful moment" and emphasized that the inaugural flight had put Ariane 6 on track to ramp up the number of launches next year.

Challenges and Competition

However, there are questions over how competitive Ariane 6 will be against Elon Musk’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket and his Starship, which completed a successful test flight into space this year. The ESA member states have agreed to a €1bn subsidy over three years to ensure the Ariane 6 programme’s viability.

The Future of European Space Launchers

The launch of Ariane 6 has sparked a review of how Europe collaborates on launcher programmes. The ESA has launched a competition to buy micro launch services from the private sector, and some of these companies may eventually snag business from Ariane. Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg, for instance, has described Ariane 6 as "overpriced" and emphasized the need for change.

Conclusion

Ariane 6’s successful launch marks a significant milestone for Europe’s space program. While there are challenges ahead, this achievement promises to restore Europe’s independence in space and enable it to play a more active role in shaping global space travel.

FAQs

Q: What is Ariane 6?

A: Ariane 6 is Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket, designed to replace the retiring Ariane 5.

Q: Why is Ariane 6 significant?

A: Ariane 6’s successful launch marks a major milestone for Europe’s space program, regaining autonomous access to space.

Q: How competitive will Ariane 6 be?

A: There are questions over how competitive Ariane 6 will be against Elon Musk’s reusable Falcon 9 rocket and his Starship.

Q: How much did the Ariane 6 programme cost?

A: The development cost of Ariane 6 was estimated to be €4bn, with a €1bn subsidy over three years to ensure its viability.

Q: When will Ariane 6 make its first operational flight?

A: Ariane 6 is expected to make its first operational flight by the end of the year.

Q: How many launches has Ariane 6 been booked for?

A: Ariane 6 has been booked for 29 launches, including 18 for Amazon’s Project Kuiper broadband satellite constellation from next year.

Author: www.ft.com

Orginal Source link