The Final Flight: Ariane 5 Rocket's Bittersweet Farewell

Europe's Ariane 5 rocket, which has been in service for nearly three decades, is set to launch for the last time on Tuesday. The rocket has been a symbol of Europe's access to space, but its retirement raises questions for the European Space Agency. The Ariane 6, developed to compete with SpaceX's Falcon 9, has faced significant delays, forcing the agency to rely on SpaceX for some missions. The director general of the European Space Agency has acknowledged that Europe has fallen behind SpaceX in launch capabilities.