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Access To Space

All articles tagged with #access to space

space2 years ago

Europe's Ariane 6 Rocket Delayed to 2024, Won't Compete with SpaceX This Year

The inaugural launch of Europe's new Ariane 6 rocket has been delayed until 2024, leaving Europe without independent access to space satellites. The delays have been attributed to technical issues, COVID-19, and design changes. The failure of the Vega-C rocket in December 2022 further compounds the issue. The European Commission has requested an "ad-hoc security agreement" to allow European payloads to fly on SpaceX rockets. Despite the delays, Ariane 6 has secured institutional and commercial contracts, including 18 launches for Amazon's Kuiper broadband megaconstellation project.

via Space.com|
#access-to-space#ariane-6#arianespace
spaceflight2 years ago

Reusable rockets not coming to Europe for a decade: report.

Europe will have to wait until the 2030s for a reusable rocket, according to the CEO of Arianespace, Stéphane Israël. The company is currently preparing its Ariane 6 rocket for a test flight, which will be expendable. Europe lacks its own options for access to space, and the issue was highlighted in a recent report from an independent advisory group to the European Space Agency. Europe is fostering a number of private rocket companies, but the rockets in development are light-lift, whereas Ariane 6 and its possible successor are much more capable, medium-heavy-lift rockets.

via Space.com|
#access-to-space#ariane-6#arianespace
space2 years ago

Rocket-powered spaceplane aces test flight.

Dawn Aerospace has successfully tested a prototype rocket-powered spaceplane, which can decrease the cost of getting into Earth's orbit or beyond. The drone-like Mk II can launch cargo, fly up to 100 km to deposit payloads, and return to its runway. The company hopes to be the first to do so. The Mk III will include a non-reusable second stage that will help lift payloads of up to a ton into suborbital flight and 250kg into orbit itself. Dawn Aerospace operates out of the US, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

via Phys.org|
#access-to-space#dawn-aerospace#reusable