After a series of delays, Europe’s new rocket, Ariane 6, has finally embarked on its maiden flight, launching from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Despite the mission not meeting all its objectives, the launch marks a significant achievement for Europe’s strategic autonomy in space.
What is Ariane 6?
Ariane is the name of a series of European expandable launch systems designed for civilian use. The adjective expandable means that these launch vehicles can carry satellites, people, and probes into space (the so-called “passengers”), but cannot be reused after launch, as their components are either destroyed during reentry or discarded in space. As the name suggests, Ariane 6 is the sixth and latest addition to this fleet of rockets and it has a brand new launchpad.
Depending on the configuration chosen, Ariane 6 may come either with two or four side boosters and may be employed as a medium-lift or as a heavy-lift launch system. Ariane 62 (A62) is mainly intended for government and scientific missions and can launch up to 4,500 kg into geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) and 10,350 kg into low-Earth orbit (LEO). The alternative, Ariane 64 (A64), is designed for commercial dual-satellite launches of up to 11,500 kg into GTO and 21,500 kg into LEO, and it is anticipated to be used for the first time in 2025. This modular design fit to launch both heavy and light payloads is advantageous, as it opens the door to a wider range of applications, from satellite deployment to research missions into deep space.
To allow for even greater flexibility, the rocket is divided into two sections (‘stages’ in jargon), each with its own engine and fuel. This multi-stage structure allows for each section to be optimised for a specific function. The first stage is responsible for the initial lift-off and ascent of the rocket. It is therefore designed to provide powerful thrust to overcome gravity and enable the escape from the Earth’s atmosphere. Once its fuel is depleted, the first stage separates from the rocket and falls back to Earth. At this point, the second (or upper) stage, which is better equipped to operate in the vacuum of space, takes over to fine-tune the trajectory and ensure the payload reaches its precise destination in space.
A Prominent Example of Private-Public Cooperation
The Ariane 6 programme saw the involvement of various institutional and business actors.
The over-$4 billion budget comes from the national governments of the 13 participating States, namely 11 EU members (i.e. Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, The Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Sweden) plus 2 EFTA partners (i.e. Norway and Switzerland).
The European Space Agency (ESA) is the contracting authority, responsible for the oversight of the programme, from budget management to the coordination of production and implementation. Additionally, ESA acts as the operator for its own missions, ensuring that the launch complies with the requirements for institutional space missions. This was the case, for example, with the first launch.
Commercial applications of Ariane 6 are instead run by the satellite launch company Arianespace, which is also entrusted with everything related to marketing and customer support, a demanding task considering that the number of launches that Ariane 6 has already been booked is at a record high.
Construction is also in the industry’s hands, with the main contractor being ArianeGroup, a French-based company founded in 2015 as a joint venture of Airbus and Safran. The involvement of these corporations did not come without controversy, given that the two were found responsible for the failure of Ariane 5 flight 517 in 2002 and M51 ballistic missile in 2013.
The last partner in the endeavour is the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France’s space agency that manages Europe’s Spaceport (or Centre spatial guyanais, CSG) in Kourou, French Guyana. There, the CNES coordinates the delivery of satellites for launch, monitors rocket trajectories during flight, ensures the safety and security of the area, and implements measures to safeguard the local environment.
Ariane 6’s Debut: A Noble Failure
Ariane 6 made its inaugural flight on 9 July, when it took off from Europe’s Spaceport at 16:00 local time (21:00 CEST). Despite the demonstrative character of this maiden flight (designated as VA262) Ariane 6 did carry passengers, namely 3 minor payloads, consisting of 11 university micro-satellites, several re-entry capsules, and small scientific experiments.
The launch was originally scheduled for 2020 to smooth the transition from Ariane 5, which retired last July after more than 100 successful launches. However, continuous postponement was the inevitable result of various technical challenges, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous design modifications and subsequent testing to ensure safety, and supply chain disruptions.
Given the considerable delay, expectations for the liftoff were set very high. Yet, the mission did not go as planned. In fact, the operation ran very smoothly for the first three hours, until an anomaly of an Auxiliary Propulsion Unit (APU) prevented the rocket from performing the deorbit burn necessary for it to get back into Earth’s atmosphere. As a result, the upper stage did not land in the Pacific Ocean as it was supposed to but remained in orbit as space debris. The rocket also failed to deploy two of its payloads which equally remained in orbit.
Arianespace CEO, Stephane Israel, has reassured that the incident will not affect the schedule for the upcoming launches since not all of them foresee a phase in microgravity requiring an APU. This notwithstanding, observers seem to have low confidence in the statement and fear disruptions in the next missions (a commercial mission carrying a French spy satellite is set for December and other six launches are planned for 2025).
While the incident might have partly spoiled the inauguration, the demo was nonetheless largely praised as a triumph for marking the resumption of Europe’s cosmic entry following years of stalemate. After all, the fact that a European brand-new rocket has arrived safely in space is certainly a success. In the words of CNES’s CEO Philippe Baptiste: “Europe has finally recovered its capacity to access space. Europe can be proud of its space programme, Europe can be proud of its knowledge and expertise.”
Why Is Access to Space Essential?
The importance of outer space lies in the fact that it is crucial for both civilian and military purposes, with space assets having a direct and indirect impact on our everyday lives, from weather forecasts to satellite navigation. Having the autonomous ability to access space thus ensures that Europe can deploy its assets – and especially strategic ones – independently.
Before the launch of Ariane 6, Europe was facing a major “launcher crisis”, as it had lost the capacity to send its satellites into orbit without having to rely on outside support. Such external dependence is no longer a viable option in the current geopolitical environment that makes strategic autonomy in aerospace a forced choice more than just an option.
As proof of this, the European aerospace market experienced a setback when Russia decided to withdraw its Soyuz capsules from Europe’s Spaceport in retaliation to EU sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, thereby depriving Europe of a crucial resource for its satellite launches. In the same vein, other space powers like the US, China, and India are becoming increasingly competitive and assertive in their efforts to expand their influence and control over space resources and activities.
Against this background, the inaugural operation of Ariane 6 serves as a strategic pivot, repositioning Europe in the global space race.
Strategic Autonomy vs. Space Economy
Foreign states are far from being the only space actors that Europe must compete with and search independence from to become truly competitive. Private investors, companies, and start-ups are also more and more active in space activities, contributing to the emergence of a more dynamic economic model, informally known as ‘New Space’.
The increasing commercialisation of space exploration not only challenges the traditional monopoly that states used to hold over space operations, but it also presents substantial obstacles to the growth of a ‘Made in Europe’ space industry, particularly given the appeal of certain commercial offers coming from outside Europe. To provide a comparison, the cost of a launch with Ariane 6 varies between €70-75 million for Ariane 62 and €115 million for Ariane 64. In contrast, a launch with SpaceX is priced around $67 million, with potential for further cost reductions using reusable components. Even a launch with Falcon Heavy, SpaceX’s heavy-lift launch vehicle that surpasses Ariane 6 in load capacity for both LEO and GTO destinations, is estimated to cost only about $97 million (approximately €87 million).
It is precisely this kind of economic reasoning that has led the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT) to the controversial decision to cancel its contract with Ariane 6 and hire instead SpaceX’s Falcon 9 for the launch of its MTG-S1 weather satellite. While EUMETSAT’s move triggered a harsh backlash from CNES’s CEO, Philippe Baptiste, and Arianespace’s Head of Public Affairs, Charlotte Lang, who expressed disappointment for the “brutal change” and advocated for the enforcement of the “principle of European launcher preference”, the satellite organisation is not the only European agency prioritising economic gain over the pursuit of strategic autonomy. Even ESA itself seems to be progressively shifting towards a competition-based model for procurement, following NASA’s footsteps. As testament to this, it recently contracted SpaceX as well for the launch of the Euclid space telescope and the EarthCARE satellite.
Defining the (Space) Route Ahead
At a higher strategical level, the heightened focus on space and its link with strategic autonomy is apparent and undeniable when looking at the initiatives undertaken or announced by EU institutions in the last couple of years. The apex of this amplified emphasis was reached in October 2023, when an EU space law was included among the European Commission’s priorities for 2024. The announcement followed the adoption, in March 2023, of the first ever EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence , aimed at developing further dual-use capabilities, while strengthening the resilience and protection of space systems and services in the EU.
In line with this objective, the upcoming law “is expected to provide a common framework for security, safety, and sustainability in space, that would ensure a consistent and EU-wide approach”. But just as space operations are encountering delays, the legislative process seems to be grappling with similar issues. This became clear in April, when, during a hearing by the Parliament Committee on Industry, Transport, Research and Energy (ITRE), Commissioner Thierry Breton informed the co-legislator that the publication of the legislative proposal would be postponed to the second half of the year.
Although not formally presented yet, the forthcoming space law has already attracted some critique. Specifically, certain observers have challenged the disproportionate attention to managing space debris at the expense of exploration activities, and most notably, space mining. “It is surprising that the EU focuses on cleaning up space instead of using it, as it is only responsible for about one per cent of space debris”, has written, Patrick Stockebrandt from the German think tank Centrum für Europäische Politik.
In the meantime, EU Member States did not idle and took advantage of the Commission’s postponement to share their opinion on the issue and try to steer the course of future discussions. In May, they adopted the conclusions on ‘strengthening Europe’s competitiveness through space’, in which they highlighted the importance of space for the green deal, the digital transition, and the overall competitiveness of the Union. Importantly, the document welcomes private engagement in the space sector and calls for an “open, fair and transparent public procurement processes” that supports the further growth and diversification of what is described as a burgeoning yet still limited ‘European New Space’.
Engage with EU Policymakers!
Hopefully, the long-awaited EU Space Law will set the foundation for the emerging European space industry to finally take off. To achieve this, addressing European agencies’ procurement schemes, as requested by CNES and Arianespace, is important but definitely not enough. Adequate research and development programs will need to be put in place to close the technological gap that Europe is facing. Additionally, better coordination mechanisms and strategic decision-making systems will need to be implemented for the EU to truly become a leading force in the global space sector.
The ongoing discussion presents a unique opportunity for companies operating in the space sector to engage with policymakers and have their voices heard. Contact us to receive guidance on how to do so in an effective and successful manner!
by Farweb