Mastodawn

La fusée européenne a réussi son vol de qualification, mardi, faisant oublier quatre années de retard. Le programme devra désormais proposer des prix attractifs et engranger de nouvelles commandes face à la concurrence d’Elon Musk.

Le Monde

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Spaceflight 🚀Jul 10, 2024

The APU #malfunction had several consequences for the remainder of the test flight. The upper stage will remain in #LEO, likely for decades ⏳. The #Ariane6 upper stage autonomously canceled the command to deploy two return craft as they would not have been able to complete their missions because they relied on the #Vinci engine to guide them to their reentry targets. https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/07/europes-first-ariane-6-flight-achieved-most-of-its-goals-but-ended-prematurely/3

#ESA #success #partially

Europe’s first Ariane 6 flight achieved most of its goals, but ended prematurely

Ariane 6 launched into orbit, but an upper stage problem kept it from completing the demo flight.

Ars Technica

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Spaceflight 🚀Jul 10, 2024

#Eumetsat has just canceled the launch of one of its devices with the #European 🇪🇺 rocket, choosing #SpaceX instead. This decision, taken just a few days before Tuesday's launch, appears to be a sign of #mistrust 🤔🙄 https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2024/07/10/ariane-6-a-small-step-for-europe-in-space_6680074_23.html

#Ariane6

Ariane 6, a small step for Europe in space

Tuesday's successful launch of the European rocket is only a first step. Above all, Europe's future in the space sector requires a new organization, along the lines of what NASA achieved more than 20 years ago.

Le Monde

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Spaceflight 🚀Jul 10, 2024

"#Ariane6 is no longer competitive with #Falcon9, this we have to face". Expensive 💰, delayed ⏳ and no longer cutting-edge tech. “In 📆 2014 there was a fork in the road, and we didn’t take the right path”. The #LaunchCost will be upward of €100 million 💰. The response? A very #European 🇪🇺 plea for protection and #government aid. https://www.politico.eu/article/how-europe-screwed-up-its-rocket-program/

How Europe’s rocket program lost big to Elon Musk: The inside story

One successful test launch doesn’t mean that Europe’s struggles in the space race are over.

POLITICO

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Aaron Sawdey, Ph.D.

@spaceflight Not really a surprise .. from 2011:
"What I'm discovering in the market is that SpaceX primarily seems to be selling a dream, which is good. We should all dream," Bowles replied. "I think a $5 million launch or a $15 million launch is a bit of a dream. Personally, I think reusability is a dream. How am I going to respond to a dream? My answer to respond to a dream is, first of all, you don't wake people up."

And of course it's an Eric Berger article: https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/06/some-european-launch-officials-still-have-their-heads-stuck-in-the-sand/

Some European launch officials still have their heads stuck in the sand

"Starship will not eradicate Ariane 6 at all."

Ars Technica