Submitted by Gari_305 t3_z2obdd in Futurology
Comments
FuturologyBot t1_ixhc2uh wrote
The following submission statement was provided by /u/Gari_305:
From the Article
>France, Germany and Italy, the three biggest contributors to the European Space Agency, said Tuesday they have agreed to guarantee the future of the next-generation Ariane 6 and Vega-C rocket launcher systems.
Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/z2obdd/france_germany_italy_agree_on_nextgeneration/ixh8hgt/
TheLianeonProject t1_ixhd1yr wrote
The article doesn't have much "meat" to it, seems like merely continuing to fund Ariane 6, which is apparently behind schedule.
Per my understanding, Ariane 6 is not reusable in any way shape, or form. Absent some reuse, I think the EU is going to have some extreme difficulty competing in that market, absent significant subsidies and protection from the governments that funded it.
Last I heard, Ariane 7 may feature some reuse capability, but there was political resistance as a reusable rocket reduces the number of employees you need to build rockets, so some people would lose their jobs. This is backward thinking, in my opinion, as reusable rockets reduce launch costs and increase launch frequency. A bit like complaining that the alarm clock put knocker-uppers out of work.
perrochon t1_ixhpnfr wrote
And that is just a stage 1 reuse. SpaceX already works on Stage 2 reuse (Starship). Europe will have to use American and maybe Asian rockets going forward if they want to achieve their space goals (satellites, and a rover on Mars).
BlueSteelTuner t1_ixlhdl7 wrote
I'm completely ignorant here. Couldn't this money be put to better use?
[deleted] t1_ixlyqp5 wrote
[removed]
Viper_63 t1_ixmvm7m wrote
Ariane worked just fine for James Web, BepiColombo and Rosetta, and Ariane 6 is already slated for multiple interplanetary missions. Reusability lowers launch capacity, it doesn't increase it.
ULA managed to sent two rovers to Mars using Atlas V, and Ariane 6 can carry 3 tons more into GTO than Atlas.
I think ESA is going to manage just fine.
Gari_305 OP t1_ixh8hgt wrote
From the Article
>France, Germany and Italy, the three biggest contributors to the European Space Agency, said Tuesday they have agreed to guarantee the future of the next-generation Ariane 6 and Vega-C rocket launcher systems.