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In 2015, at a hearing of the House of Armed Forces Committee on the cost of a spaceflight, Loretta Sanchez, a member of Congress of the time, had some laughter with this message, but four years later no one laughs in Europe. The Court of Auditors (CDC), the independent auditor of the French accounts, has just indicated that the use of reusable rockets by Elon Musk to reduce launch costs in the space represents a very real risk of chasing Ariane out of the space sector.
Artistic representation of Ariane 6 dropping boosters
The French Ariane builds beautiful rockets – but can they compete with SpaceX in terms of price? Source of the image: ArianeSpace.
<h2 class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "How do you say "we lose the race to space" in French?"data-reactid =" 25 ">How do you say "we lose the race to space" in French?
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "For years in France Arianespace space launch company, a subsidiary of Airbus (NASDAQOTH: EADSY), had trouble competing with SpaceX in the market for commercial rocket launches. Here is the problem: your Ariane launch costs an average of $ 200 million, while SpaceX announces the famous Falcon 9 rides. as little as $ 62 million"data-reactid =" 26 "> For years, the French space launch company Arianespace, a subsidiary of Airbus (NASDAQOTH: EADSY), had trouble competing with SpaceX in the market for commercial rocket launches. The problem is this: your Ariane launch costs an average of $ 200 million, while SpaceX famously announces the Falcon 9 rides for only $ 62 million.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Obviously, it is difficult for Ariane to compete with the prices So To improve its competitive position, Ariane spent the last few years developing a new family of rockets, nicknamed "Ariane 6". Its goal: to reduce Ariane's average launch cost to about $ 77 million (for similar payload capacity as Falcon 9) or $ 126 million (for something closer to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy will carry). "Data-reactid =" 27 "> It is obvious that Ariane is struggling to compete with such low prices.To improve its competitive positioning, Ariane has spent the last few years developing a new family of rockets called"Ariane 6 ". Its goal is to reduce Ariane's average launch cost to approximately $ 77 million (for a payload capacity similar to that of Falcon 9) or $ 126 million (for a result closer to the SpaceX Falcon Heavy transport).
It seems like a good idea. But, as indicated by the French CDC, Ariane 6 is perhaps too small and too late.
<h2 class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Slow and stable loses the race"data-reactid =" 29 ">Slow and stable loses the race
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "In a" tome "of 31 pages & nbsp; embedded in his 2019 annual public reportCDC rating & nbsp; that Ariane "lost the global leadership in the commercial market for the benefit of the US company SpaceX" in 2017. CDC directly links this loss to "SpaceX's revolutionary model of reusable rockets", and "lack of faith in Ariane" "of the concept of reusable rockets – and build them. "data-reactid =" 30 "> In a" volume "of 31 pages incorporated in his 2019 annual public reportCDC notes that Ariane "lost its global leadership in the commercial market to US SpaceX" in 2017. CDC directly links this loss to SpaceX's "revolutionary reusable rocket model" and "lack of confidence in # 39; Ariane "in the concept of reusable rockets – and build them.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Indeed, the chamber of the critical audit especially Ariane's decision to make Ariane 6 consumable, rather than reusable like the Falcon 9 and the SpaceX Falcon Heavy. CNES from France "studies" perhaps a reusable "Prometheus" engine and is developing a prototype "Callisto" reusable rocket, but little progress has been made on both fronts. Meanwhile, SpaceX already has its operational and Falcon flight missions. Unlike the Ariane 6, which will have to be abandoned once used, SpaceX's Space 5 Falcon 9 rockets are designed to be reused up to ten times. "Data-reactid =" 31 "> Indeed, the control chamber, particularly the decision Ariane Ariane 6 could be consumable instead of reusable, such as Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy SpaceX. could "study" a reusable "Prometheus" engine and develop a prototype "Callisto" reusable rocket, but progress has been slow, while SpaceX already has operational and aerial Falcon missions, unlike Ariane 6, which all will have to be abandoned once used, SpaceX's Space 5 Falcon 9 rockets are designed to be reused 10 times.
According to CDC, Ariane's "cautious" approach could prove "non-competitive … in the long run". On the contrary, CDC thinks that Ariane will ultimately have to "evolve Ariane 6 towards reusability", at the cost of "additional financing". All that Ariane did with her early efforts was therefore a waste of time.
And since we do not expect Ariane 6 to be usable before 2020, Ariane must not waste time. By the time Ariane 6 begins to fly, SpaceX may have further refined its reusable rocket designs, adapted its business model to take full advantage of the benefits of reuse, and further lowered its prices, making any cost reduction possible. Ariane 6 theoretical.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Perhaps the saddest part of all this, however, did Arianespace know exactly what she was doing when she chose to develop the Ariane 6 as an expendable rocket. That's what he did on purpose. "Data-reactid =" 39 "> Perhaps the saddest thing about all this is it though that Arianespace knew exactly what she was doing when she chose to develop the Ariane 6 as an expendable rocket. He did it on purpose.
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "We know it because, in an interview with Germany Der Spiegel Last year, Alain Charmeau, CEO of ArianeGroup, said (ArianeGroup is the parent company of ArianeSpace). "data-reactid =" 40 "> We know it because, in an interview with Germany Der Spiegel Alain Charmeau, CEO of ArianeGroup last year (ArianeGroup is the parent company of ArianeSpace).
Describing Ariane's screaming need to guarantee "guaranteed launches" from its government sponsors to generate cash flow to finance its overhead costs, Charmeau said that European governments should buy their Ariane space launches instead of selling them. At SpaceX, whatever their price. They should do that, said Charmeau, not only to ensure Europe a reliable space program (although it certainly was a goal), but because when Germany buys space launches at Ariane, " it creates jobs in Germany "(remember, this was an interview with a German magazine).
In addition, Ariane has chosen to build many expendable rockets instead of some reusable rockets that could be used many times. As Charmeau explained: "Let's say we have ten guaranteed launches a year in Europe and have a rocket that you can reuse ten times, so we would build exactly one rocket a year." No sense I can not say my teams: "Goodbye, next year" after building only one rocket!
Instead, Ariane builds a lot of rockets and thus provides its workers with job security.
<h2 class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "An epitaph for Ariane"data-reactid =" 44 ">An epitaph for Ariane
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "But here is the great tragedy of Ariane: trying In order to ensure the full employment of its workers, Charmeau may have condemned his company.ArianeSpace, which has planned to build its own reusable rocket, has bet its future on a replaceable Ariane 6, which it will now have to modernize and turn into a rocket. reusable Ariane 6. As the CDC says: "This new launcher [in its current form] is a sustainable response to compete in a stagnant commercial market. "" data-reactid = "45"> But here is the great tragedy of Ariane: trying to guarantee the full employment of its workers, Charmeau may have condemned his company. ArianeSpace, which plans to build its own reusable rocket, is betting its future on a consumable Ariane 6 that it will now need to upgrade and convert to a new reusable Ariane 6. As the CDC says: "This new launcher [in its current form] be a sustainable response to compete in a stagnant commercial market. "
<p class = "canvas-atom-text-canvas Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Unless it makes the switch to reusability – and soon – this means that Ariane itself may not be able to compete with cheaper, more effective, more efficient solutions Advanced rocket launchers such as SpaceX (and soon Blue Origin too). In this case, however, Ariane workers risk losing their jobs. "Data-reactid =" 46 "> Unless this allows reuse, and soon, this means that Ariane itself may not be able to compete with cheaper, more efficient and more effective solutions. Advanced rocket launchers such as SpaceX (and soon Blue Origin too). Ariane workers are at risk of losing their jobs.
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = " More from The Motley Fool "data-reactid =" 47 "> More from The Motley Fool
<p class = "canvas-atom canvas-text Mb (1.0em) Mb (0) – sm Mt (0.8em) – sm" type = "text" content = "Rich Smith has no position in the mentioned actions. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the actions mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy."data-reactid =" 55 ">Rich Smith has no position in any of the actions mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the actions mentioned. Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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