Space: The new European Ariane 6 rocket exceeded before the first flight

reThe launch date has long been set and should symbolize the start: its launch is scheduled for July 16, 2020 – the new Ariane 6 European launcher. It would be 51 years after the launch of the American Saturn rocket during its historic flight to the Moon. ,

Europeans are still busy building their new rocket launch platform in the Guyanese jungle. But the planned departure is becoming more and more limited. Attempted Europeans not to retreat further into space in the face of global competition for the future satellite transport market.

Just four years ago, Europe decided to develop the new Ariane 6 launcher. It was mainly a reaction to the US space rocket company SpaceX from Elon Musk, which was growing rapidly, which could carry with very low prices and new technology customers. But the new Ariane 6 rocket in Europe has not flown once, as it is already clear: the previously adopted improvements will not be enough.

Read also

To remain competitive, the ArianeGroup rocket company proposes to continue the development of the new Ariane 6 according to WELT information. Although their transport price in space for customers is 40% lower than the current model, this is not enough. With this extra step and new technologies, flying into space from 2023 could then cost 20% less.

At a conference of experts from the Ariane group in Munich, the group explained why it proposes further improvements: in the coming years, many new competitors and new large rocket models will be launched around the world . He does not stay alone with SpaceX. For example, the big rockets of the American company Blue Origin of the founder of the Amazon, Jeff Bezos, arrive on the market. The competition will be even bigger. Therefore, steps must be taken not to lose more customers.

Ariane 6 missions are too expensive

The next ministerial meeting of the European Space Agency (ESA), in November 2019, will set the course for the future development of the new Ariane 6. "We are preparing innovative decisions in Europe in a year," said Alain Charmeau , managing director of ArianeGroup, in Munich. Aged 62, he will no longer be at the head of the Airbus-Safran joint venture.

Next year, the Frenchman André-Hubert Roussel, as the new CEO, directs the company, has just been announced. The Ariane group, which has 9,000 employees, is itself converting to reduce costs and will eliminate by the end of 2022 approximately 2,300 jobs. These are all signs of the magnitude of the changes that are currently occurring in the space industry.

Until now, ArianeGroup and ESA have given the impression that the new Ariane 6 was fully competitive in the booming market of space. But it is now clear that the new rocket can carry all types of payloads at different orbital altitudes – from large satellites to tens of smaller satellites for so-called low altitude constellations. This makes it even more versatile than the current Ariane 5. But the price for customers is probably too high.

New suppliers reduce start-up costs through cost-effective offers and become more reliable. In the past, launchers could justify a higher price for the Ariane rocket in Europe by claiming that the rocket was very reliable. In the meantime, SpaceX Falcon missiles fly without problems and the cost of transport is lower.

Read also

Europeans must act accordingly. The Ariane group in Munich presented a graph showing that transport costs per kilogram of payload in a geostationary orbit were dropping dramatically: from $ 19,000 currently in Ariane 5 to $ 11,000 in Ariane 6 in 2020. Technology Advanced Ariane 6 should then be at 2023/25 arrive at 8000-9000 dollars per kilo. By 2030, with an entirely new technology, transportation costs should be halved to $ 5,000.

What costs the taxpayer for the development of the rocket and if the industry itself is invested remains open. The development costs of the Ariane 6 for the first flight in 2020 would amount to 3.2 billion euros, of which the Ariane group wants to pay 400 million euros. The rocket should also cost 40% less in production. However, industry is wondering whether the cost of launching an Ariane rocket, which has so far cost about € 160 million, is actually falling. Until now, no start covers costs and taxpayers must pay each.

Competition uses reusable rockets

To defend themselves, European rocket manufacturers report extreme distortions of competition in the market. Elon Musk recovers billions of dollars from NASA and the United States has a huge market of military and scientific satellites, which is not available in Europe on this scale. "We drink water and the others are spiked," says an ArianeGroup manager. Industry insiders also evoke complex bureaucratic structures in the European space industry, with industry, the ESA Space Agency and the European Commission having partly different interests.

Thus, any modification made to the Ariane rocket is also a tightrope walk that benefits. According to industry plans, advanced technology Ariane 2023/2025 could take off with a "black top floor", with tanks in black carbon fiber. This higher level could be developed and built especially in Germany. The new technology reduces the weight of rockets.

Hervé Gilibert, chief engineer of ArianeGroup, said in Munich that it is urgent to continue development. "We can not wait for years with decisions, as with Ariane 6". In addition, technologies will be tested to make another leap forward in development by 2030, for example with the use of reusable rocket engines from the 3D printer.

Under the Themis project name, a demonstrator for a reusable first stage is under development and is expected to take off in 2023. US competitors SpaceX and Blue Origin do not rely solely on reusable rockets. In China and Russia, the first tests have already taken place.

Until now, it has been said that for Europe, a recycling rocket is not economical because of its low quantities. "We will see if reusability is profitable," said Charmeau, head of the ArianeGroup group. The start date could be 2030 then. At that time, the US space company SpaceX Elon Musk already wanted to land on Mars with a super reusable rocket.

Read also