Image Credit: OneWeb OneWeb has announced what is being described as the largest single launch order ever placed. The order, which will eventually cover some 900 of its planned fleet of broadband internet satellites in Low Earth Orbit, will be split between the Arianespace marketed version of the Soyuz booster, and Virgin Galactic’s much smaller LauncherOne, which is under development. […]
Adeline: Image Credit Airbus Ever since SpaceX changed the focus of its quest for launch vehicle re-usability from parachute recovery to powered first stage landings, observers have wondered just what response might be offered by uber competitor and market leader Arianespace. At first, the French led consortium scoffed at the potential threat posed by Elon […]
Image Credit: Arianespace Industry leader Arianespace reached a historic milestone yesterday, conducting the 75th launch of the Ariane V rocket. It was also the 61st consecutive successful flight for booster, which lifted off in its traditional duel payload configuration, carrying two satellites, MEASAT-3b and Optus 10. In typical fashion, Arianespace was not shy about touting […]
It was something of a Black Friday for the launch industry yesterday. In addition to the SpaceX F9-R “explosion” in Texas, a bizarre story has emerged regarding an Arianespace launch which happened the same day. The launch, which took place aboard a Russian built commercial Soyuz out of French Guiana and under the Arianespace banner, […]
Aviation Week is reporting that European launch company Arianespace is preparing to ask the European Union for increased subsidies in the face of competition from SpaceX and difficulties with exchange rates. “Given the weakness of the dollar and the situation with SpaceX, it is not out of the question that our effort to raise our […]
According to a release from the European Space Agency, Europe is one step closer in plans for producing the next generation replacement for the market dominating Ariane V commercial booster. The new booster, dubbed Ariane VI, marks a curious retreat in capabilities from its predecessor, and the wholesale adoption of a business plan which seems […]
It is a busy week for two of the world’s most powerful launch vehicles A United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy booster stands ready to blast into orbit today from Vandenberg, A.F.B. in California, carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload designated NROL-65, on a liftoff scheduled for 10:52 a.m. local, 1:52 p.m. EDT. This will […]
The European Aeronautic, Defense and Space Company, EADS, is changing its name to Airbus Group in order to both capitalize on its best known brand, and to reflect the fact that with defense budgets under pressure, it sees the commercial aircraft business as its main sector of growth for the foreseeable future. Of particular interest […]
“Once again, Ariane 5’s unmatched reliability and availability has set the highest standards in the satellite launch business.” – comments by Arianespace CEO Stephane Israel upon Arianespace’s 70th launch for the Ariane V, and its 56th successful launch in a row. Yesterday’s launch of the Ariane V ECA took place at 4:54 pm local time […]
The Soyuz Booster recorded its 1807th and 1808th successful launches in short order yesterday. At 1:28 p.m. EDT, (9:28 p.m. local) a Soyuz 2-1b blasted off from Baikonur carrying the Resource-P Russian remote sensing satellite. Two hours later, at 3:27 p.m. EDT, and half a world away, another Soyuz, this one equipped with a Fregat restartable upper stage, lifted off from the […]
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