Somewhere, Robert A. Heinlein is smiling. Check that, he is more likely roaring with delight that at long last, a privately developed rocket has been successfully re-flown in an orbital flight. That the most recent mission took place from a government owned launchpad that is practically a shrine to taxpayer funded frustration in the […]
This is not how you design a rocket : ESA Ministerial Meeting Seeking a defense against the market disruption being wrought by SpaceX and its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy boosters, European space ministers voted yesterday to formally endorse the Ariane 6 project. The move came after Germany dropped its long running call to proceed […]
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, […]
Russia may soon need its own trampoline. Overnight, a Russian Proton-M booster lifted off from Baikonur carrying the Express AM4R communications satellite built by EADS Astrium. Like all too many Proton payloads in recent years, it did not reach the correct orbit, or in this case, any orbit at all. Instead it suffered a complete […]
ATV-4 Prepares for Launch, Image Credit Arianespace NASA has announced that it is extending the existing commercial resupply contacts held by Orbital Sciences and SpaceX through 2017, even as it holds the door open for competition from other potential providers in the next round of competition labelled CRS2. Based on the announcement which is included […]
Artists concept of the Ariane VI Two related items in Space News point to the growing conundrum facing Arianespace as it attempts to devise a strategy for combating the emergence of SpaceX and the Falcon 9. After repeatedly downplaying any impact from SpaceX (and generally dissing the company, its rocket and its founder) during much of […]
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 […]
Update: Following this evening’s abort, SpaceX released this statement “We observed unexpected readings with the first stage liquid oxygen system so we decided to investigate. The launch vehicle and satellite are in great shape and we are looking forward to the next launch opportunity on Thursday at 5:38 p.m. Eastern time.” Original story SpaceX Prepares […]
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 […]
Recent Comments