Ariane 6 project to European Space Agency Council on Tuesday

Ariane 6 project to European Space Agency Council on Tuesday

The programme Ariane 6, which aims to give Europe a new, more competitive launcher by 2020, will be considered on Tuesday by the European Space Agency Council (ESA). At the same time, satellite launch players will meet in Paris. “Chance sometimes allows many things to happen. When all Arianespace customers will be meeting in Paris for the Euroconsult exhibition, on September 13th, the ESA should be complete the definitive kick-start of the future launcher Ariane 6.”

The Arianespace CEO, Stéphane Israël, wrote this in a comment piece in the review Air et Cosmos.

He stressed, “We couldn’t have hoped for a better moment for such an announcement.”

“The final countdown to the Ariane 6 programme is underway.” As soon as the ESA fires the starting pistol, Arianespace will start its marketing process for the initial launch in 2020, he adds.

From September 12th to September 16th, Euroconsult is organising “World Satellite Business Week” in Paris, which will bring together the principal players in the satellite market.

Upstream, “for the second time, Arianespace and Airbus Safran Launchers met for two days in Paris the future clients of Ariane 6 (editors note: Thursday and Friday),” Stéphane Israël stated to AFP (Agence France-Presse).

Mr Israël added “The audience was more numerous than for the previous meeting in 2015.” It is obvious that, the launch is on the starting blocks for this particular launcher.”

In December 2014 in Luxembourg, Europe decided to treat itself to a new launcher, Ariane 6, which is much less expensive than the current Ariane 5. This was in an attempt to resist international ferocious competition in the satellite sphere.

The Executive Chair of Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL), Alain Charmeau, stressed in April that the objective is to reduce production and operation costs by 40% to 50%, compared to Ariane 5.

ASL is a joint venture, created in January 2015, with the express intention of setting Ariane 6 to music!

“We are working very well. I believe that the programme will be confirmed,” Alain Charmeau had forecast at the time.

The European agency and ASL signed a contract for 2.4 billion euros in August 2015, to develop the rocket, including an initial firm commitment of 680 million euros to start the project.

The Brussels Times


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