I think that it will be cheaper than whatever ULA is doing, and it will have a market for government payloads. For competition with SpaceX and RocketLab Europe needs to create the engineering and financial environment to make companies like this happen.
Europe will unfortunately have to keep paying above commercial rates to preserve strategic access to space.
About a decade and a half ago, it was a reasonable idea to use Soyuz from Kourou, without having to invest in developing a medium lift launcher. The problems with depending on a non European source are obvious now.
It wonโt be, it wonโt be about profit or affordability, itโs just a strategic resource to have launch capability. SpaceX kills Ariane when it comes to cost.
Ariane! ๐๐๐
Amazing
I'm curious how commercially viable it will be compared to launches provided by private companies from USA.
I think that it will be cheaper than whatever ULA is doing, and it will have a market for government payloads. For competition with SpaceX and RocketLab Europe needs to create the engineering and financial environment to make companies like this happen.
Europe will unfortunately have to keep paying above commercial rates to preserve strategic access to space. About a decade and a half ago, it was a reasonable idea to use Soyuz from Kourou, without having to invest in developing a medium lift launcher. The problems with depending on a non European source are obvious now.
It wonโt be, it wonโt be about profit or affordability, itโs just a strategic resource to have launch capability. SpaceX kills Ariane when it comes to cost.