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Eric Berger of Ars Technica published a comprehensive article covering the mess European launch is in. Longish, but worth the read,
VIVE LA RÉSISTANCE —
As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist
After 50 years of success, Europe's main spaceport reaches a crossroads.
KOUROU, French Guiana—White light flooded in through large windows behind Alain Charmeau as he mused about the new age of rocketry. The brilliant sunrise promised another idyllic day in this beach town, but outside the sands remained untroubled by the feet of tourists.
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But times change. Like the rest of the aerospace world - including the Russians and traditional US companies like Boeing, Aerojet, and Lockheed Martin - Europe must now confront titanic changes in the global launch industry. By aggressively pushing low-cost, reusable launch technologies, SpaceX has bashed down the traditional order. Blue Origin, too, promises more of the same within a few years for larger satellites. Beyond these prominent new space companies serving larger satellites, dozens of more modest ventures are pursuing innovative strategies like 3-D printing to slash costs and snag a share of the small satellite market from traditional providers.
Inside the breakfast hall of the Hotel des Roches, which overlooks the lonely beach, Charmeau acknowledged this new reality. "We have strengths, and we have some advantages," he said of his company, the Paris-based ArianeGroup. "But these are extremely challenging times."
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Will he succeed? Outside the hotel, the dark, muddy waters of the Atlantic Ocean here in French Guiana seem a particularly apt mirror. Europe faces much uncertainty in its effort to retain its place among the stars.
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As the SpaceX steamroller surges, European rocket industry vows to resist
After 50 years of success, Europe's main spaceport reaches a crossroads.
KOUROU, French Guiana—White light flooded in through large windows behind Alain Charmeau as he mused about the new age of rocketry. The brilliant sunrise promised another idyllic day in this beach town, but outside the sands remained untroubled by the feet of tourists.
>
But times change. Like the rest of the aerospace world - including the Russians and traditional US companies like Boeing, Aerojet, and Lockheed Martin - Europe must now confront titanic changes in the global launch industry. By aggressively pushing low-cost, reusable launch technologies, SpaceX has bashed down the traditional order. Blue Origin, too, promises more of the same within a few years for larger satellites. Beyond these prominent new space companies serving larger satellites, dozens of more modest ventures are pursuing innovative strategies like 3-D printing to slash costs and snag a share of the small satellite market from traditional providers.
Inside the breakfast hall of the Hotel des Roches, which overlooks the lonely beach, Charmeau acknowledged this new reality. "We have strengths, and we have some advantages," he said of his company, the Paris-based ArianeGroup. "But these are extremely challenging times."
>
Will he succeed? Outside the hotel, the dark, muddy waters of the Atlantic Ocean here in French Guiana seem a particularly apt mirror. Europe faces much uncertainty in its effort to retain its place among the stars.
>
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