ESA considers increasing the number of Ariane 6 and Vega-C rocket launches
The Cypriot publication Cyprus Mail, citing Reuters, reported that the European Space Agency is considering increasing the frequency of Ariane 6 and Vega-C rocket launches in the coming years. This could help avoid a potential bottleneck in placing satellites into orbit.
Demand may rise by 2030
According to ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher, a decision to expand capacity will need to be made soon if forecasts of a sharp rise in demand, expected to peak around 2030, are confirmed.
Arianespace operator’s latest forecast calls for nine or ten Ariane 6 launches per year starting in 2027. Aschbacher noted that, taking into account European missions, possible additional interest from Amazon, and other commercial activity, demand exceeds the planned capacity. Amazon has already ordered 18 launches.
The ESA chief stressed that no final decisions have yet been made. At the same time, he said that a decision on creating the necessary capacity must be made soon in order to meet launch needs in 2030.
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Human spaceflight and competition
ESA, which consists of 23 countries, is also studying the possibility of sending people into space on European rockets instead of U.S. launch vehicles. The decision on this initiative will be political in nature. Agency officials said that, depending on the funding model, it could increase ESA’s budget by around 10%.
Separately, Aschbacher said that the agency is prepared to use industrial policy tools to preserve competition in the European satellite market. Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo last year announced plans to combine their satellite manufacturing assets into a new company codenamed Project Bromo. The deal is awaiting antitrust approval.
ESA is not directly involved in the negotiations, but it accounts for around 60% of public spending on satellites in Europe. Germany’s OHB warned that the merger could weaken its supply chain. Airbus and its partners believe that competition should be assessed globally, including in view of Elon Musk’s Starlink.
