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Europe’s lack of proper launch locations inhibits startups from attracting talent. So ESA sticks with Airbus since that’s the only option.

anonymousDan 3y ago
Given it's size, I find it strange it doesn't have launch locations like the US. Why is that the case - latitude? Population density.
- jnurmine 3y ago
  Mainland EU's first orbital launch site was inaugurated in January 2023. It is located at Esrange, in Kiruna, high up north in Sweden. The Themis program ("reusable space launcher demonstrator") will actually do some of their tests there. I wonder how much of the "lag" in European space launcher innovation is due to the logistics of having to haul everything half a planet away to Kourou over an ocean for the actual launches. Hopefully having a mainland facility will improve things.
- fhars 3y ago
  Latitude. Gibraltar is on the same latitude as North Carolina. Most of the suitable locations are in French Guayana, where the ESA launch site actually happens to be located.
- panick21_ 3y ago
  Because you have to launch West and West of Europe there is mostly land. For polar launches Europe is positioned just fine. It makes more sense to use French colonies in South America. Those are perfectly positioned.
seydor 3y ago
Isn't French guyana one of the best places?
- panick21_ 3y ago
  For many orbits yes. But it has some disadvantages because of how wet it is. Lots of rain lots of humidity. But it certainty no reason to think its holding them back all that much. If SpaceX had a private launch site like that they would likely go crazy.
  - machdiamonds 3y ago
    SpaceX's first launch site was at Omelek Island. It appears that the challenging environment may have contributed to one of the failures. "Why the nut cracked is still a bit of a mystery. Musk said the "prevailing thought" among investigators, which included a mix of government and SpaceX personnel, is that the heat and humidity on Omelek Island was a factor. Though the nut was anodized to guard against corrosion, Musk said, it may have been scratched at some point, compromising its protection against the elements. "We had a series of countdowns [during which] the rocket was exposed for quite a bit of time," Musk said. "And the vehicle hangar for about three months was not climate controlled." Another possible contributing factor, Musk said, is that there was an adverse reaction--so-called galvanic corrosion--between the aluminum nut and the pipe fitting itself, which was made of stainless steel. Musk said SpaceX will replace the $5-a-piece aluminum nuts with less-expensive stainless steel nuts to avoid that problem in the future." https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nut.html https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nu...
    - panick21_ 3y ago
      Yes. And Europe has some special infrastructure to prevent that kind of thing if the rocket has to stay there for a long time.

anonymousDan 3y ago

Given it's size, I find it strange it doesn't have launch locations like the US. Why is that the case - latitude? Population density.

jnurmine 3y ago
Mainland EU's first orbital launch site was inaugurated in January 2023. It is located at Esrange, in Kiruna, high up north in Sweden. The Themis program ("reusable space launcher demonstrator") will actually do some of their tests there. I wonder how much of the "lag" in European space launcher innovation is due to the logistics of having to haul everything half a planet away to Kourou over an ocean for the actual launches. Hopefully having a mainland facility will improve things.
fhars 3y ago
Latitude. Gibraltar is on the same latitude as North Carolina. Most of the suitable locations are in French Guayana, where the ESA launch site actually happens to be located.
panick21_ 3y ago
Because you have to launch West and West of Europe there is mostly land. For polar launches Europe is positioned just fine. It makes more sense to use French colonies in South America. Those are perfectly positioned.

seydor 3y ago

Isn't French guyana one of the best places?

panick21_ 3y ago
For many orbits yes. But it has some disadvantages because of how wet it is. Lots of rain lots of humidity. But it certainty no reason to think its holding them back all that much. If SpaceX had a private launch site like that they would likely go crazy.
- machdiamonds 3y ago
  SpaceX's first launch site was at Omelek Island. It appears that the challenging environment may have contributed to one of the failures. "Why the nut cracked is still a bit of a mystery. Musk said the "prevailing thought" among investigators, which included a mix of government and SpaceX personnel, is that the heat and humidity on Omelek Island was a factor. Though the nut was anodized to guard against corrosion, Musk said, it may have been scratched at some point, compromising its protection against the elements. "We had a series of countdowns [during which] the rocket was exposed for quite a bit of time," Musk said. "And the vehicle hangar for about three months was not climate controlled." Another possible contributing factor, Musk said, is that there was an adverse reaction--so-called galvanic corrosion--between the aluminum nut and the pipe fitting itself, which was made of stainless steel. Musk said SpaceX will replace the $5-a-piece aluminum nuts with less-expensive stainless steel nuts to avoid that problem in the future." https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nut.html https://www.space.com/2643-falcon-1-failure-traced-busted-nu...
  - panick21_ 3y ago
    Yes. And Europe has some special infrastructure to prevent that kind of thing if the rocket has to stay there for a long time.