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It will still be building that knowledge inside Europe. Rocketry in general is deemed to be strategic so it's OK for any country to invest money in that, keep s
by pmontra 2y ago
It will still be building that knowledge inside Europe. Rocketry in general is deemed to be strategic so it's OK for any country to invest money in that, keep scientists and engineers on the subject, keep the industries alive, etc. It's not only about access to space, it's also about defense.
- sgt101 2y agoYes, and the industrial base that we are discussing is the one that builds the M51.3 which is fundamental for Europe. Existence is worth a lot.
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago> will still be building that knowledge inside Europe Ariane 6 cannibalises Europe’s chance at being more than an also-ran in space: “An Arianespace manager pushing his company as the only solution to Europe’s launch challenges isn’t that noteworthy. However, the fact [Arianespace’s CEO] urges the need for a ‘reusable heavy launcher’ is notable, considering his previous noncommittal remarks about rocket reusability. The certainty of his statement leaves no ambiguity–Ariane 6 just won’t be able to compete in the global market. It will take a (single and expensive) reusable heavy launcher (manufactured by Arianespace) and (funded by) a unified Europe to compete (with SpaceX). While [Arianespace’s CEO’s] admission of reusability’s future in Europe is surprising, his constancy in his attempts to keep European space activities hostage to Arianespace is not. To be clear, he wants European taxpayers to fund reusability development and manufacturing only through Arianespace. He believes Europe can’t afford more than one reusable heavy launcher and that if Europe were to pay for a reusable rocket, then Arianespace must manufacture it.” https://www.illdefined.space/arianespace-the-only-fish-in-the/ https://www.illdefined.space/arianespace-the-only-fish-in-th...
- snowpid 2y agoWhile that attitude makes sense for ArianeSpace , I doubt they will be successful.
- imtringued 2y agoYou're under the misconception that it makes sense for Europe to have a launch vehicle at all. The launches happen in French Guiana. The only reason why you would build it on the European mainland is as a jobs program for Europeans. No commercial entity would come up with the idea of building a launch vehicle in Europe. Making a rocket reusable means that it would not leave French Guiana far behind. There would be less need for rockets from the European mainland.
- JumpCrisscross 2y ago> under the misconception that it makes sense for Europe to have a launch vehicle at all. The launches happen in French Guiana Launch controlled by Europe. French Guiana is Europe, geopolitically speaking. SpaceX building rockets in Europe wouldn't give Brussels the strategic autonomy of an Ariane launched from below the equator.
- 627467 2y agowill it? or will engineering talent just move elsewhere after realizing their talents are wasted in bureaucratland?
- okasaki 2y agoWhat's strategic about it? We give all of our data to US companies and that's ok (?), but for some reason we need to be able to launch our own rockets?