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The European Space Agency has a space program as well: it has the Ariane rocket. I don't think it's capable to bring astronauts to the ISS but maybe it would be

• MBCook 2y ago
  That makes sense. I don’t follow this stuff closely but o didn’t think they were moving people yet. That would be a great alternative but they could end up in a situation where I’m once it’s ready it takes a while to shake out too. So the US may not have that option for quite a while. Or maybe they can’t launch frequently enough when they’re ready.
• giantrobot 2y ago
  There's several issues involved there. For starters a "human rated" rocket needs to operate within certain performance envelopes and have certain features. For instance the rocket carrying a human crew will have different vibration needs than one carrying cargo. The rocket also shouldn't vent cryogenic gases to the atmosphere while on the launch pad which creates a danger for astronauts and a ground crew when the rocket is fueled. The Ariane hasn't ever really gone through a human rating process and doing so would take several years. Even then, the ESA does not have a crew launch vehicle available. The Automated Launch Vehicle was used to resupply the ISS but can't carry a crew despite having a habitable volume when it was docked to the station. The ATV doesn't land but burns up in the atmosphere at the end of its mission. That's not a vehicle astronauts would really want to ride home in. While I don't doubt the ESA could develop a manned vehicle, it would just end up being so different from the existing ATV that it would take longer to develop than the remaining life of the ISS.