Can Europe make its space launch industry competitive?

Europe is falling behind in the global commercial space launch sector; a new programme may not be enough to fix the shortcomings

16 comments

How about, in the spirit of science and discovery, instead of that of capitalism, we stop aiming for competition and instead focus on co-operation?
- What are you trying to say? The EU is finally doing the exact same thing the US did to breed SpaceX. Which currently has 70% of world payload volume to space
Not until a European company produces reusable rockets. This has generally been opposed at Arianespace because it reduces the amount of work available in the host countries
- This has generally been opposed at Arianespace because it reduces the amount of work available in the host countries
  
  That is literally the most foolish statement I have ever read. This attitude will literally make them go bankrupt. The only reason Arianespace still exists is because it's massively subsidized by the EU, it's basically a jobs program. What they're doing is nowhere near competitive with reusable rockets
  
  True, and everyone knows Arianespace needs a reusable rocket now, but they never could start development until existentially threatened, so they start from scratch now
- And that's how you lose the space race
  
  It's not a race. It's a jobs program which provides thought essential services to the governments. Just that nowadays, what is considered essential has been expanded.

16 comments