Europe in Space

Europe in Space explores developments in the European space industry, focusing on launcher technologies, ArianeGroup's operations, commercial space efforts, and crewed spaceflight ambitions. It scrutinizes funding, policy, European Space Agency (ESA) projects, and international collaborations, while highlighting startups and initiatives aiming for reusability and sustainable space exploration.

European Space Industry Launcher Technologies Space Policy and Funding Commercial Space Initiatives Crewed Spaceflight Space Exploration Missions International Collaborations Space Technology and Innovation Space Startups Sustainable Space Operations

The hottest Substack posts of Europe in Space

And their main takeaways

Is Ariane 6 the last European launcher?

727 implied HN points • 17 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Space Exploration
  1. Europe may face challenges in maintaining cooperation for developing future heavy launch vehicles.
  2. New players like The Exploration Company could potentially disrupt the European space industry by offering innovative solutions.
  3. European Space Agency is exploring the idea of a launcher challenge to involve commercial actors in the development of a successor to Ariane 6.

Who should be the first to set foot on the Moon?

196 implied HN points • 24 Jan 24
🔬 Science Space Exploration
  1. European Astronaut Corps was formed in 2002 to centralize astronaut efforts from various European countries.
  2. ESA recruited a new class of astronauts in 2021, including career astronauts and reserve astronauts with a unique designation.
  3. Countries like the UK, Poland, and Sweden have accepted offers from Axiom Space for commercial spaceflights, while ESA manages and promotes crewed missions to the ISS.

Europe’s mission to the Moon

137 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🔬 Science Space Exploration Logistics Services
  1. European Space Agency is developing a sustainable human presence on the Moon with innovative concepts and technology.
  2. European startups like Spartan Space and ASI are contributing to the development of lunar habitats and outposts.
  3. Efforts by ESA and European companies in developing lunar landers, OTVs, training centers, and communication services are crucial for establishing a sustained presence on the Moon.

What will we discover by 2050?

98 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🔬 Science Space Exploration Astrophysics Technology Research
  1. ESA's Voyage 2050 missions will focus on exploring habitability potential, understanding exoplanets, and probing the early universe.
  2. The process of selecting missions involves public submissions, evaluation meetings, and expert committees.
  3. New missions like ARRAKIHS, CALICO, and THESEUS are pushing boundaries in deep imaging and studying high-energy events.
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In defence of Ariane 6

196 implied HN points • 24 Apr 23
🕹 Technology Space Exploration Rocket Technology
  1. The Politico article on Ariane 6 had inaccuracies and misrepresented the situation.
  2. Ariane 6 faces delays, but Europe still relies on it for Galileo satellite launches.
  3. Ariane 6 struggles are not unique compared to other rocket development challenges.

Avio under the microscope

196 implied HN points • 20 Mar 23
💼 Business Space Finance Quality control Ownership Executive Compensation
  1. Avio received a significant funding from European Union for space programs, raising questions on allocation of funds.
  2. Avio faced quality control issues in rocket launches, leading to failures and significant financial losses.
  3. Avio's financial activities, CEO remuneration, and conflicts of interest are under scrutiny amidst stock buybacks and public funding support.

Europe should develop crewed launch capabilities

196 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Space Exploration
  1. A recommendation for Europe to develop crewed launch capabilities for ambitious space missions like a Moon landing.
  2. The need to adopt a commercially-oriented procurement policy to engage the private sector in space exploration.
  3. Europe faces challenges in achieving a Moon landing within 10 years, requiring increased funding and structural changes.

Everything you need to know about Themis

137 implied HN points • 26 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Space Exploration Rocket Technology Innovation
  1. The Themis project is a reusable rocket initiative developed by ArianeGroup and CNES, featuring the Prometheus engine for cost-efficient rocket production.
  2. Themis has gone through various stages of development, including engine tests, hop tests, and Prometheus engine hot-fire testing.
  3. The project has future implications for upgrades to the Ariane 6 rocket, development of the Ariane Next launcher family, and the creation of MaiaSpace's microlauncher.

A little Boost! goes a long way

117 implied HN points • 17 Jul 23
🕹 Technology Space Commercial Startups Funding Innovation
  1. ESA's Boost! program supports innovative space transportation startups by providing co-funding for qualifying activities.
  2. The Boost! program has attracted significant private investments, showing a successful multiplier effect.
  3. The program has expanded and includes initiatives like the European Flight Ticket Initiative to support space startups.

Are commercial space stations a fantasy?

137 implied HN points • 16 May 23
🕹 Technology Space Commercial Research International Launch
  1. Operating a commercial space station is not straightforward due to high costs and limited demand.
  2. In-orbit manufacturing and satellite fueling are potential applications for commercial space stations, but their feasibility is still uncertain.
  3. Developing a European space station requires focus on crewed launch capabilities and understanding the need for sovereign presence in orbit.

A look at the reusable Space Rider project

117 implied HN points • 06 Feb 23
  1. The Space Rider project has faced delays but has exciting features like parafoil recovery and a robotic arm.
  2. The critical design review for Space Rider was completed late, pushing the maiden flight to 2024.
  3. There are concerns about the payload capacity of Space Rider exceeding that of the Vega C rocket, potentially requiring upgrades for launch.

JUICE: A Journey to the Icy Moons of Jupiter

98 implied HN points • 10 Apr 23
🔬 Science Space Exploration Astronomy
  1. JUICE mission to study Jupiter's icy moons is a world-beater showing European excellence in space exploration.
  2. JUICE will be the first spacecraft to perform various feats, like a lunar-Earth gravity assist and orbiting moons of another planet.
  3. JUICE spacecraft has a titanic effort in its creation, involving multiple countries and costing around €1.6 billion.

Europe unanimously adopts secure comms initiative

58 implied HN points • 20 Feb 23
🕹 Technology Space Satellites Cybersecurity Telecommunications European Union
  1. Europe adopted a secure communications initiative called IRIS2 with overwhelming support.
  2. The project aims to develop a secure European communications constellation with 170 low Earth orbit satellites and a budget of €2.4 billion.
  3. The initiative faces challenges like tight timelines for satellite development and launch capacity constraints, especially with the Ariane 6 rocket.

MTFF: a blueprint for a European space station

58 implied HN points • 31 Mar 23
🔬 Science Space Astronomy
  1. The MTFF proposal could lead to a sustained European presence in space.
  2. The MTFF would provide a platform for European scientists and astronauts to conduct microgravity experiments independently.
  3. The MTFF could be a foundational component for a future European Space Station.