Europe wants to end the space access crisis with the first launch of Ariane 6

The first flight of the new Ariane 6 heavy-lift launch vehicle is expected on July 9, four years later than the original schedule, finally putting an end to recurring development delays and industrial setbacks. Meanwhile, with no domestic launch vehicles available, Europe has had to rely on US rival SpaceX to launch its scientific and … Read more

Europe strives to enter clear skies

One of the challenges of seeing a launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California is actually seeing the launch. A layer of low cloud often rolls in from the Pacific Ocean, causing rockets to disappear a few seconds after takeoff. Such was the case on May 28, when a Falcon 9 launched EarthCARE, an … Read more