Josef Aschbacher’s Post

The European Space Agency - ESA announced a launch window for its new Ariane 6 rocket. This event is scheduled between June 15 and July 31, 2024, following a successful core stage test in November 2023. This marks a pivotal moment for Europe in regaining its independent access to space. Key Highlights: - The first Ariane 6 launch will focus on deploying several smaller satellites, offering opportunities for smaller-scale payloads. - ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher has shown confidence in the Ariane 6 program, particularly after the successful test in Kourou, French Guiana. - Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup, and Toni Tolker-Nielsen, ESA’s Director of Space Transportation, have played significant roles in reaching this milestone. Future Projections: - A second launch is already being planned for the end of 2024, with the CSO-3 reconnaissance satellite onboard for the French military. - The ESA and Arianespace have ambitious plans for Ariane 6, aiming for up to 10 launches per year, including for high-profile clients like Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Support and Impact: - The European Space Summit in Seville has significantly backed the Ariane 6 project, providing up to 340 million euros annually. - This development is a major boost for the European aerospace and satellite communications sectors, promising new opportunities for collaboration, research, and technological advancement.

The European Space Agency - ESA, ArianeGroup, ARIANESPACE and Centre National d'Études Spatiales announce that the inaugural launch of Ariane 6 is now targeted for 2024. After successful tests including completion of a launch chronology of the core stage up to the ignition of the Vulcain thrust chamber on 18 July in Kourou, a short hot-firing test of the combined test model (CTM) is planned for 29 August. The following milestones will be the third hot-firing test of the upper stage in Lampoldshausen on 1 September and a long hot-firing test of the core stage, scheduled for 26 September at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou. #SpaceEnabler #Ariane6 #Europe #spaceindustry

News in Space Exploration! In this article by Finabel - European Army Interoperability Centre's researcher Vittorio Ippolito, find how the European Space Agency - ESA is gearing up for the upcoming launch of Ariane 6 in the summer of 2024. Ariane 6 is a leap forward in space travel innovation, tailored to carry a diverse range of payloads for private contractors, national governments, European Space Agency - ESA member states, and the EUSPA - EU Agency for the Space Programme. This development is a testament to interoperability, with member states like Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, and others joining forces alongside major contributions from #ArianeGroup, an equal partnership between Airbus and Safran, and other European partners. Let's celebrate this remarkable achievement and look forward to the exciting discoveries Ariane 6 will unlock! #Ariane6 #SpaceExploration #ESA #EuropeanSpace #RocketLaunch #InnovationInSpace Read more: https://lnkd.in/e4WNtbFs

European Space Agency - ESA is trying to expand its scope of work, but is still reluctant to invite new participants. But this would be very useful. For example, Ukraine has a history of involvement in the development of cargo space ships. The country was once a major player in the Soviet space program, and it continues to have a significant space industry even today. Ukraine has developed a number of technologies that are essential for cargo space ships, such as engines, avionics, and spacecraft modules. It has developed a number of its own spacecraft, such as the Sich-2 satellite and the Cyclone-4 rocket. So why not invite Ukraine to ESA to apply this unique expertise? #UkraineESA

Breaking the Bounds: Ariane 6's Journey to Propel Europe into a New Space Era! In this article author Vittorio Ippolito introduces us to the European Space Agency - ESA's next flagship, set for its grand debut in the summer of 2024, symbolizing resilience and innovation in the face of challenges. Ariane 6, designed to carry diverse payloads for private contractors, national governments, and the EU Space Programme, is the successor to the retired Ariane 5. As Europe charts its course in the new space economy, Ariane 6's role becomes pivotal. Beyond being a technological marvel, it symbolizes Europe's bid for space independence and competitiveness. #Ariane6Launch #SpaceInnovation #EuropeanSpaceOdyssey Click on the link below to read the whole article: https://lnkd.in/ejPi2R3m

GPS in its many variants around the world has become a necessary utility. Thankfully with the more precise clock references developed we can function without the original cesium clock standards.

#Galileo now has 30 satellites in orbit, making the European #GNSS even more robust and accurate. This remarkable European project has brought to the world the first and only civilian-operated satellite-positioning system - making it more reliable than any other GNSS in times of increased military aggression around the world. For the first time, the Galileo satellites were launched by SpaceX. After Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine, Galileo satellites are no longer launched by Soyuz rockets. Since Europe's Ariane 5 were retired last summer, making SpaceX’s Falcon 9 a logical alternative.

#EUSST supports the European Space Agency - ESA on the assisted re-entry of #Aeolus 🛰️🌬️ In a first collaboration of this kind, the SST Partnership closely monitored the return to Earth of ESA's satellite, and provided information and data with the coordination of the EU SST Front Desk managed by EUSPA - EU Agency for the Space Programme. This exercise paves the way for future assisted re-entries and contributes to space sustainability in a context of increasingly congested orbits. Read more: https://lnkd.in/ecUFGSRP #EUspace European Commission  CNES  @CDTI_innovacion  German Aerospace Center (DLR)  Agenzia Spaziale Italiana  POLSA Polska Agencja Kosmiczna | Polish Space Agency  Ministério da Defesa Nacional  Romanian Space Agency  FFG Österreichische Forschungsförderungsgesellschaft mbH  Ministerstvo dopravy ČR  Royal Danish Air Force  Finnish Meteorological Institute  National Observatory of Athens  Ministry of Education and Science of Latvia  Ministerie van Economische Zaken en Klimaat  Rymdstyrelsen EUROCONTROL

The EU didn't launch anything last night: EUSPA made a post on X similar to this one on LinkedIn, saying that "EU Launched two new Galileo satellites". The two new Galileo satellites were launched by SpaceX from Florida, onboard a Falcon 9 Rocket. Saying that "EU launched" those satellites is a misleading statement, and reflects the intention to not mention SpaceX (which is carefully avoided also in this post). It's a shame, because it’s not SpaceX's fault if Europe is lacking a launcher for those satellites. Several problems in management, competition, foresight, and ambition in the European space sector led the EU in this situation... Acknowledging the launch company which saved the situation, in a very cheap way, is the minimum EU should do. That's also because our money are spent for this. Trying to mislead people writing that "EU Launched" the satellites, or just avoiding mentioning that the launch was performed by a non-EU company, is a proper scam to EU citizens. I rarely comment publicly about those things, given my work at Space Voyaging, but this time I'm doing so as an European Citizen.