Tue May 29, 2018 5:39 pm
French Guiana prompts some interesting questions for me. If the goal of Ariane is to maintain European access to space, ostensibly in the case of a global conflict which would eliminate all other launch partners as viable options, then launching from South America is not optimal. Sure there’s a Delta-V benefit being on the equator, but having to cross the ocean to launch is a major problem.
If, as Tugger suggests, there is to be private investment in a European-Based launch system, it will have to be based on a rocket with the ability to boost back and land at the launch site, or on a platform in the Mediterranean Sea. They would have to launch from Northeastern Spain or the southern coast of France. They won’t want first stages falling ballistically into the Sea.
Since Ariane has zero interest in landing rockets, apparently, they’re stuck in Guiana. So in the event of conflict, good luck getting materials from Europe to South America.
It makes me think the “independent access to space” bluster is just that, and that Ariane is just a jobs program and not a real player in the Launch industry. At least, that is, until they get some new blood in there who are willing to innovate.