Europe Blasts Back Into Space

Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket blasted off from French Guinea around 4 p.m. local time on Tuesday, marking the Continent’s return to space. The debut went smoothly until the rocket failed to send out its final set of payloads after reaching orbit. The mission was still considered a success.

Back in the game: “Europe is back in space,” Philippe Baptiste, head of France’s cnes space agency, said to the European Space Agency (esa).

After years of funding debates, delays and political hurdles, Europe has become an independent contender for space domination.

There are sometimes worries and doubts about Europe’s ability to play in the same league as China and the U.S.—with Ariane we are proving that through determination and collective will, we can operate at the same level.
—Bruno Le Maire, French finance minister

Strategic: “Ariane 6 is fundamental for Europe’s space ambition,” Toni Tolker-Nielsen, esa’s acting director of space transportation, told Reuters. “It is about sovereign access to space for institutional and governmental missions … and this need has been even more emphasized in view of the geopolitical situation.”

The race to dominate space is rapidly becoming more urgent. Countries understand that it’s not enough to just have a presence; they must dominate. Another level of warfare is about to be unlocked, and Europe knows it must be ready.

Learn more: Read “Space: The Final Military Frontier.”