THE European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA) have announced that they have selected five supplier companies to put European small satellites into orbit around the Earth, aiming to boost competition.
A framework agreement was signed with Arianespace, the company that builds the Ariane 6, Vega and Vega-C rocketsas well as four startups, which have not yet launched any rockets of their own. These are the German Isar Aerospace and Rocket Augsburg Factory (RFA), the British Orbex and Spain's PLD Space.
The first launch of an Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled to take place between June 15 and July 31 this year. The summer will also see the last Vega rocket launch while Vega-C returns to space “before the end of the year” after it was grounded due to a technical problem, EOD Director General Josef Asbacher said.
The selection of the five suppliers under the Flight Ticket Initiative program aims to encourage the creation of new, European launch systems, widening the competition of the companies, the EOD explained. Brussels also wants to support European companies and avoid to resort to the services of the American SpaceX or to Indian companies.
Source: News Beast
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