Launcher policy in Europe: from symbol to the market?

Summary:

Launcher policy will be one of the major issues discussed at the upcoming ESA Council at Ministerial Level. Europe is at the crossroads, as it needs to find the adequate balance between political necessities (ensuring an autonomous access to space) and economic realities (reducing costs).

Launchers constitute one of the most tangible elements of a nation’s space activities. This is particularly the case in Europe, where Ariane 5 is a strong symbol of panEuropean identification. For more than thirty years, the successes of the Ariane launcher family epitomised European achievements in space. At the same time, they are the result of technological and scientific integration processes at the European level.

Launchers are strategic enablers: more than a goal in itself, the establishment of launch capabilities is the indispensable precondition for any comprehensive space policy. Thus, access to space has a dual dimension: it is a strategic necessity, as it enables independent decision-making based on space data, but it is also a service of general interest, as it allows the deployment of space applications providing wide socio-economic benefits.

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