European Space Agency

1115 readers

2 users here now

The European Space Agency community

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

European Launcher Challenge: preselected challengers unveiled (www.esa.int)

submitted 6 days ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

3 comments fedilink hide all child comments

After a thorough evaluation, ESA preselected the proposals of the following Challengers:

Isar Aerospace

Maiaspace

Orbital Express Launch

PLD Space

Rocket Factory Augsburg

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago (1 children)

I'm glad that a bunch of startups made the cut. It makes sense that Maiaspace got in, as an arm of Ariane, but they're probably less strapped for cash. And thank goodness at least two have reusable concepts, PLD and Maia.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, it's a solid bunch. We're coming up on ten years since the first Falcon 9 booster landing. Multiple chinese companies are developing F9 clones. Europe really ought to be testing reusable boosters by now. Hopefully at least one of these will work out.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

As much crap as I give the incumbents, Maia is looking like Europe's best bet at the moment.

It's a bad sign that PLD isn't targeting a Miura Next launch until 2030. Hopefully Miura 5 goes well for them in 2026.