tech
January 11, 2026
ESA considers righting the wrongs of Ariane 6 by turning it into a Franken-rocket
ArianeGroup is still trying to catch up to where the bleeding edge of the launch industry was 15 years ago.
TL;DR
- Europe is grappling with the need to develop reusable rockets.
- Current European efforts include funding emerging rocket companies and developing vertical landing technologies.
- A proposal by ArianeGroup suggests replacing the Ariane 6's solid rocket boosters with reusable liquid-fueled boosters developed by its subsidiary MaiaSpace.
- This modification aims to reduce operational costs and increase launch frequency.
- Critics note that the Ariane 6's core stage and upper stage are not designed for reusability, and the proposed changes may still leave Europe behind competitors like SpaceX.
- The proposal could also shift booster development and production under ArianeGroup's control, potentially excluding Italian firm Avio.
Continue reading
the original article