Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket
The European Space Agency has canceled planned 'Block 3' upgrades for the Ariane 6 rocket, including the lightweight ICARUS upper stage. While the rocket has seen a successful launch record, the decision reflects ongoing concerns regarding the program's long-term costs and future evolution.
Why it matters
The cancellation impacts Europe's future space exploration capabilities and highlights the financial challenges of maintaining independent access to orbit.
Assured access comes with a price Europe cancels planned upgrades for Ariane 6 rocket Arianespace hasn’t publicly disclosed the cost for an Ariane 6 launch.
28 Europe's second Ariane 6 rocket lifts off from the Guiana Space Center with a French military spy satellite. Credit: ESA-CNES-Arianespace-P. Piron Europe's second Ariane 6 rocket lifts off from the Guiana Space Center with a French military spy satellite. Credit: ESA-CNES-Arianespace-P. Piron Text settings Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only Learn more Minimize to nav In the two years since it made a largely successful debut, Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket has launched eight missions, all of which reached orbit safely.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in