On July 9, the Ariane 6 rocket is scheduled to make its first flight from Kourou. Xavier Pasco, one of the leading experts in the space sector, analyzes the current challenges for the new European launcher.
On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the new European rocket Ariane 6 is due to make its first qualification flight from the Guiana Space Center in Kourou. With four years behind schedule, and in a geopolitical context that has deprived Europe of any launcher since October 2023, the success of this inaugural flight is eagerly awaited.
Twenty-six years have passed between the launch of the Ariane 5 project in 1988 and that of Ariane 6. And the world has changed a lot. The New Space economy has revitalized the sector; Elon Musk with Space X demonstrated the reusable launcher; satellite constellations have multiplied the number of objects in orbit and the quantity of services available; strategic rivalries between major powers have imposed space as a new place for technological demonstration, rivalries, and even battles.
How can we understand the current issues? What weight does the space sector have in this world where network infrastructures have been established above our heads? What place can Europe find in this new order where the United States and China, but also India and new emerging space powers, are investing very significant resources to occupy Earth’s orbit and beyond? What is the role of the military and should we fear an extension of conflicts above our heads? Are we in danger of losing our own means of access to space and should we review the rules between member countries of the European Space Agency to stay in the race? What can we understand, in this context, from the promises of robotic and human exploration on the Moon, towards asteroids and Mars? A major overview, with Xavier Pasco, one of the best experts in the space sector.
The guest :
Xavier Pasco has been director of the Foundation for Strategic Research (FRS) since October 2016.
An internationally recognized specialist, he has conducted numerous studies on space policy issues in their civil and military dimensions, with particular attention to American space affairs and the United States’ international strategy in high-technology areas.
He has been involved for many years in international working groups (United States, Great Britain, Germany, France). He has also participated in several study groups organized under the aegis of the French administration, whether it be the Ministry of the Armed Forces or the services of the Prime Minister (Strategic Analysis Center).
He is the author of numerous works, including “The New Space Age: From the Cold War to New Space”, published by CNRS éditions.
The great interviews of Sky & Space are organized in partnership with the Researchers Club of the Victor Lyon Foundation of the Cité internationale universitaire de Paris, with the support of the city of Paris and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
