The European Space Agency (ESA) has issued an update to its timetable for the debut launch of its new Ariane 6 launch vehicle. The update came from a Ariane 6 Launcher Task Force set up with ESA’s top management, the launch base prime contractor (CNES), the rocket’s builder ArianeGroup, and service provider Arianespace. But the […]

As expected, André-Hubert Roussel has stepped down from the CEO role at ArianeGroup. His replacement is Martin Sion who has been appointed by the ArianeGroup Board of Directors as CEO, effective immediately. Sion, a member of the Board of Directors of ArianeGroup since April 2020, was previously CEO of Safran Electronics & Defense. Eric Dalbiès, […]

ArianeGroup’s CEO and Executive Chairman, Andre-Hubert Roussel, is reportedly stepping down, according to French newspaper La Tribune. Roussel heads up Ariane Group, which is the joint-venture between Airbus Defence & Space and Safran. His departure is because of recent failures by the company and, in particular, the recent third failure out of eight launches for […]

Prior to the Ukraine invasion by Russia and the destruction of the giant Antonov-225 aircraft in Kyiv many of the world’s largest satellites and rocket elements were flown from Europe to their North or South American launch sites by the Antonov. Arianespace has a new method of transportation. Ariane has just wrapped a test transatlantic […]

Back in March 2022, Russia’s Roscosmos Space Agency, in effect, confiscated 36 OneWeb broadband satellites. The satellites had been due to be launched on a Russian-built – but Arianespace managed – Soyuz rocket on March 4th from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The hijacked satellites have remained at Baikonur ever since. At the time, Roscosmos […]

Arianespace has appointed Steven Rutgers to serve as its next Chief Commercial Officer. Rutgers began his career in the space industry over two decades ago – initially as the international market and account manager with Inmarsat distributor Xantic in the Netherlands. He subsequently worked in Hong Kong, Dubai and Singapore with Stratos and Inmarsat, negotiating […]

Intelsat has confirmed its launch plans for its Intelsat IS-41 and IS-44 satellites. Intelsat will use an Ariane 6 rocket to launch the pair of satellites in 2025. Thales Alenia Space is building the satellites, which will have a combined weight of some 8,000 kgs. “We are honoured, yet again, by our faithful long-time partner […]

ArianeGroup has ordered its next batch of rockets with components from Airbus for 14 new Ariane 6 rockets. The contract includes the manufacturing and supply of innovative, large, lightweight structures for the next fourteen Ariane 6 launchers, to be manufactured from now until 2025. The contract will support ArianeGroup’s ramp up to full production rate […]

Arianespace has been beset by delays in the development of its new Ariane 6 rocket. The company blames Covid and the pandemic’s affect on component production for the new rocket. Arianespace has said that the new rocket will launch around Q4 2023. The launch company says it will take up to 2026 to ramp up […]

The European Space Agency (ESA) has admitted that the delayed launched of Arianespace’s new Ariane 6 rocket is not now likely to make its debut flight for another year. The new hope is for a launch in Q4 2023. Ariane 6 was first planned to launch in July 2020. Covid hasn’t helped, but with the […]