With only minutes left before its scheduled liftoff, Europe’s first commercial launch of the Ariane 6 heavy-lift rocket was abruptly scrubbed on Monday after a “anomaly” had been detected on the ground. The incident represents another blow to the mission as Europe pursues autonomous access to space amid shifting geopolitical ties between Moscow and Washington.
The launch was to be made from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, at 1:24 PM local time (1624 GMT). Despite some scattered rain in the area, ground personnel had been cleared until just seconds before the scheduled liftoff.
David Cavailloles, the boss of the French firm Arianespace that owns the rocket, confirmed the delay, saying, “The only possible choice now is to delay the launch.” He said he was optimistic that flights would be resumed soon.
This launch is particularly noteworthy as Europe looks to lower its reliance on the United States for security, especially with the Ariane 5 rocket due to retire in 2023 and Russia’s Soyuz launches suspended after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Ariane 6 was tasked with launching a French defense satellite into orbit at an altitude of about 800 kilometers (500 miles).
The significance of this mission was underscored by the recent shifts in geopolitics, particularly as the new American government initiated an unexpected rapprochement with Russia, leaving European nations to solidify their cohesion. “Europe must take care of its own security,” ESA space transportation director Toni Tolker-Nielsen said in a pre-delays press conference.
Cavailloles emphasized the need for Europe’s autonomy in satellite launching, stating, “We must not depend on anyone else in today’s world.” The space industry is going through unprecedented changes, particularly with growing competition from the likes of Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
First planned for December, the Ariane 6 flight was postponed until February and March, when the new launch will be determined. The mission will launch the CSO-3 satellite into space, which will complete a three-satellite constellation of French defense observation satellites that play an essential role in worldwide military actions.
Security measures during this launch were stringent, given the military use of the satellite in consideration, and French military aircraft patrolling the spaceport. By comparison, Europe’s smaller Vega-C rocket is out of commission after an accident which destroyed two satellites, making it even harder for the continent to venture into space.
As Europe is confronted with these challenges, the need for strategic autonomy in space becomes more pronounced, especially when compared to the United States and China’s hundreds of military satellites.
