Russia, which confronted Western countries after the operation it carried out in Ukraine, also decided to cancel its space partnerships. The European Space Agency (ESA), which previously carried out its flights with Russia’s Soyuz rockets, remained in the middle. ESA has reportedly set its sights on SpaceX.
ESA: We want to meet with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk
After Russia’s withdrawal from space agreements, many countries’ plans to go into space have changed. The European Space Agency, which previously used Russia’s Soyuz rockets, is looking for a different partner. Stating that Japan, India and SpaceX are at the table, ESA Manager Josef Aschbacher stated that he wanted to meet with Elon Musk.
Speaking to Reuters, the ESA executive stated that “two and a half” options are currently on the agenda. “One is SpaceX, that’s clear. Another is probably Japan. “I would say SpaceX is more functional than these, and we’re definitely interested,” he said.
ESA, which has not yet found an alternative rocket to Russia, was planning to use the Ariane 6 rocket of the French company Arianespace. However, the officials, who say that Ariane 6 has encountered many problems and is not enough for ESA, want to move forward with a temporary solution.
ESA Administrator Josef Aschbacher stated that the talks remained in the exploratory phase and said, “We need to make sure they are appropriate. “It’s not like getting on the bus,” he said. He underlined that Ariane 6 cannot be used to carry loads.
Until now, Europe has relied on the Italian Vega for small launches, the Russian Soyuz for medium sizes, and the Ariane 5 for heavier missions. The next-generation Vega C rocket was tested last month, and the Ariane 6 is due next year.
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