SmallSat Symposium

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The James Webb Space Telescope finally takes shape

While project officials promoted the progress they had made in the last year, they couldn’t avoid the fact that JWST’s launch had slipped from October 2018 to sometime between March and June 2019.

Airbus Safran Launchers renaming itself ‘ArianeGroup’

The joint venture of Airbus and Safran was created in 2015 as part of a reorganization of the European launch vehicle industry.

Airbus, Safran finalize Ariane joint venture

Thursday's briefing begins with Airbus and Safran finalizing the creation of a joint venture to produce Europe's Ariane 5 and Ariane 6 rockets.

Meet Adeline, Airbus’ Answer To SpaceX Reusability

Airbus Defence and Space on June 5 unveiled the product of what it said was a five-year effort to design a reusable Ariane rocket first-stage engine and avionics package, an project company officials said was stimulated by SpaceX’s work on reusable rockets.

Desire for Competitive Ariane 6 Nudges ESA Toward Compromise in Funding Dispute with Contractor

Prime contractor Airbus Safran Launchers and ESA prepare a late-June contract for Ariane 6 development that will fix in concrete many of the assumptions made when ESA ministers approved Ariane 6 funding.

ESA, Industry at Odds over Ariane 6 Funding Responsibilities

European governments and Airbus Safran Launchers have reached a tentative agreement on Ariane 6 development funding following an incendiary letter from the company alleging a nearly $1 billion shortfall. But the two sides agree that the underlying disagreement over who pays what remains unresolved.

After Flirtation with SpaceX, Airbus Taps Ariane 5 for EDRS-C

Airbus contracted with Arianespace to launch the EDRS-C laser-optical data-relay satellite in early 2017, a deal that follows contract discussions with rival SpaceX that drew fire from the French government.

French Space Minister Who Paved Way for Ariane 6 Resigns

French space minister Genevieve Fioraso on March 5 resigned from her position, citing health reasons that had been known for several months.

Safran To Pay Airbus $1 Billion for Equal Stake in Joint Rocket Venture

The transfer of funds will be necessary for French aerospace-engine builder Safran to maintain a 50 percent stake in the new company, which was created in January and is called Airbus Safran Launchers.

Antonio Fabrizi, the Father of the Vega Rocket, Prepares To Take a Bow

Call Antonio Fabrizi the father of Europe’s Vega small-satellite launcher and he waves you off. But consider: Fabrizi in the late 1990s worked as head of launchers at the company now known as Avio, where he was involved in Vega’s early designs. Avio is now Vega’s industrial prime contractor.

Ariane 5 Launches Satellites for DirecTV, ISRO

The DirecTV satellite features a so-called Reverse Band payload operating in spectrum made available by U.S. and international regulators several years ago.

ESA Members Agree To Build Ariane 6, Fund Station Through 2017

The member governments of ESA agreed to develop a new-generation Ariane 6 rocket to maintain Europe’s share of the global commercial launch market, to enhance the power of the current Vega small-satellite launcher and fund the use of the international space station through 2017.

Satellite Operators Urge Swift Development of Ariane 6

The president of the European Satellite Operators Association (ESOA) on Nov. 19 applauded the apparent agreement between France and Germany on a next-generation Ariane 6 rocket and said the vehicle needs to be in service as quickly as possible.

Germany Agrees to Forgo Ariane 5 Upgrade in Favor of Next-generation Launcher

The decision ends an impasse that has bedeviled the European Space Agency for more than two years as it prepares for a Dec. 2 conference of its governments.  

Ariane 6, Coface Financing Dominate French Space Meeting

The French government will reform its Coface export-credit agency to enable it to offer financial backing to satellite projects at the same rates as its American counterpart, France’s space minister said Nov. 11