European Commission
Earth science mission named after former NASA official
NASA and its domestic and European partners have renamed an upcoming Earth science satellite after the agency’s former Earth science director.
EU reserves four Ariane 6 rockets for Galileo navigation satellites
The European Commission has “pre-booked” four launches using Europe’s next-generation Ariane 6 rocket.
European Commission, fearing brain drain to US, takes sharper look at space investment strategy
Commissioners speaking this week at the Conference on European Space Policy in Brussels said the continued reservations of European investors about financing space startups is hampering Europe’s ability to keep pace with similar startup activity in the United States.
Arianespace says full Ariane 6 production held up by missing government contracts
With the maiden flight of the Ariane 6 now 18 months away (in July 2020), Arianespace CEO Stéphane Israël said the company had anticipated signing a manufacturing contract with ArianeGroup in the second part of last year to begin production beyond the first rocket.
GMV wins 250 million euro ground control contract for Europe’s Galileo navigation system
The company’s contract with the European Space Agency, signed in September, marks the biggest deal for GMV and the biggest for Spain's space industry.
ESA tasks Airbus with streamlining Copernicus data access
Airbus has signed a contract with the European Space Agency to develop a Copernicus Data and Information Access Services, orDIAS, platform that will make data from the Earth-monitoring constellation more accessible to users from about mid-2018.
European Commission pleased with Copernicus program
The European Commission gave a positive assessment of its Copernicus Earth-observation program, now in its third year, defending the free provision of data and emphasizing a need to make that data more applicable to non-space users.
European Commission commits to annual minimums for Ariane 6, Vega C
The European Commission will commit to buying at least five Ariane 6 and two Vega C launches per year when both rockets are in operation, Elzbieta Bienkowska, the European Commission’s lead space commissioner, said Wednesday.
ESA gives final approval for Ariane 6; Airbus Safran Launchers now in control
The European Space Agency (ESA) on Sept. 13 gave final go-ahead for development of the next-generation Ariane 6 heavy-lift launch vehicle, confirming a rendezvous that many thought impossible when it was set in December 2014.
Inmarsat, citing SpaceX delays, to miss European deadline for aeronautical broadband service
Mobile satellite services provider Inmarsat is all but certain to miss a European regulatory deadline for its satellite-terrestrial aeronautical broadband service, raising the possibility that one or more governments could revoke Inmarsat’s rights to the radio spectrum, industry officials said.
European Commission OK’s Airbus Safran Launchers takeover of Arianespace
The European Commission on July 20 approved the Airbus Safran Launchers (ASL) takeover of launch-services provider Arianespace, saying companies had accepted conditions the commission imposed to minimize the chance of anti-competitive behavior.
EU draft space policy calls for more military involvement
A draft summary of the European Commission’s space policy raises the issue of retooling Europe’s Galileo navigation and Copernicus Earth observation programs to make them more attractive to Europe’s military forces and whether Europe’s spaceport in South America should receive commission financing.
Euro Soyuz orbits two Galileo satellites; U.S. likely to gain access to Galileo’s secure signal
A Europeanized Russian Soyuz rocket on May 24 successfully placed two European Galileo positioning, navigation and timing satellites into medium-Earth orbit – the 13th and 14th in a series of 26 Galileo spacecraft, with more to come.
EU taking closer antitrust look at Airbus Safran Launchers’ Arianespace purchase
European antitrust authorities appear poised to withhold immediate approval of the purchase by Airbus Safran Launchers of the French government’s stake in launch-service provider Arianespace pending an investigation that could last for several months, European industry officials said.
European governments boost satcom spending
European governments are establishing new funding sources to help Europe’s satellite telecommunications industry remain competitive as the sector adapts to global demand for fixed and mobile broadband.
