European Spaceflight
• Andrew Parsonson
ESA is planning modifications to Ariane 6 to support future Argonaut lunar missions carrying radioisotope power systems. The adaptations would enable the launcher to accommodate missions with nuclear power sources, linking Europe’s heavy-lift launch capability to longer-duration lunar exploration objectives.
European Spaceflight
European Spaceflight
ESA
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ESA is planning modifications to Ariane 6 to support future Argonaut lunar missions carrying radioisotope power systems. The adaptations would enable the launcher to accommodate missions with nuclear power sources, linking Europe’s heavy-lift launch capability to longer-duration lunar exploration objectives.
France’s CNES is seeking an industrial partner to develop and qualify a compact, low-cost optical telescope designed for mass production. The effort points to a focus on reducing unit costs and industrializing optical payload manufacturing for future satellite and space applications.
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ESA has confirmed that the proposed Ariane 6 Block 3 evolution, including the lightweight ICARUS upper stage, has been shelved. The decision removes a planned pathway for upgrading Europe’s heavy-lift launcher, with implications for future Ariane 6 performance and development priorities.
European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot is scheduled to make history on Aug. 18 as the first French woman to conduct a spacewalk. The event will be broadcast live, offering viewers access to a milestone in France’s human-spaceflight participation.
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The European Commission, ESA, EUSPA and the SpaceRISE consortium have completed seven months of negotiations, clearing IRIS² to enter implementation. Eutelsat will lead the €3.39 billion LEO component, HispaSat will serve as ground-segment prime contractor, and SES will advance the constellation’s MEO strategy.
NASA and the European Space Agency are defining the infrastructure needed to support a sustainable lunar base, while Northrop Grumman and the Canadian Space Agency are adapting work from NASA’s planned Gateway station for future lunar-base applications.
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The European Commission has agreed with an industrial consortium to expand and accelerate IRIS², its sovereign secure-connectivity constellation, with first launches targeted for 2029. Indra’s Hispasat will lead a services contract worth more than €1.6 billion, while total program investment is expected to exceed $18 billion.
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OHB SE says Ariane 6 could lose German, European government and commercial launch business unless political authorities quickly approve a sharp expansion of capacity at Europe’s spaceport. The German space hardware provider argues that investment must come first if Europe is to capture growing demand and keep work within its space industry.
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