European Spaceflight
• Andrew Parsonson
Australia has submitted a counteroffer to the European Space Agency over the cost of sending astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg on a mission to the International Space Station. The proposed funding has drawn domestic criticism, with the government accused of haggling over the price of the historic mission.
European Spaceflight
ESA
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Australia has submitted a counteroffer to the European Space Agency over the cost of sending astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg on a mission to the International Space Station. The proposed funding has drawn domestic criticism, with the government accused of haggling over the price of the historic mission.
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The European Space Agency acknowledged losing a Space Rider test article in a recent test, but said the mishap is not expected to significantly delay development of the reusable spaceplane. The available reporting does not identify the test’s cause, the article’s damage or the program’s revised schedule.
The European Commission, ESA and the SpaceRISE consortium signed an implementation agreement on Aug. 7, 2026, for IRIS², a sovereign communications network of 348 spacecraft in low and medium Earth orbit. Separately, Airbus says it is fielding interest in HBCplus, an inflight-connectivity solution supporting GEO and Lightspeed LEO services.
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Since its July 2024 debut, Ariane 6 has restored Europe’s independent heavy-lift access to orbit, but dependable launch cadence remains the test. ESA says engine issues behind delays have been resolved, while Airbus Netherlands has delivered a Vulcain aft bay that is 400 kilograms lighter and 55 millimeters shorter.
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The European Space Agency is unsure whether Themis, its reusable rocket demonstrator, will complete an initial hop test before the end of 2026. The uncertainty puts the timing of the program’s next flight milestone in question, though no revised schedule or reason for the uncertainty is provided.
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