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• Jeff Foust
The European Space Agency says engine problems that delayed Ariane 6 launches have been resolved. ESA is continuing to study how to increase the launcher’s flight rate, but has not detailed a target cadence or the steps needed to achieve it.
European Spaceflight
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The European Space Agency says engine problems that delayed Ariane 6 launches have been resolved. ESA is continuing to study how to increase the launcher’s flight rate, but has not detailed a target cadence or the steps needed to achieve it.
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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.
A roundup reports SpaceX’s decision not to pursue military launches, a Spanish rocket nearing readiness and a call for Canada to reach orbit on its own terms. The available details do not specify the rocket programs, timelines or the military launch opportunity involved.
China’s first commercial launch site is expected to bring two additional pads online by the end of this year. The expansion is intended to support more than 30 launches in 2027, increasing the site’s planned launch activity.
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A new estimate puts the number of Starship launches needed to support a lunar landing at 22. The figure underscores the scale of the launch and refueling campaign, with repeated fuelings identified as a key requirement for the lander.
HawkEye 360 launched six radio-frequency intelligence satellites this week on SpaceX and Rocket Lab rockets, including its first spacecraft to reserve collection capacity for customers under multiyear agreements. Separately, ICEYE and Nokia signed a letter of intent with Ukraine’s Defense Ministry to explore sovereign satellite communications capabilities.
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ESA Director-General Josef Aschbacher says demand estimates are not yet firm enough for action on a potential late-decade Ariane 6 launcher shortage; decisions are expected early next year. Separately, ESA describes a turbopump issue delaying a planned 2026 launch into 2027 as transitory, not a lasting problem.
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