Paris (France) (AFP) – An enhanced version of Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket will blast off Thursday to launch 32 satellites into orbit, forming part of the Amazon Leo network, which it hopes will rival Elon Musk’s Starlink. The launch, scheduled at 1645 GMT, will be a first for Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, from Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, on the northeastern coast of South America. US firm Amazon, founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, is the main commercial partner for the Ariane 6, despite the latter being touted as a symbol of European sovereignty in the sector.
“Over time a sovereign European launcher cannot be primarily dependent on foreign markets,” warned Ludwig Moeller, director of the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI). Foreign partners “may negotiate priority handling backed by economic power or which may become unpredictable or inaccessible without notice, given the current geopolitical environment and trade wars,” he told AFP. But in the absence of European commercial customers — many of whom work with Musk’s SpaceX — the Amazon partnership is crucial. Four out of five anticipated launches took place in 2025 following Ariane’s inaugural 2024 flight, unprecedented for a new launcher, according to ArianeGroup president Marc Sion. Although Ariane 6 is eventually expected to carry out 10 launches per year, Pierre Lionnet, Eurospace research director, noted that at this stage this would not be possible without commercial customers like Amazon.
To take on Amazon Leo’s 32 satellites, the Ariane 6 has been upgraded with four strap-on boosters, instead of the two used on the first five flights. It marks “our largest payload that we have launched to date,” Martijn Van Delden, head of commercial development for Europe at Amazon Leo, told AFP. The upgrade is “impactful” by being more cost-effective and broadening fast internet networks to more customers, he said, noting it also “strengthens” the European space industry. With 175 satellites already in orbit, Amazon Leo aims to expand its constellation to 3,200. Rival Starlink, meanwhile, has nearly 9,400 satellites.
“We’re looking to then increase the payload every time we have a new mission, especially as more powerful boosters come online on Ariane 6,” Van Delden said. The rollout of its parent project, Amazon Leo, however, has faced challenges and delays. “Deploying 32 satellites is more complicated than deploying one — you have to separate them one after another,” Lionnet explained. Long-term investment is expected to amount to billions of euros to the European space sector. “If things go well here, it will help build market confidence,” said Philippe Clar, ArianeGroup’s head of launchers.
© 2024 AFP
