Arianespace

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

ESA is assessing the feasibility of hiking the launch cadence for the Ariane 6 rocket to as many as 20 flights per year to address an anticipated shortage of European launch capacity in a few years.

Vega C rocket launches ESA-China Smile satellite to study solar wind effects.

Arianespace deployed another 32 Amazon Leo satellites to low Earth orbit, boosting the constellation to more than 300 spacecraft.

Global orbital launches surge 25% in 2025 as SpaceX dominates with 165 missions while Starlink constellation tops 10,100 satellites.

New rockets that were supposed to solve a persistent launcher shortage are falling short amid delays and technical setbacks.

Arianespace is considering raising its launch capacity given strong demand, with CEO David Cavaillolès projecting a rocket scarcity for years to come.

More Ariane Heavy missions loom as Amazon pushes to gets its broadband low-Earth-orbit satellite constellation going.

—Arianespace achieved a double-first with the inaugural flight of the Ariane 64 launcher configuration and satellite deployment.

Rising security concerns and the drive for space autonomy may ward off the expected consolidation among launch service providers.

Europe should embrace U.S. government policies around launch to strengthen its own industrial base, executives from leading European space launch companies say.

CNES is transforming the Guiana Space Center (known as CSG, under its French acronym) into a hub where multiple operators offer launch services.

Avio says it has booked two Vega C launches as the Italian rocket company gears up for taking over launch operations of the system from Arianespace next year.

With an eye on China, the Trump administration and Congress find common ground in space while Europe aims for greater autonomy.

Arianespace is gearing up for the first launch of the Ariane 64 as its first mission of 2026 with the main components of the heavy-lift version due at the launch site early next year.

Our roundup of the main aerospace and defense stories making the news this week.

Arianespace launched the Sentinel-1D environmental monitoring satellite.

Europe is gearing up for the launch of its next C-band environmental monitoring satellite with a growing sense of urgency to get Sentinel-1D operational.

Arianespace says it is moving forward to demonstrate a space debris mitigation technology under a partnership with Japanese startup Bull.

Airbus has signed an agreement with Arianespace to launch two German military communication satellites on Ariane 6 rockets.

Launch service providers are promising higher flight cadences—again.

MaiaSpace is on track for a first flight of its mini-launcher late in 2026, a first step toward creating a family of reusable rockets, its CEO says.

As Ariane 64, the heavy-lift version of the Ariane 6, is nearing the end of its development, it will represent about half of next year’s launches.

Arianespace is speaking with other players, essentially startups, in the launch service industry to create a broader offering, the company's CEO says.

X721, a Dubai-based startup created by former Airbus and Arianespace engineers, is developing a high-altitude platform station relying on a tethered rotor.