The chairman of Airbus’ supervisory board, René Obermann, stated the necessity for Europe to have sovereign access to space in order to obtain independent satellite intelligence data and reduce reliance on the United States.
However, according to him, the situation is changing: Europe now has the capability to launch the Ariane 6 rocket, which offers a high payload capacity and increased launch frequency. He also highlighted progress in the development of small rockets, such as those being developed by Isar Aerospace.
In March, the first commercial launch of the new European Ariane 6 rocket took place in French Guiana, successfully deploying the French military satellite CSO-3 into orbit. French Defense Minister Sébastien Lecornu called this achievement an important step toward restoring Europe’s autonomy and sovereignty in the space sector.
