Europe Steps Back From Ariane 6 Upgrades

I think of a farmer who plans to build a bigger barn, then looks at his harvest and decides the old one will do for now. Something similar has happened in Europe's space programme. Arianespace, the company behind the Ariane 6 rocket, has cancelled planned upgrades to the launcher, according to Arstechnica.

The report notes that Arianespace has not publicly shared what it actually costs to launch an Ariane 6. Without that number out in the open, it is hard for outsiders to judge why the upgrade plans were dropped — but the decision itself is confirmed.

For sky-watchers in Asia, this matters a little, since Ariane 6 carries satellites that reach our skies too — communication, weather, and navigation craft that circle over this part of the world. For the full story, read it at Arstechnica.