ESA is prepping for launch of the Planetary Transits and Oscillations of Stars (Plato) mission, with the telescope to lift off on an Ariane 62 late next year.
The European Space Agency and ArianeGroup have signed an agreement for around €230 million ($242 million) in additional funding for a reusable rocket program.
PLD Space’s ambitious vision injects a sense of entrepreneurial spirit into Europe’s space programs as the region worries about its global competitiveness.
Arianespace CEO Stephane Israel said after the July inaugural mission, Arianespace plans 10 flights in 2027 and will average nine or 10 flights from then on.
Arianespace aims to launch the Sentinel-2C Copernicus satellite on Sept. 3 in what would be the final mission for a Vega rocket before the shift to the Vega C.
ESA expects an agreement between Arianespace and Avio to be completed soon for the Italian company to take over commercialization and operations of the Vega C.