CNES (French National Center for Space Studies)

Dubbed Balman, the balloon may be used to watch a given area, thanks to its station-keeping capability, at a lower cost than a geostationary satellite.

France plans to demonstrate a higher-thrust rocket engine roughly on par with SpaceX's Raptor and Blue Origin’s BE-4 to avoid Europe falling further behind.

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

If NASA puts all its resources into sending a U.S. person planting the U.S. flag on Mars, the game changes for the European, CNES President Lionel Suchet says.

Arianespace says it has signed an agreement with Exotrail to launch the company’s geostationary version of its Orbital Transfer Vehicle.

Maiaspace on Sept. 25 said the decision allows it to focus on starting commercial operations from the site in 2026.

The EU effort to create a sovereign satellite communications network, known as IRIS², should be unaffected by the exit of Thierry Breton from the EC, program backers say.

Forces in Europe are doing more in space, including through an increased focus on situational awareness of the domain to address growing threats.

The move is part of preparations for the first flight of the Miura 5 rocket, planned for late 2025.

The European Space Agency has set forth a specific launch date for the much delayed Ariane 6 launch vehicle of July 9.

Dark, a developer of a space junk interceptor rocket, has raised a $6 million seed round extension.

Future European launchers will need engines in the 2,000-2,500 kn thrust range and preliminary studies have started.

With the Ariane 6 seeing progress at last and Avio leaving Arianespace, the European Space Agency takes steps toward a competition for Europe’s future launchers.

Major technical issues with the behind-schedule Ariane 6 have been resolved and the schedule has been stabilized, ESA says.

Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket passes key tests, looks toward first launch in 2024.

The Vulcain 2.1, the main-stage engine on the Ariane 6 launcher under development, was run Sept. 5.

First launch of Europe's new workhorse Ariane 6 is finally coming into view.

Final trials before the inaugural flight of the Ariane 6 launcher saw ESA engineers perform an extensive assessment with the combined test model.

Astroscale Holdings has established a subsidiary in Paris, Astroscale France SAS, and is to sign a contract with the CNES to study space debris removal.

ESA member states scramble to protect independent access to space.

Just two launches are scheduled for 2023 at Europe’s spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Last November, Europe’s three leading countries in space launchers issued a joint statement that set the stage for further cooperation.

Philippe Baptiste, an engineer by training with experience in science, industry and politics, is to succeed Jean-Yves Le Gall at the helm of French space agency CNES after the country’s parliament approved the nomination.

Jean-Yves Le Gall, president of CNES, tells Aviation Week’s Thierry Dubois about the agency’s progress on reusable launchers and other programs in conjunction with International Astronautical Congress 2020.