Why is the Future Launchers Preparatory Programme needed?
A new rocket is not built in a day. The first system studies of what became ESA’s Ariane 5 took place as early as 1977, with the launcher’s first test flight only occurring in 1996, following a solid decade of development. The launcher only achieved operational status in 1999. Today the Ariane 5 is a solid success, commanding half the global commercial launch market and undergoing progressive modification and performance enhancements. But this process of evolution can only extend so far: eventually a next generation of launcher will be required to respond to Europe’s future space access needs in the same way the Ariane 5 succeeded the Ariane 4.
