Launcher strategy
It is more than 30 years since a group of European governments decided that Europe needed guaranteed access to space, and that it made sense to combine their efforts to achieve this goal. Thanks to their foresight, Europe has developed a range of launchers and has its own launch base in French Guiana.
Access to space brings many benefits. Space exploration provides greater knowledge of our solar system, better navigation and telecommunication systems, and the means to monitor our environment. This is only possible because we have the launchers capable of placing satellites accurately into space.
 | “Ariane is the tangible sign of what Europe can do when it is genuinely united”
Charles Hanin, President 1973 European Space Conference |
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The benefits of space exploration have expanded in ways which could not have been envisaged even 30 years ago. Space applications will continue to grow, which is why guaranteed access to space now, and in the future, is so important.
The European Union and ESA recognise the growing importance of space and for a number of years have been working together to draw up a European strategy for space. This strategy aims to ensure that Europe is equipped to face the future with confidence. This means ensuring that Europe has the launchers to meet institutional and commercial demands, and ensuring that Europe’s Spaceport remains a byword for excellence and reliability.
Building for the future
ESA is able to build on its years of experience of developing launchers to:
- maintain the competitiveness and affordability of Ariane launchers
- foster the creation of a European institutional market for Ariane
- ensure that Europe can respond to market demands by developing the small launcher Vega and facilitating the use of Europe’s Spaceport by the Russian Soyuz rocket
- support European industry, technology and research capabilities by improving industrial competitiveness and promoting innovation
- create employment
- develop the next generation of launchers
- maintain the ground infrastructure needed for launches
- encourage international cooperation and play a leading role in future developments
| | | Ariane 5G ready to lift off |
EGAS Programme
EGAS, the European Guaranteed Access to Space - Ariane 5 programme, commenced in 2004. Its aim: to ensure that Ariane 5 launchers will be available for future European missions.
Prior to 2004, unlike the world’s space-faring nations, Europe has no guaranteed institutional market. As a result, the continued production of Ariane launchers relies upon the commercial market for satellite launches, a market that has been steadily decreasing in recent years.
The EGAS Ariane programme will cover some of the fixed production costs for producing Ariane-5 launchers. It has two main objectives:
- to provide Europe with guaranteed access to space by securing the capability to offer reliable launch services for at least six launches a year over a period of five years
- to foster the creation of a European institutional market for the Ariane launcher, maximising its use by institutions through competitive market prices, reliable service and launch priority
Promoting an institutional market within Europe will place Europe on a level playing field when competing with other space industries and ensure the continued production of Ariane launchers. This, in turn, will help to guarantee Europe’s independent access to space.
Last update: 23 November 2005 | 
