Europe eyes the cosmos

Last week, Europe regained independent access to space with the launch of the much-awaited Ariane 6 rocket. 

Technologically, Ariane 6 represents a major achievement for the European Space Agency (ESA) and its industrial partners, featuring a modular design for different mission configurations and diverse client needs.

It also marks a significant milestone for Europe and could enhance its competitive edge in the global space market with a more cost-effective and reliable launch vehicle, crucial for both commercial and government missions.

“With the successful first flight of Ariane 6, the European space industry has moved into a new era,” said Martin Sion, CEO of ArianeGroup.

The space economy is growing and Europe wants a piece of it. McKinsey and the World Economic Forum expect the global space economy to rise from $630 billion in value last year to $1.8 trillion by 2035.

The question is, what's next? Is Europe too late to enter into the space race? What opportunities and obstacles lie ahead? Find out in this piece by our reporter Thomas Macaulay.👇

🚀 Can Ariane 6 turn Europe's spacetech startups into global powerhouses?

What else we’re writing about

🎙️ In this week’s podcast, Linnea and Andrii talk about the launch of Ariane 6, the woes of Firefly, robotic laundry folding, the math of swimming, and more. You’ll also hear a panel discussion called “AI in practice at Europe’s leading companies” featuring speakers from Mews, Manyone, Adyen, and Road.

🏥 How Europe’s universities are using AI to battle dementia. From predicting Alzheimer's progression to enabling the early diagnosis of dementia.

🤖 Following Russian divestment, Yandex founder launches an Amsterdam-based cloud service platform for developers aimed at becoming a European global leader in AI infrastructure.

💂 UK-based AI startups are now worth $256bn, according to new data. They also account for 22% of the country’s innovation ecosystem value — up from 12% in 2019.

😎 UK-based Naked Energy has raised £17mn in a Series B round to boost the global expansion of its solar tech solutions.

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