SpaceX firm\u00f3 recientemente un acuerdo con la Agencia Espacial Europea (ESA) para lanzar cuatro sat\u00e9lites Galileo en su cohete Falcon 9 el pr\u00f3ximo a\u00f1o. A trav\u00e9s del acuerdo, SpaceX enviar\u00e1 dos cohetes en \u00f3rbita, cada uno de los cuales llevar\u00e1 dos sat\u00e9lites Galileo, dijo el director de navegaci\u00f3n de la ESA, Javier Benedicto, seg\u00fan un art\u00edculo de The Wall Street Journal. Se espera que la Comisi\u00f3n Europea (CE) y los Estados miembros de la Uni\u00f3n Europea (UE) otorguen la aprobaci\u00f3n final para el acuerdo antes de fin de a\u00f1o. La Soyuz, el cohete de Rusia, fue una vez una opci\u00f3n, pero la guerra en curso en Ucrania cambi\u00f3 dicha posibilidad.<\/p>\n
SpaceX recently signed an agreement with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch four Galileo satellites on its Falcon 9 rocket next year.<\/p>\n
Through the deal, SpaceX will send two rockets into orbit with each one carrying two Galileo satellites, ESA Director of Navigation Javier Benedicto said, according to an article in The Wall Street Journal. The European Commission (EC) and European Union (EU) member states are expected to grant final approval for the deal by the end of the year.<\/p>\n
The ESA had to look to alternatives to launch its Galileo satellites after continued delays with European options. Earlier this year, Politico reported that the EC was looking to work with American space companies, including Elon Musk\u2019s SpaceX, to complete satellite launches as delays to local rocket systems continue.<\/p>\n
The Ariane 6, for example, was supposed to make its debut in 2023, but after delays to the short hotfire of the Vulcain 2.1 engine and a long-duration static-fire test was pushed back from October to late November, that first launch is now slated for 2024.<\/p>\n
Another local option, the Vega-C, has been delayed until late 2024, according to the ESA. The rocket experienced a failure during its launch last December, after its Zefiro40 second stage engine ignited. In June, a static firing test of the modified Zefiro40 engine caused significant damage to the motor. Recommendations to address the issue include improving the nozzle design of the Zefiro40 motor, calibrating numerical models to predict behavior and conducting two more firing tests to verify performance.<\/p>\n
Soyuz, Russia\u2019s rocket, was once an option, but the ongoing war in Ukraine changed that.<\/p>\n
So, Galileo satellites will be launched from U.S. territory next year, which is a first. All others have been launched from Europe\u2019s Spaceport in French Guiana, via Soyuz rockets and the Ariane 5, the Ariane 6\u2019s predecessor that was recently retired. The launches will also mark the first time SpaceX has sent EU satellites containing classified equipment into space. The satellites can produce encrypted navigation communications for European military uses.<\/p>\n
There are other European options in the works, however, with startups looking to provide solutions to the ongoing launch issues, according to an article on the Payload website. For instance, Spanish launch startup PLD Space recently flew its Miura-1 suborbital rocket. Skyrora, Orbex, Rocket Factory Augsburg, HyImpulse and Isar are among other startups that could help fill the need moving forward.<\/p>\n
For now, though, the plan is to work with SpaceX to get more Galileo satellites into orbit, with two launches on the books for 2024.<\/p>\n