Delays in Europe's next-generation launch vehicle, the Ariane 6, are causing the European Commission to seek alternatives for the countries' access to orbit.
With the Ariane 5 months away from retirement, and its predecessor not expected to be in operation until next year, EU countries are hoping to get approval to negotiate "an ad-hoc security agreement" to sign contracts for American launch vehicles such as SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket in the interim, according to a report by Politico published Monday (April 17).
