Comments on: France to award four rocket startups launch contracts worth as much as 400 million euros https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/france-to-award-four-rocket-startups-launch-contracts-worth-as-much-as-400-million-euros/ Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:21:23 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 By: Call Me Ishmael https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/france-to-award-four-rocket-startups-launch-contracts-worth-as-much-as-400-million-euros/#comment-1453847 Mon, 25 Mar 2024 20:21:23 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=103818#comment-1453847 Or, alternatively, expect Arianespace to fade into the background and be replaced by a new EU-selected (and subsidized) “winner”.

]]> By: David Eastman https://behindtheblack.com/behind-the-black/points-of-information/france-to-award-four-rocket-startups-launch-contracts-worth-as-much-as-400-million-euros/#comment-1453844 Mon, 25 Mar 2024 19:35:51 +0000 https://behindtheblack.com/?p=103818#comment-1453844 “Expect the government monopoly of Arianespace to fade away in the next five years. Expect it to be replaced with a thriving industry of mulitple rocket companies, all charging less and coming up with new ways to lower cost.”

Alternatively, expect most of these new startups to fail, as they are trying to do something that is difficult on it’s own, where there is currently a ton of competition worldwide for a small market, and they are trying to operate in a business and regulatory environment that is not at all friendly to startups. And after they fail, there will be lots of “we told you so, government control and ownership of big established companies was the only way.”

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