Europe risks rocket launcher shortage by 2030, ESA says

Europe risks a shortage of its own-built rocket launchers by around 2030 as demand to launch satellites outpaces the region's limited capacity, European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher said.

Aschbacher told the Financial Times that Europe faces “a shortage of launchers around the 2030 timeframe”. He said planned constellations and missions point to a peak in launch requirements around 2029, 2030 and 2031.

He said he planned to raise the issue with ESA member states to help ensure Europe can launch its satellites with European launchers.

Europe's major space programmes require numerous launches in the coming years. They include the Iris2 secure communications constellation, due to begin in 2029, along with expansions of the Galileo navigation system and the Copernicus Earth observation programme. Several European countries are also planning civil or military constellations.

The warning comes as Europe's launch capacity remains limited. Ariane 6, Europe's new heavy-lift rocket, is gradually increasing production, while the Vega C light-lift launcher resumed flights at the end of 2024 after a gap of several years.

SpaceX launched 170 rockets last year, while Europe launched eight.