Europes space launch industry is set to reopen for business today. Arianespaces heavy rocket Ariane 6 is scheduled to blast off at 16:24 GMT (17:24 CET) from Europes spaceport in French Guiana.Originally scheduled for December, the Ariane 6 mission was delayed first to February 26 and subsequently to March 3 due to issues in transporting the satellite to the launchpad. However, just minutes before Mondays launch, engineers identified an anomaly in one of the refueling pipes, postponing the launch further.If todays attempt is successful, it will mark Ariane 6s first-ever commercial launch. The heavy-lift rocket made its maiden flight in July last year restoring sovereign access to space for Europe.Ariane 6 will be carrying CSO-3, a French military spy satellite capable of taking high resolution images of Earth. The probe is the final piece of a three-satellite system designed to improve Frances ability to monitor global activities from space. The first two probes were launched aboard Russian Soyuz rockets in 2018 and 2020.Since Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, Europe has been unable to access Soyuz rockets. Meanwhile, the retirement of the Ariane 5 in 2023 and delays to the new Vega-C small-launch vehicle left the continent without independent access to space. Europe was forced to rely on Elon Musks SpaceX for over a year.The of EU techThe latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol' founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It's free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now!The Ariane 6 missionIn 2023, Europe completed only three successful orbital launches its lowest total since 2004. The US, meanwhile, had 109 the most a single country has ever made.However, with Ariane 6 now up-and-running and Vega-C having launched in December, things are looking up for Europes space capabilities. And its not just publicly-funded missions that are on track.German startup Isar Aerospace is ready to blast Europes first privately-funded rocket in orbit from Andya Spaceport in Norway, pending regulatory signoff. Isar is one of several startups like PLD Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg looking to provide a local alternative to SpaceX. Both of those companies are also set to launch for the first time this year.The progress of European rocket startups and veterans like Arianespace and Avio (the company behind Vega-C) couldnt come at a better time. European states have long sought to strengthen their security autonomy, a priority that has gained renewed urgency following the Trump administrations thawing relations with Russia.However, Europe might not be able to replace SpaceX altogether. Ariane 6, unlike SpaceX rockets, is not reusable. And while Europe is fostering private companies with reusable, light-lift rockets, it likely wont have a reusable heavy-lift option until the 2030s, when a successor to Ariane 6 may emerge.Nevertheless, while not a panacea for Europes autonomy in space, the boost in local capabilities is still good news for the regions broader space tech sector. The increased access [to space] will no doubt accelerate the pace of innovation and deployment of new space technologies in Europe, Mark Boggett, the CEO of investment firm Seraphim Space, previously told TNW.The progress could also yield immense financial rewards. McKinsey and the World Economic Forum expect the global space economy to rise from $630 billion in value in 2023 to $1.8 trillion by 2035. Story by Sin Geschwindt Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecos (show all) Sin is a climate and energy reporter at TNW. From nuclear fusion to escooters, he covers the length and breadth of Europe's clean tech ecosystem. He's happiest sourcing a scoop, investigating the impact of emerging technologies, and even putting them to the test. Sin has five years journalism experience and holds a dual degree in media and environmental science from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. Get the TNW newsletterGet the most important tech news in your inbox each week.Also tagged with