European Space Agency approves design for Ariane 6

BBC : After six months of study, the European Space Agency has selected the design for the Ariane 6, successor to the Ariane 5 . The design will use three new, identical solid-fuel boosters in the first stage; a single, similar solid booster for the second stage; and the liquid-fuel Vinci upper stage that is currently being developed as an upgrade for the Ariane 5. The resulting rocket will have a significantly lower lift capability than its predecessor—just 3 to 6.5 metric tons compared with Ariane 5’s 11.5 metric tons—and will carry only a single satellite per launch, rather than two as does the Ariane 5. The cargo size of the Ariane 6 has been reduced to help lower the cost of production and operation to a target of €70 million ($90 million) per rocket. Also, ESA plans to decrease the number of project contributors, which are currently widely spread across Europe, and simplify the rocket’s design by requiring fewer, less complex pieces.