Gerry Palmers Science 08.05.2022 23:Aug PM EDT

Is Europe Considering Hiring SpaceX for Its Cargo Launches to Space?

European Space Agency (ESA) is mulling a possible partnership with SpaceX in future missions, with the unavailability of Russian Soyuz rockets that carried previous space missions due to tensions arising from the Ukraine conflict.

SpaceX 'Most Operational' Among Possible ESA Rocket Suppliers

ESA is currently in initial talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX to acquire the aerospace company's services, Reuters reported. ESA is currently considering SpaceX and rockets offered by Japan and India. But it seems the ESA prefers SpaceX over others, with ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher telling Reuters SpaceX "is the more operational of those."

The private American competitor to Europe's Arianespace has become the lead contender to fill that temporary gap in chartering missions to space, but final decisions may e based on a still undetermined timetable for Europe's long-delayed Ariane 6 rocket.

Aschbacher said the ESA is focusing on "technical compatibility not asked for a commercial offer yet." Aschbacher said. Thw ESA, he adds, need to make sure that the potential suppliers are "suitable." " It's not like jumping on a bus," he emphasized. Discussions remain at a preliminary stage, stressing that using SpaceX launchers might only be a temporary solution, Aschbacher added.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has affected Russia's longtime partnership with the U.S. and Europe on space matters. ESA condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, as it was assessing the conflict's consequences on ongoing programs in cooperation with the Russian state space agency Roscosmos. In July, the space agency fully ended its partnership with the Russian space agency for a forthcoming mission to Mars.

Europe 'Too Dependent' on Russia

In response, Russia has halted cooperation with Europe on the Soyuz rocket launches from French Guiana and pulled out its 87 employees from the launch site. This deraied pending ESA rocket launches, as the space agency has been depending on Soyuz rockets for medium lift launches. ESA was planning to launch the Earth science mission EarthCARE on a Soyuz rocket in September 2023, and launching the Euclid infrared space telescope. Th development, Aschbacher said was a "wake-up call" that Europe has been "too dependent on Russia."

The ESA is not alone in scouring for new alliances in the wake of the Ukraine conflict. Russia ceased rocket engine supply to the U.S. in March as an obvious retaliation to Western sanctions. Because of this, American aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman declared that it was allying with Firefly Aerospace to construct an all-domestic rocket, eininating dependence on Russian engines. Until the new rocket is ready, however, the company will utilize SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets to bring its Cygnus spacecraft to the ISS for cargo missions.

Falcon 9 rockets have already made 35 missions in 2022, but because of the new launches added to its hectic schedule, SpaceX, should make make their Falcon 9 rockets even more available to its increasing number of partners.