Former Officials Urge 'Radical' Overhaul of European Launch Industry

摘要

A group of former high ranking European government and industry officials wants Eu ropean governments to levy an annual tax on commercial satellite operators and abolish the Arianespace launch consor tium in its current form to help keep Europe's launcher indus try solvent.rnThe group says Europe's launcher sector, which depends on commercial revenue more than any other government backed rocket industry, cannot survive without a radical reorga nization that ultimately includes building a single rocket to serve medium- and heavy-lift require ments. The vehicle would suc ceed today's heavy-lift Ariane 5 rocket and would also replace the European version of Russia's Soyuz vehicle, which will oper ate from Europe's spaceport starting in 2011.