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This computer image provided by the European Space Agency (ESA), Tuesday, December 2, 2014, shows the Ariane 6 launcher. European governments have agreed to fund the development of Ariane 6, a next-generation rocket that will be used to launch satellites into orbit. About €4 billion have been earmarked for Ariane 6, of which €400 million will come from industry, officials said. A review of progress will be made in 2016. Over 10 years, the 20-nation alliance will spend about €8 billion on its launcher program, including infrastructure such as a new launch pad at its base in Kourou, French Guiana. The Ariane 5 traces its roots back nearly three decades. A medium-to-heavy workhorse with an unbroken string of 62 successful launches to its name, it accounts for more than half of the world’s commercial launch market. Despite its reliability, Ariane 5 comes with high operational costs compared to nimble U.S. commercial newcomers such as SpaceX. (Photo by David Ducros/AP Photo/ESA)
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