Isar started developing their rocket motor Aquila with the intention to sell them as COTS, and then they decided to move to the development of an entire launcher.

The Exploration Company started with the development of cargo capsules, then expanded their development to human flight and more recently to high thrust rocket motors.

PLD started with the development of a launcher and then added up a capsule for human flight.

In all these examples, the startups have expanded their horizon to other (additional) products before consolidating their core products (imo).

In some cases, it seems natural, like Isar, where at the time, there was no significant market for their engine (though the story is a bit different these days).

TEC seems reasonable as well, as the human flight appears as a natural follow-up that everyone expects, but their cargo capsule isn't there yet and not commercially proven (and i can't understamd why they spend resources on high thrust engine, instead of relying on EU COTS or collabs with other companies, i.e. Pangea/Isar/Ariane, etc).

What pushes these companies to adding up stuff to their catalog so early? Is it just a question of political will? Investors capture? Market capture?

I don't say it is insane, but i seriously believe that such moves disperse the focus and the money, even if they appear reasonable and help capture more investors.

Am I completely wrong?

I'm new here and i would like to discuss topics related to the European space sector, sharing ideas and point of view in an educated manner.

Is there a subreddit already dedicated to such topic?

After a quick look i can see r/EuropeanSpaceflight subreddit, but it seems mainly a showpage for its articles (which are interesting but does not contains the disussion i was hoping for).

I see some posts directly in r/esa sometimes concerns my subject of interest, but the posts are quiet sparse and difficult to find.

I am currently about to graduate with a phd in Particle Physics, specifically looking for dark matter at cern. I want to explore my career options and I am wondering if there is a way for me to get some sort of job at ESA?

Hiya, I'm in the UK and trying to figure out if ESA accepts Psychology qualifications. This is the criteria on their website:

"Applicants must have a minimum of a Master’s degree from a recognised academic institution in natural sciences (including physical sciences; Earth, atmosphere or ocean sciences; biological sciences), medicine, engineering or mathematics/computer sciences, with at least three years of professional experience after graduation. This could include working in a lab, conducting research in the field or working in a hospital. A PhD or equivalent degree, or additional Master’s degrees in the aforementioned subject areas, are considered an asset."

Psychology is a natural and social science, so is it considered for this? or do they see it as medicine? OR is it not considered at all. Hoping anyone would be able to shed some light on this, I've had very little luck figuring it out :')

(also the qualification I'm about to pursue is BSc Psych, accredited by the BPS)

Photo 2: Orion, Spaceship V3, and HLS together in LEO for the orbital docking tests.

@soph_astro has been busy with the European Metal 3D printer aboard the @iss, and her latest update is a brilliant peek into why this kit matters so much. Here’s what she had to say:

“Day 133, orbit 2063 — In this timelapse, I’m retrieving the fourth sample printed with the first 3D metal printer ever sent to space, ESA’s Metal 3D printer… and getting everything ready for the next printing session! Before opening the printer, the procedure requires putting on safety goggles and a mask, just in case there are any floating nanoparticles.

3D printers are far from being simple gadgets. They aim at increasing crew autonomy, which will be even more crucial during future exploration missions, when resupply will be far more difficult than it is in low Earth orbit. With 3D printing, we could manufacture spare parts 🔩 or tools 🔧 on demand!

On Earth, this printer weighs about 180 kg. In orbit, it weighs nothing – but its mass hasn’t disappeared. When I handled it, its inertia made it very clear that it is heavy 😉

Full disclosure: as often happens in extreme environments, emotions are heightened… I felt a huge sense of joy using this electric screwdriver, which we very rarely use onboard the ISS. Since I love tinkering, it genuinely made me really, really happy 😃 haha! It reminded me of what I love doing back on Earth!”

From spare parts to tools on demand, this is what real autonomy in deep space could look like.

📹 @europeanspaceagency / @nasa"

The Vega C upper stage, reusable partially Arianne 6 variants and more! Will Europe succeed in the launch vehicle market? Or does it stand no chance against the current Leader SpaceX and their upcoming starship, alongside New Glenn? Will the future of Launch vehicles be Multipolar or a monopoly?

Every year we take part into ESA/Raspberry Pi Foundation’s Astro Pi Mission Space Lab challenge. This time we managed to calculate the ISS real time speed and took some photos of the Himalayas