SpaceX in tentative deal for European satellite launches next year

Europe’s space agency reached a tentative deal with SpaceX to launch as many as four satellites next year amid setbacks with the region’s latest homegrown rocket.

The agreement with the European Space Agency requires final approval from the European Commission and other EU member states before taking effect, a spokesperson for the ESA said by phone on Monday.

SpaceX plans two Falcon 9 launches, each with two Galileo satellites on board, the Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Monday, citing the agency’s director of navigation, Javier Benedicto. The ESA’s Galileo constellation provides navigation services around the world.

SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp., didn’t immediately respond to an emailed request for comment outside of US business hours.

As the US and China accelerate space exploration, Europe is struggling to achieve its ambitions in the space sector.

In the most recent delay for the Ariane 6 rocket, the ESA rescheduled a long-duration firing test to November 23 from October 3, after finding a problem with hydraulic equipment. The ESA aims to use the Ariane 6 to launch Galileo satellites in the future.