This has generally been opposed at Arianespace because it reduces the amount of work available in the host countries
That is literally the most foolish statement I have ever read. This attitude will literally make them go bankrupt. The only reason Arianespace still exists is because it’s massively subsidized by the EU, it’s basically a jobs program. What they’re doing is nowhere near competitive with reusable rockets
True, and everyone knows Arianespace needs a reusable rocket now, but they never could start development until existentially threatened, so they start from scratch now
That is literally the most foolish statement I have ever read. This attitude will literally make them go bankrupt. The only reason Arianespace still exists is because it’s massively subsidized by the EU, it’s basically a jobs program. What they’re doing is nowhere near competitive with reusable rockets
True, and everyone knows Arianespace needs a reusable rocket now, but they never could start development until existentially threatened, so they start from scratch now
*did. They definitely could have
Physically yes, politically no.