SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: 'Ariane 5 has no chance' vs. Falcon

As the European Space Agency opens its ministerial meeting in Naples, Italy, SpaceX Chief Executive Elon Musk has some advice for Europe's space leaders: Skip the Ariane 5 Midlife Evolition and go straight to the Ariane 6.

BBC has the story:

The Californian SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk has warned Europe it must replace its Ariane 5 rocket if it wants to keep up with his company. The low prices the US entrepreneur is quoting for his new Falcon 9 vehicle mean it is winning contracts that in the past would have gone to Ariane.

Mr Musk said that the cost of producing the current European rocket would kill it as a commercial entity.

"Ariane 5 has no chance," he told BBC News. "I don't say that with a sense of bravado but there's really no way for that vehicle to compete with Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy. If I were in the position of Ariane, I would really push for an Ariane 6."

Editor's note: The original version of this post used the BBC News Headline "SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: 'Europe's rocket has no chance'." Musk said Nov. 20 via Twitter that he was misquoted.  "Just said the [Franco-German] Ariane 5 has no chance, so go with Ariane 6," Musk tweeted. Fair enough.