Wrinkled! and Arianespace have signed a contract to integrate the Ariane 6 and Vega C launchers on the startup’s digital launch-on-demand platform.
Around thirty launchers referenced
Do you know the French startup Wrinkled! ? This is a platform for connecting launch services and satellite operators whose activity we presented to you last June, during the interview with Gautier Bories, one of the three co-founders.
Founded in 2021, Ride! offers a service allowing satellite manufacturers and operators to easily identify the spaces still available on launchers, based on the technical characteristics and needs of their satellite.
For this, Ride! lists around thirty launchers in its database, to which are now added the launchers ofArianespace.
Indeed, Arianespace has just signed a contract with Ride! to integrate Ariane 6 and Vega C on the startup’s digital launch-on-demand platform.
This agreement will make it possible to include launch opportunities still available, particularly for small satellites, on board launchers operated by Arianespace.
For Arianespace, which targets the very promising market of small satellites with service offers adapted to this market, the interest of working with Ride! is obvious: with its standard tailor-made launch services for small payloads with shared launch missions on board Vega and Vega C and a similar offer proposed on Ariane 6, Arianespace is increasing the opportunities for affordable launches for small satellites.
The solution offered by Ride! is interesting in that it can help Arianespace to fill its launchers if necessary.
Declarations
Valentin Benoit, Chairman and CEO of Ride!, declared: “Arianespace is a world reference in space launch, so it was important for RIDE! to be able to offer Vega C and Ariane 6 flights on its digital platform. Ride!’s vision of offering a simple, reliable and affordable launch experience is fully in line with Arianespace’s “rideshare” strategy. I also want, through this agreement, to show the entire ecosystem that contracts between Start Ups, called “New Space”, and major players, called “Legacy Space” can be done in a sustainable and balanced manner. . I hope this will pave the way for more contracts like this. »
Stéphane Israel, Executive Chairman of Arianespace, added: “We are delighted to be able to collaborate with Ride! whose platform perfectly meets the needs of operators and manufacturers of small satellites. At Arianespace, we are always committed to being able to offer a quality service to our customers and to support them in the different stages leading to the launch of their satellites. The platform developed by Ride! perfectly meets this imperative by facilitating exchanges with them and highlighting the opportunities available on Ariane 6 and Vega C.”
