Honestly, I don’t think Starship will be a game-changer or a real competitor. This huge launcher is designed to fly people to the moon and Mars. Ariane 6 is perfect for the job if you need to launch a four- or five-ton satellite. Starship will not eradicate Ariane 6 at all.

This seems a bit shortsighted on the part of Tolker-Nielsen. If Starship unlocks full reusability, it could end up being the cheaper option for surprisingly small payloads.

I understand the geopolitical reasons that created Ariane 6, but it is not a particularly exciting rocket. I hope some of the European startup companies can shake up the industry a bit.