ESA will pay an Italian company nearly $50 million to design a mini-Starship

The European Space Agency (ESA) has awarded a contract worth nearly $50 million to an Italian aerospace company, Avio, to design a mini-version of SpaceX's Starship. This move is seen as a significant step towards the development of fully reusable launch systems in Europe. The contract aims to create a smaller, more cost-effective version of the Starship, which is currently the largest and most powerful rocket being developed by SpaceX. The European mini-Starship will be designed to carry smaller payloads and potentially serve as a technology demonstrator for future reusable launch vehicles. The project is part of ESA's broader effort to transition European launch systems towards full reusability, a capability that has been pioneered by SpaceX and could significantly reduce the cost of space access. The success of this project could pave the way for further advancements in European launch capabilities and help the continent compete more effectively in the global space market.