BBC: The European Space Agency (Esa) has asked a consortium led by EADS Astrium to investigate what sort of rocket should succeed the Ariane 5. The new vehicle, dubbed simply the Next Generation Launcher (NGL), would not come into service before 2025 – if ever it were developed. Although highly regarded for accuracy and reliability, the Ariane 5 is expensive to operate. Lower costs will be critical in maintaining a competitive position. The 15-month study will report …