On this week's episode of Space Connect podcast, host Bella Richards meets Stéphane Israël, who is the CEO of Europe's largest launch provider, Arianespace – which is also the company that launched the iconic James Webb Telescope into space. The duo discusses the most anticipated launch of the decade that occurred on Christmas Day in 2021, and what it looked like for the Arianespace team, along with the trials and errors the company encountered over the years before blast-off. The two also chat about the recent Ukraine-Russia crisis and how it has pulled the plug on one of Arianespace's most important partnerships with Roscosmos. Stéphane described the challenges the war has put on the company's operations, and how it is navigating the next steps. Lastly, Bella and Stéphane talk about Arianespace's upcoming launches for Australia's Optus 11 satellite, and how the company is slated to support the nation's space ambitions over the coming years.