Macron, von der Leyen call for stronger European space sector amid rising security concerns

French President Emmanuel Macron has called for Europe to develop its own crewed space flight capability within the next ten years, in a bid to bolster the continent's space sector. The call was made during an international space summit in Paris, which was attended by several US companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, who largely ignored the event.

Macron emphasized the need for Europe to "assert its ambition in crewed space flight" and stressed that the European space program is currently fragile and requires increased efforts.

This plea comes after the European Space Agency (ESA) chief, Josef Aschbacher, reached out to ministers and dignitaries in a closed-door meeting, urging for more resources to foster an independent European space sector. Aschbacher, in a speech shared with Agence France-Presse, questioned whether Europe would be a "passenger" or a "pilot" in the rapidly evolving space technology landscape.

He stressed that Europe must position itself as an indispensable partner, with its own capabilities, especially in light of the rapid advancements in satellite development, lunar and Martian exploration.

Europe has been striving for greater independence in space but has yet to conduct a manned mission, relying instead on the rockets and capsules from Russia and the United States. In an effort to change this, Macron outlined a series of milestones for Europe over the next decade. By the end of two years, he wants to see the first European cargo capsule, Nyx, dock with the International Space Station.

In five years, he hopes to witness the first European lunar lander, Argonaut, touch down on the lunar surface. By the end of a decade, Macron aims for the first European manned capsule to launch from Kourou, the spaceport in French Guiana, carrying European and international astronauts.

The push to develop the sector comes with a substantial cost. Aschbacher estimates that it would require an annual investment of around €1 billion (US$1.16 billion) for the next ten years. However, remaining dependent on external partners is also expensive. He pointed out that purchasing flights for European astronauts from foreign providers would cost €5 billion over the same period, funds that would otherwise bolster foreign sectors, resulting in job losses and technological backwardness in Europe.

ESA member states are expected to convene for a ministerial meeting in December to discuss the next steps. In the previous year, the ESA secured a record budget of €22.1 billion to fund its programs for the following three years.