ESA director general reveals €10bn plan to get to space without NASA
The space industry, currently valued at €600 billion, is expected to grow by 10% a year, according to European Space Agency (ESA) director general Josef Aschbacher. He spoke to the Big Question about how Europe can benefit from this booming industry.
In 2025, the European Space Agency (ESA) secured record funding of over €22 billion from member states, marking a 32% increase since 2022. This budget boost enabled ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher to propose a €10 billion plan to develop the capability of launching European astronauts into space independently of NASA. ESA has relied on international partners, including NASA, for astronaut launches since its inception in 1975.
However, geopolitical tensions have pushed Europe to seek an alternative, as only the US, China, and Russia currently possess the capacity to launch astronauts. NASA's partnership with SpaceX to launch astronauts raises concerns about future availability, as SpaceX plans to decommission its crew vehicles by 2029. ESA is developing a strategy to ensure reliable access to space and invest in European industry, emphasizing that this plan would not isolate the agency but rather strengthen its position as a global space power.
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