'Passengers or pilots?' Europe looks to challenge US dominance in space sector with €10 billion plan

'Passengers or pilots?' Europe looks to challenge US dominance in space sector with €10 billion plan Key figures from Europe’s space industry and other international players have converged on Paris to discuss how to advance the continent’s ambitions in a global market dominated by the United States. The two-day International Space Summit that started Wednesday gathers officials, astronauts, researchers and industry leaders from about 120 countries to discuss the future of the space industry and pursue potential business deals. “Europe is taking its destiny into its own hands, including in space,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a message posted on X. He called for innovation and investment “to build a powerful Europe, independent even in space”. To display this content from X (Twitter), you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. Macron’s space summit underlines his push to reduce Europe’s reliance on the US for vital tech services, which extends to space launches as well as satellites for communications and reconnaissance. The chief of the European Space Agency (ESA), Josef Aschbacher, on Wednesday called for a €10-billion ($11.6-billion) investment over 10 years for Europe to achieve independence in the space sector. "Will we be passengers or pilots?" Aschbacher asked European ministers during a closed meeting Wednesday evening. To display this content from YouTube, you must enable advertisement tracking and audience measurement. He pointed to the rapid development in space technology by countries around the world from satellite development to the exploration of the Moon and Mars. "In this emerging context, Europe must position itself as an indispensable partner, with its own capabilities," he said, according to a copy of his speech given to AFP. If Europe commits to the path of furthering space exploration, Aschbacher estimated it would require an investment of around one billion euros per year for the next decade. Without it, Europe would remain dependent on other players in the space industry, which also comes at a cost. Read moreFrench astronaut Sophie Adenot completes second ISS mission spacewalk "Buying flights for European astronauts from foreign providers would cost 5 billion euro over 10 years, with the majority of that money going into foreign industry and will require permission to fly beyond Europe's control," he explained. "Alternatively, we can invest in capabilities that remain in Europe, create European jobs, strengthen European autonomy, inspire our youth and future workforce, and secure a stronger hand in international negotiations," he said. Earlier at the summit, French astronaut Thomas Pesquet told AFP that Europe cannot stay on the sidelines in the space industry. "We're leaders in technology, we have universities, labs, companies, space agencies – we need to take matters into our own hands," he said. ESA member states could decide on how to move forward on Aschbacher's call for greater autonomy in the sector at a ministerial meeting in December. Europe's push to compete in space European nations have sought to build up their sovereign space capabilities since 2022 and Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which highlighted how Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite communications service has become both a critical partner for Kyiv and a potential vulnerability. Immediately after the war erupted, there were initial doubts about whether the billionaire would continue to fund Starlink services in Ukraine. Reports said Musk refused to let Starlink to be used to support an attack on a Russian naval base in 2022. The European Union is working on a “sovereign satellite” constellation called Iris2 that is designed to rival Starlink by providing secure communications and connectivity to the 27-nation bloc’s citizens. However, it’s not expected to be fully operational until 2030. Another inflection point came this year after the Iran war broke out and US satellite imaging companies Planet Labs and Vantor started withholding images of the conflict region in the Middle East, apparently to prevent adversaries from attacking the US and allies. The US remains the global leader in the space sector, with NASA conducting major exploration missions and overseeing the Artemis program, which aims to establish a human presence on the moon. Musk’s rocket company, SpaceX, has transformed the commercial launch industry by making reusable rockets operational, lowering costs and increasing the frequency of launches. Read moreNASA launches Roman telescope to map 'a new atlas of the universe' Meanwhile, Amazon launched its first internet satellites in 2025. The company plans to deploy more than 3,200 satellites to provide broadband service around the world. Amazon's founder Jeff Bezos also established the rocket company Blue Origin. SpaceX and Blue Origin canceled plans to attend the Paris summit, the French government said. News outlet Politico reported that the White House had urged US space companies not to attend because it could appear to support European Union policies. “There can be tensions, as well as technological competition between major powers, particularly the United States and China,” a French presidential official said, speaking anonymously in keeping with the presidency’s customary practices. “We do have strengths, but we can see that things are accelerating and that much more money is needed.” (FRANCE 24 with AFP and AP)