European space independence is moving higher up the agenda as governments seek stronger launch, satellite and communications capabilities amid intense competition with the US and China.
PARIS: Europe wants greater control over how it reaches and operates in space as competition with the US and China accelerates. European space independence is taking centre stage at the International Space Summit in Paris, where political leaders, scientists and industry executives are discussing the future of an increasingly strategic sector.
The September 9 and 10 gathering comes at an important moment.
Satellites are no longer simply about exploration. They support communications, weather forecasting, navigation, defence, transport and critical infrastructure, making reliable access to space increasingly important for governments and economies.
Europe has strong scientific expertise and established aerospace companies, but it remains behind the US in commercial launch capacity and private investment.
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Why does Europe want more control in space?
One major concern is access to orbit.
Delays to Europe’s Ariane 6 rocket previously left the continent without fully independent heavy-lift launch capability for a period, increasing reliance on foreign providers.
Ariane 6 is now operating, while European officials are also encouraging competition from emerging private launch companies.
German start-up Isar Aerospace recently delivered another boost to that ambition by successfully placing payloads into orbit with its Spectrum rocket from Norway.
The achievement demonstrated how Europe’s growing private space industry could complement established launch programmes.
But rockets are only one part of European space independence.
Europe is also developing IRIS², a planned secure satellite communications constellation intended to provide governments, businesses and citizens with resilient connectivity. The project could reduce reliance on non-European satellite networks for strategically important communications.
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Can Europe catch the US and China?
Money remains one of the biggest challenges.
Europe spends significantly less on space than the US, while American private companies have transformed the economics of launches through reusable rockets and rapid launch schedules. China has also expanded its space capabilities at speed.
Europe is therefore trying to encourage more private investment while strengthening cooperation between governments, agencies and companies.
The challenge is that European countries do not always agree on how quickly autonomy should be pursued or how programmes should be organised.
France has strongly advocated greater European autonomy, while other countries have remained more open to partnerships with American providers.
That debate is likely to continue even as European space independence becomes a bigger strategic priority.
The wider economic stakes are growing too. A new OECD assessment says space-based systems already support more than half of the most critical infrastructure and services across OECD countries.
That makes control over satellites, launch systems and communications increasingly connected to economic resilience as well as scientific ambition.
Impact to expect
Greater investment could accelerate Europe’s development of rockets, satellite networks and private space companies. Stronger independent capabilities may also give European governments more control over communications, security and critical infrastructure while creating new opportunities for the region’s technology sector.
