OMM Redaksiyası
Europe’s space industry gathered in Paris this week for an international summit, but the event was overshadowed by reports that the US administration had pressured major companies not to attend.
The summit, jointly organized by France and Germany, was held at the Grand Palais in Paris on September 9-10. Astronauts, heads of state and leading representatives of the space industry from around the world took part.
Opening the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron said agreements on more than 50 projects would be signed over the two days. He said Europe needed to strengthen its space research and deepen cooperation with countries outside the continent.
Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the European Space Agency’s next private astronaut mission to the International Space Station would take place in 2027. The mission, known as PAM-6, will include Adrianos Golemis, who is set to become the first Greek astronaut to travel into space.
The French president also announced a new agreement between Amazon Leo and Arianespace. According to Macron, Amazon Leo renewed its confidence in Arianespace by ordering six additional launches, bringing the total to 24.
The summit took place as Europe intensified efforts to reduce its dependence on the United States in the space sector. According to reports, Europe has historically allocated about 0.07% of its gross domestic product to space programs, compared with 0.24% in the United States.
In November, the European Space Agency approved a record budget of 22.3 billion euros for the 2026-2028 funding period. An additional 35 billion euros is planned for space security and defense purposes.
Before the summit, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced that he would not attend the event. He was replaced by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius and Space Minister Dorote Bär.
According to Politico, a White House official warned US companies that attending the summit could be seen as indirect support for the European Union’s policy positions.
A representative of France’s Ministry of Higher Education and Research confirmed that SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space and Starcloud had withdrawn from the event. The ministry representative said it was difficult to separate the decision from media reports about pressure.
The European Space Agency, established in 1975, coordinates Europe’s civilian space activities, including scientific missions, Earth observation and launch programs. Its member states have increasingly sought to strengthen independent access to space and expand cooperation with international partners.
