Summit in Paris: where is Europe in the space race?
Around 2,000 representatives from politics, the military, business and research were invited to Paris to attend the International Space Summit on Wednesday and Thursday. The purpose was to explore ways in which Europe can catch up with the US and China, who are currently leading the space race. "Our European space programme is fragile and we must step up our efforts," French President Emmanuel Macron stressed at the opening event.
Crucial to work as a team
National interests should not be allowed to splinter Europe's space travel budget, warns Ouest-France:
“The German Chancellor's absence highlights the growing rivalry [between Germany and France] in this sector. For a long time, the space sector was a flagship of French industry. Now Berlin is making it a key focus of its development strategy. ... The European Commission plans to allocate 60 billion euros to this sector over a seven-year period – four times more than for the previous period. ... This is good news provided the money is used efficiently. The Germans, the French, the Italians – everyone wants their share. The risk of the budget being spread too thinly must not be underestimated.”
Europe can catch up in space
The continent must take the initiative, Michaël Trabbia, CEO of the connectivity solution provider Orange Wholesale, urges in Les Echos:
“That Europe is lagging behind is indisputable, but it can catch up. ... To achieve this, Europeans must move in the same direction. ... We must also be pragmatic and not rule out working with non-European partners. Autonomy does not mean isolation. It means choosing our partnerships carefully and ensuring that temporary dependence does not become irreversible. Europe now has the resources, the expertise and an initial joint project to regain the initiative. The window of opportunity is narrow. ... It is now up to us not to let it close.”