Josef Aschbacher, head of the European Space Agency (ESA), notes a rapid shift in how European member states perceive space. This change encompasses space's role in geopolitics, the demand for sovereign space capabilities, and closer collaboration with national security entities. In a Sept. 15 interview at World Space Business Week in Paris, Aschbacher addressed ESA’s plans and upcoming budget negotiations for the November ministerial conference. He also emphasized the significance of launch competition and stronger commercial partnerships.
When asked about advocating for space investment, Aschbacher cited two compelling arguments. First, the space economy is booming, growing at roughly 10% annually, with a current valuation of €500-600 billion and projected growth to €1.8 trillion. Second, and increasingly important, is the geopolitical dimension. “Space is a tool of geopolitics,” Aschbacher stated, pointing to the United States, China, Russia, and the growing recognition of this within Europe.
This has led to a much closer link between space and defense. “Since the last couple of months, really, we have a very different debate on how space can be useful for countries to build up strength, to build up strength also in defense; to couple defense and space much better,” Aschbacher explained. This involves working closely with Mr. Andrius Kubilius, the EU Commissioner for Space and Defence, to develop concrete proposals for utilizing space assets for security and defence.
Aschbacher used meteorology as an example of dual-use technology, explaining that meteorological satellites serve both civilian and military needs. He also acknowledged that ESA previously focused on civilian applications like Earth observation, the Galileo navigation system, and space science. However, he noted that Europe is catching up in defense-related space programs, where defense funding currently accounts for only 15% of the space budget, compared to roughly 50% in other regions.
This is changing rapidly, Aschbacher says, driven by increased defense budgets and NATO targets. The ESA's discussions with member states now reflect this shift, with a much stronger emphasis on integrating space and defense capabilities. This includes increased interaction with European militaries to better understand their needs and develop relevant capabilities. “If you are working to develop capabilities for the defense or security actors, then you need to talk to them. Otherwise you don’t understand their needs,” he concluded.