The Space Symposium, held in April, underscored the vital role of international partnerships in space exploration amidst rising geopolitical tensions and trade conflicts. Agency heads from Germany, Japan, France, Israel, Australia, and India stressed the importance of shared innovation and infrastructure for achieving ambitious missions while maintaining a peaceful space environment.
Walther Pelzer, head of Germany’s space agency, highlighted the country's partnership with NASA in the Artemis lunar program. He emphasized the importance of continued collaboration, stating, “What I learned so far is that Mars is a goal, but Moon is the next step. And from my point of view, this is extremely important that we stick this way, because I do not want to picture another foot on the moon other than a U.S. one as the next one,” expressing concerns about China's potential gains. He urged continued investment to support the “Artemis generation”. Germany's recent establishment of a dedicated space ministry and increased infrastructure investment further underscores its commitment.
Hiroshi Yamakawa, president of Japan’s space agency, highlighted Japan’s nearly 50-year partnership with NASA, including the joint lunar rover project aiming for a Japanese astronaut on the moon under Artemis. He also emphasized expanding collaborations across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Latin America, emphasizing the importance of partnerships for sustainable space exploration.
Lionel Suchet, acting president of France’s space agency, discussed France’s strategy, combining established collaborations with new partnerships with startups. He noted a significant increase in startup collaborations, stating, “10 years ago we had one every two [or] three years…It’s an explosion.” However, he cautioned against neglecting traditional space companies, advocating for an integrated ecosystem.
Uri Oron, director of Israel’s space agency, described space as the “ultimate frontier” for both competition and cooperation. He stressed the need for governments to act swiftly to support the private sector and engage in diplomacy to remain relevant, warning that, “Otherwise, the importance of space versus the pace of change and the … dramatic changes in the private sector will leave governments behind, and we cannot allow this to happen.” He highlighted Israel’s international scientific partnerships, including the ULTRASAT telescope project.
Enrico Palermo, head of Australia’s space agency, highlighted Australia's strategic geographical position and its upcoming first orbital launch as key factors in its increasing international presence. He stated, “I’ll let them set the launch date, but that’s going to be a milestone…We want to be a nation that launches orbitally, not just sub-orbitally, and I know the world’s attention will be on that in the coming weeks.” He also emphasized attracting non-space industries for broader collaboration.
Asir Packiaraj, director of the propulsion complex at India’s space agency, emphasized India’s increased openness to foreign investment, noting a significant growth in space businesses. He stated, “It was a giant leap for India when we introduced that reform in the country.” He also highlighted the longstanding collaboration with NASA and called for support for developing nations in establishing their own space programs.