Bremen in focus: ESA conference plans record budgets for space travel!

Bremen in focus: ESA conference plans record budgets for space travel!

On November 26th and 27th, the European space community will gather in Bremen. At this important meeting of the ESA Council of Ministers, chaired by Josef Aschbacher, it will be decided how the next three years of space travel in Europe will be shaped. The focus is on ensuring Europe's independence in space and preventing the brain drain of talent and companies from this promising industry. World reports that Bremen is considered an important space location, with around 140 companies, including major players such as Airbus and ArianeGroup, which together generate four billion euros annually.

Germany has taken on the valuable role of Presidency at this conference. A budget of a whopping 22 billion euros is being sought for the ESA - a clear increase compared to the previous budget of 17 billion euros. A higher German contribution is expected than the last approved amount of 3.5 billion euros. The federal states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and Bremen are committed to six billion euros and are seeing positive signals from the federal government regarding financing.

Strategic goals and challenges

The expectations for the upcoming Council of Ministers Conference could not be higher: In addition to the financial decisions, the central question is how Europe can catch up with the USA in space. Currently, Europe accounts for only 10 percent of global investment in this sector, even though our European industry covers 20 percent of the global market. BDLI highlights that the conference is seen as a turning point in Europe's space strategy and emphasizes the need to secure independent access to space.

In the geopolitical situation, dependence on other states is a particularly pressing issue. Europe needs its own access to manned space travel, especially after the disappearance of the Russian Soyuz rockets. The dependency is also evident when it comes to reaching the moon - we are currently dependent on the USA. A strong national space program of 500 million euros, as proposed in the BDLI position paper, could help here.

Investments in the future

Around 500 participants from 23 member states are expected at the conference, including ministers and employees of national space agencies. The investment priorities of the Federal Association of the German Aerospace Industry include in particular the expansion of the Copernicus program for environmental and disaster monitoring as well as the further development of the Ariane 6 rocket. Additionally, innovations in satellite navigation and crisis communications are required to ensure a strong and resilient space industry.

The investments that flow from these decisions do not just represent an economic transaction. They also strengthen the innovative strength and key competencies of the German space nation. Statista also notes that the need for investment in space will continue to grow. So Europe's future in space is hanging in the balance, and the upcoming decisions in Bremen could be decisive for the sovereignty of our continent.