The Director General of ESA thinks so. And astronauts are also excited.

The European Space Agency ESA is not standing still in the field of space travel. They have their own rockets, develop ingenious satellites and work on various missions, including to Mars and Venus. But if they want to launch astronauts, they have to buy a seat from the Americans or the Russians. And according to Director-General of the ESA, Josef Aschbacher, that should really change.

Speech

In a speech he gave in mid-February at the so-called Space Summit in Toulouse, France, he calls for action. Because, according to Aschbacher, it is now time for Europe to launch its own astronauts. “Why should Europe be excluded from the group of countries that undertake human spaceflight themselves?” he wonders aloud. “Should we take the risk of Europe being bypassed by more and more countries in developing the next strategic and economic zones in space?”

Race is on

Aschbacher fears that if we don’t make concrete plans, we may miss the boat. “The other space powers and private industry are moving fast,” he says. “The US and China have put forward clear political and technological space goals and the associated resources and plans. The race is on. Europe cannot afford to stand back and stand still.”

Astronauts

Astronauts agree with Aschbacher’s statements. In the so-called ‘austronaut manifesto‘ they argue that Europe should become more independent from the Americans and Russians. “While Europe still leads the way in many space activities – such as Earth observation, navigation and space science – it is lagging behind in the increasingly strategic domains of space transport and exploration,” they write. “The robotic and human exploration of the Moon and Mars are the frontiers of this century. As with all great explorations of the past, those who invest first in these ‘new countries’ will take advantage of strategic and economic opportunities. With the utmost urgency, European leaders must now decide whether Europe will accelerate its efforts, or fall behind in the role of a junior partner in the coming decades.”

powerhouse

According to Aschbacher, we must go with the flow and strive to become “the world’s new technological powerhouse.” For example, Europe should become more involved in new technologies and innovation, for example in the field of space security and a circular economy in space. “ESA cannot afford to stay outside these domains,” said Aschbacher. “While ESA controls the technology, it needs a clear political mandate.”

“While ESA controls the technology, it needs a clear political mandate”

However, according to the European astronauts, in order to continue to participate in ‘the big boys’, one very important piece of the puzzle is missing: “we must be able to count on our own autonomous gateway to space,” they write. “Only then will we sit at the decision-making table as fully-fledged global partners.”

Post-COVID

Incidentally, the astronauts state that this is not the only reason to invest in their own transport system. “In a broader perspective, Europe needs new unifying dreams after COVID,” they write. “That way we can also create economic opportunities and bring ourselves back to the top of the list of technologically advanced countries.”

All in all, both the director-general of ESA and European astronauts would like to become more independent and invest in their own, independent European transport system. And so they call on politicians to cooperate. “All we need is the support of decision-makers,” the astronauts write. “Give ESA the mandate to develop an ambitious roadmap for the future of Europe in space exploration. Let’s achieve together what was once ‘impossible’. It is now time to set sail. We are ready.”