BREMEN, Germany \u2014 European government officials stressed the need to build strong, autonomous space capabilities, even as the continent continues to rely on foreign companies for some launches.<\/p>\n
During sessions at Space Tech Expo Europe on Nov. 18, officials from national space agencies and governments said shifting geopolitics have made it critical for Europe to expand its investments in space.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a paradigm shift,\u201d said Alberto Maulu, manager for technologies at the Luxembourg Space Agency, during one panel. \u201cResilience, security, European independence is now what\u2019s driving at the institutional level and also at the commercial level.\u201d<\/p>\n
That includes increased support for defense-related space activities. \u201cWe have no other choice because of our geopolitical situation,\u201d said Marta Wachowicz, president of the Polish space agency, POLSA. \u201cPoland will advocate for a European approach to space security that treats satellites, launch capabilities and ground systems as critical assets.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comments come as final preparations are underway for the European Space Agency\u2019s ministerial conference, scheduled for Nov. 26\u201327, where member states will decide on funding for programs over the next three years. Those decisions will include proposed new programs focused on space security and strengthening Europe\u2019s overall competitiveness in the global space sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cEurope seems to be losing ground,\u201d with its share of the global space economy shrinking, said Craig Brown, investment director at the U.K. Space Agency. \u201cThe Council of Ministers is perhaps an opportunity for us to think about how we do things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ministerial should be about strategic autonomy,\u201d Wachowicz said. \u201cIt should be more security-driven.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several nations are also planning increased domestic spending as they build up national space capabilities. \u201cIn Italy, there was quite a significant increase in budgets in the last few years,\u201d said Marco Di Clemente, head of technology development and the space design office at the Italian space agency ASI. \u201cWe also increased by a lot the budget for some strategic areas \u2014 technologies, for example \u2014 at the national level.\u201d<\/p>\n
One such strategic national program is Cosmo-Skymed, a system of radar imaging satellites. \u201cWe prefer to guarantee the full control from Italy and the security provided by this program,\u201d Di Clemente said.<\/p>\n
Italy is preparing to launch the third satellite in the Cosmo-Skymed Second Generation (CSG) system. However, that satellite will not launch on a European rocket.<\/p>\n
In a Nov. 13 social media post<\/a>, Italy\u2019s defense ministry said the satellite was being prepared for shipment to the launch site at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. ASI, in a Nov. 14 video<\/a>, also said the satellite was about to ship to Vandenberg but did not disclose a launch date or launch vehicle.<\/p>\n