The Director General of the European Space Agency, Josef Aschbacher, advocated on Wednesday for an investment of 10 billion euros over the next decade to strengthen European autonomy in space. The proposal includes the development of own capabilities to transport astronauts, an area in which Europe currently depends on other space powers.
The central question raised by Aschbacher was posed directly: "Will we be passengers or pilots?" This phrase summarizes the agency's concern about Europe's future role in the space sector and the need to reduce dependence on other nations for crewed missions.
The proposal presented by the Director General will be reviewed by the member countries of the European Space Agency in December, who will have to decide on the allocation of these significant funds for the next decade.
The proposed investment aims to ensure that Europe can participate autonomously in space missions, no longer relying exclusively on space transportation systems developed by other powers, such as the United States or Russia.
