ESA weighs €10bn plan to give Europe independent astronaut launch capability

The European Space Agency (ESA) is considering a €10 billion investment over 10 years to develop a system capable of carrying European astronauts into orbit and bringing them safely back to Earth, as the continent seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign space providers.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is considering a €10 billion investment over 10 years to develop a system capable of carrying European astronauts into orbit and bringing them safely back to Earth, as the continent seeks to reduce its reliance on foreign space providers.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher has estimated that continuing to buy astronaut flights and access to space facilities from foreign providers would cost about €5 billion over the same period. The figures are estimates, not an approved budget, and the two options would provide different levels of European control over spaceflight.

ESA member states are due to discuss the proposal at the agency’s Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in Rome on December 15. The meeting will consider options for strengthening Europe’s role in human and robotic space exploration, including its access to low Earth orbit.

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Aschbacher has also warned that Europe’s access to crewed spaceflight could face uncertainty if SpaceX retires its Crew Dragon spacecraft, which currently transports astronauts, including Europeans, to the International Space Station. He has cited 2029 as a possible timeframe for its retirement. The claim should be attributed to Aschbacher; the draft provides no independent confirmation of a formal SpaceX decision.

Europe already operates the Ariane 6 rocket for heavier payloads and Vega-C for lighter satellites. In September, Vega-C successfully launched the European Space Agency’s FLEX Earth-observation satellite and the European Union’s Sentinel-3C satellite. The launch demonstrated Europe’s existing capacity to put satellites into orbit, but satellite launch capability is distinct from a certified system for carrying astronauts.

Private European launch companies are also making progress. On September 5, German company Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket reached orbit for the first time, deploying five small satellites and a technology experiment. Its first test flight, in March 2025, had ended shortly after liftoff.

Europe is also developing spacecraft to transport cargo to and from orbit. On September 10, ESA signed a contract worth €760 million with The Exploration Company for the next phase of its ALADDIN programme, which involves the company’s Nyx capsule. The agreement allocates €310 million for a demonstration mission to the International Space Station, while a further €450 million is earmarked for two additional missions, subject to confirmation.

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The Nyx contract concerns cargo transportation, not an approved European crewed-flight system. However, the programme is part of broader efforts to develop European capabilities for transporting supplies to and from low Earth orbit.