European Space Agency seeks 10 billion Euro for independent astronaut launches

The European Space Agency (ESA) is pursuing a plan to invest approximately 10 billion Euro over the next decade to develop independent capability for launching astronauts into space. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher stated that this move is necessary to reduce reliance on external partners, specifically NASA, amid rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainties regarding future service availability.

Currently, ESA relies on international partners like NASA and Russia to transport its astronauts. Concerns have been heightened by SpaceX's intention to potentially decommission its Falcon 9 rockets and Crew Dragon vehicles around 2029. Without independent launch and return systems, Europe faces a gap in its ability to maintain a presence in orbit, especially following the expected decommissioning of the International Space Station in 2032.

This initiative follows a record budget commitment from ESA member states in 2025, which exceeded 22 billion Euro. The agency has also received a mandate to utilize space technology for non-aggressive security and defense purposes, such as monitoring external borders.