Up 17%, this budget gave rise to tough negotiations between the Member States.
After months of preparation and sometimes tense, last-minute negotiations, the Ministers responsible for Space from the 22 Member States of the European Space Agency (ESA) endowed it with a budget of 16.9 billion euros over the 2023-2025 period. This is an increase of 17% compared to the 14.5 billion decided over the period 2019-2022. These record credits were adopted at the end of a two-day ministerial meeting which ended on Wednesday in Paris.
States have all increased their contribution to some 40 programs, according to their national priority. “This is a great success that goes beyond our expectations. Europe is acquiring resources and technologies that can sustain competition against the two other major space powers: the United States and China.”declared Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, in charge of space.
The 2022-2025 budget of the ESA remains however lower than the 24 billion dollars of NASA for the year 2022 alone. And it is lower than the 18.5 billion hoped for by Josef Aschbacher, director general of the ESA. “Financing proposals are never 100% matched. Obtaining 16.9 billion is a major success, in a difficult context marked by inflation”confides Josef Aschbacher to the Figaro. States, whose finances are already under great strain to support their citizens and businesses, affected by inflation, soaring energy bills and the consequences of the war in Ukraine, have in fact succeeded in mobilizing to invest in space. “This is a very good result which shows that Europe wants to be a strong player in space and to be sovereign”emphasizes Anna Christmann, Germany’s coordinator for space.
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Germany is, as in 2019, the leading funder of the ESA, with a contribution of 3.5 billion (+ 20.8%). This ahead of France, which increased its contribution by 18.9%, to 3.2 billion, and Italy, which commits, for its part, 3.08 billion (+ 18.2%). “These new investments represent 35% of the French budget for the space sector, announced by the Prime Minister at 9 billion over the next three years, i.e. the first European space budget”, notes Bruno Le Maire. France had warned: no shallot race with Germany for the ESA budget. Unlike Berlin, which directs more than 50% of its space budget via the ESA, Paris activates other levers: bilateral cooperation, military budgets and the France 2030 plan.
All the programs see their funding increase, but according to their priority character and the preparation for the future. A major effort is being made for space transport, in order to ensure independent access to space for Europeans. This component benefits from an increase of a third of its budget, to 2.8 billion. It will be used to complete the commissioning work for Ariane 6 at the end of 2023 and to finance future developments of the successor to Ariane 5 and Vega C, a new version of the small Italian rocket. But also to pursue the Themis reusable stage demonstrator and Prometheus reusable motor projects. ” It’s a solid budget that we wouldn’t have gotten if France, Germany and Italy hadn’t agreed.”, notes Josef Aschbacher. The three countries have indeed signed an agreement to guarantee the operation of Ariane 6 and Vega C, to reiterate the European preference for institutional missions and to authorize ESA to use mini or micro-launchers, developed by private actors.
Human and robotic exploration projects saw their budget increase by 16%, to 2.7 billion. An effort that shows that Europe wants to be a leading player in the return to the Moon
Another priority: Earth observation, notably via Copernicus, which benefits from 2.7 billion (+16%). Satellites are valuable tools for collecting crucial data to feed mathematical models and prediction of climate change. The budget also makes it possible to launch the Aeolus 2 mission, dedicated to measuring wind speeds to improve weather forecasts, which“uses technologies that only Europe has mastered today”.
Human and robotic exploration projects saw their budget increase by 16%, to 2.7 billion. An effort which shows that Europe wants to be a leading player in the return to the Moon, via its partnership with NASA within the framework of the Artemis missions, and tomorrow in the conquest of Mars. These credits will make it possible in particular to finance the construction of the Argonaute, a large-scale logistics lander which will be used for Artemis missions but which manufacturers will also be able to market to private players.
Finally, the ESA receives 600 million, 50% of which is financed by France, to contribute to the budget of Iris 2, the sovereign constellation program for military and civilian connectivity launched by the European Union.
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