Space travel - ESA Director General: Germany has a lot to lose
According to a newspaper report, the European Space Agency (ESA) is warning of a loss of importance for Germany in space travel. "Other countries are increasing their contributions to ESA more than Germany," ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher told Welt am Sonntag. "At the last Ministerial Council Conference in 2022, Germany increased its contributions by 6 percent compared to 2019. France by 24 percent, Italy by 36 percent."
Aschbacher pointed out that this should not be underestimated, as it could build up capacities in the long term. "Other countries are catching up or catching up. Germany must take this very seriously because there is too much to lose." There should be no gap between Germany and the other countries. "Otherwise, German industry could migrate, either across the Rhine or across the Alps or even outside Europe," said the Director General.
"Germany is a strong space power, has very high capacities and its industry is unique." He could only compliment the industry. According to Aschbacher, the USA has been the leading space power for decades. "China has capacities that are greater than those in Europe, so it is number two. Then come Europe and India. Europe must not lose touch.
The private sector is becoming more and more involved. "In Europe, we had 66 percent more private money for space projects last year compared to the previous year." According to Aschbacher, however, the public sector is still the most important.
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- Despite Germany's strong presence in space, the Alps country risks losing its significance in the space industry if it continues to lag behind in contributions to the European Space Agency (ESA).
- The Director General of ESA, Josef Aschbacher, emphasized that France and Italy have significantly increased their contributions to the space agency, while Germany only managed a 6% increase.
- Aschbacher warned that Germany could lose its competitive edge in the space industry if it does not bridge the gap with other countries, potentially leading to industries migrating across borders or even outside Europe.
- In contrast to Germany, the United States has been the leading space power for decades, with China following closely behind, boasting capacities greater than those in Europe.
- The private sector's involvement in space projects has surged in Europe, with a 66% increase in private funding for space projects in 2021 compared to the previous year.
- Despite the growing influence of the private sector, Aschbacher underscored that the public sector remains the most important player in the European space industry.
Source: www.stern.de
