European countries increase three-year space budget by 30 percent

(Patria) - European countries agreed yesterday to increase space spending by about 30 percent over the next three years - to 22.1 billion euros.

The goal is to catch up with the United States, China, and private companies that are leading in space exploration, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher stated at a press conference after two days of ministerial talks in the German city of Bremen that this is the first time that member states in the organization have fulfilled the request for a budget increase, Reuters reports.

Aschbacher emphasized that the agreement highlights the importance of space, both as a rapidly growing economic sector and for security and defense purposes.

ESA requested that its 23 member states provide around 22 billion euros to fund launches, satellites, and other research programs for the next three years, compared to the 16.9 billion allocated for the period from 2023 to 2025.

Europe's focus on space is partly driven by the need to ensure greater autonomy from the US in security matters, which has been highlighted since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine.

ESA is an intergovernmental organization, founded 50 years ago, whose mandatory scientific programs are funded by each member state in proportion to the size of its economy.