Companies traditionally focused solely on La Défino are increasingly embarking on the space sector.
Although space and defense have always been connected, until recently, the emphasis has been mainly placed on civil use rather than on military space capacities – but that now changes.
“While many the largest European space companies have been created as a defense company offspring or are integrated into defense business structures, this trend was declining until the early 2020s”, according to an analysis of the European Space Policy Institute based in Vienna (Espi).
Since mid -2022 in particular, the trend has accelerated, with an increasing number of defense companies engaging in space – either by relying on previous activities, or by exploring it as a new strategic opportunity.
“The return of war in Europe, the emergence of anti -cell threats and the growing militarization of space by other powers oblige us to consider space as a pillar of our strategic autonomy,” said deputy Christophe Grudler (France / Renew Europe) in Euronews.
Grudler, who co -chases the European Parliament intergroup On heaven and space, has argued that too many member states are currently working on distinct national plans, leading to fragmentation and a lack of coordination.
“We need a more European approach – and that means focusing on programs designed, funded and governed at the EU level,” added the French liberal.
However, Europe only invests 0.07% of its GDP – or 14 billion euros per year – in space activities, with a slow but notable change towards security and tailor -made military functions, said Matija Rencelj, head of research in ESPI, in Euronews.
“There is always an acute capacity difference, and the investment required to transform the additional value of the space in reality is estimated at 0.15 to 0.25% of European GDP by 2040,” said Rencelj.
The head of the European Space Agency (ESA), formed by 23 Member States, including Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, said that compared to world competitors such as China, the United States, India or Japan, Europe is currently investing very little in defense space.
“The right thing is that Europe has the capacity. We have some of the best space and scientific engineers to really work with space technologies, and we have excellent standard world companies, so that we can do it,” Josef Aschbacher told Euronews in an interview Tuesday in Warsaw.
Currently, only 15% of Europe’s public space budgets are allocated to military space activities – well below the global average of around 50%, which continues to bow to the defense.
In this context, several European countries – including Austria, France, Italy, Luxembourg and Sweden – have developed military strategies dedicated to the space. But overall, Europe is always slow to act when it comes to developing and deploying its own capacities, according to ESPI.
Grudler believes that the EU must act on several fronts: the pooling of resources through common European programs, the establishment of a real European purchasing capacity in space and fully integrate space into a long -term industrial strategy – at the same level as semiconductors, energy or artificial intelligence.
“We don't need to copy the United States online. But we need political vision, unity and continuity,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENTThe head of ESA, on the other hand, stressed the need for significant budgetary increase.
“We have an opportunity at the end of this year, the ESA ministerial conference, and it will be a very important moment when Europe is committed to really put investments in space in order to ensure that we catch up on international activities in space,” said Aschbacher.
During the last ministerial meeting of the ESA Council in Paris in 2022, the Member States increased the agency's budget by 17%, reaching a record of 16.9 billion euros.
In November 2025, ESA ministers should increase it to around 21 billion euros at their meeting in Bremen, Germany.
ADVERTISEMENTAleksandra Galka contributed to this story.
