ESA on ‘good track’ to secure funding despite notes of caution

BREMEN, Germany — The European Space Agency wrapped up the first day of a critical ministerial conference sounding upbeat about progress in securing funding for the next three years, despite a few warning signs.

Speaking to reporters briefly late Nov. 26, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher said he was pleased with the progress member states were making in committing to the agency’s proposed program package, but he offered few specifics.

“It’s too early to make any conclusions,” he said, “but I think we’re on good track.”

About 80% of ESA’s proposed budget comes through optional programs funded by member states via subscriptions. During the two-day ministerial conference, member states have multiple opportunities behind closed doors to formally commit to those programs.

“There are some countries who are putting a little more in the beginning, and some others a bit less at the beginning,” Aschbacher said, without elaborating on which countries or amounts.

“The mood is very positive,” he added. “There is a very good spirit, and I think we are on a very good track. But I don’t want to speculate on what comes out tomorrow.”

His comments followed the opening public session of the ministerial, where he formally presented a 22.254 billion euro ($25.8 billion) proposal for the next three years. His speech highlighted various elements of the proposal, from science and exploration to space transportation and European Resilience from Space (ERS), the new security-focused initiative.

The budget, he argued, is essential for Europe to meet a range of challenges. “We face a perfect storm, a perfect storm that demands courageous decisions,” he said.

“Do we truly believe that these crises are only temporary disruptions, and do we really want to retreat to narrow, exclusively national solutions that may feel simpler but leave us all weaker?” he said later.

He urged support for ESA’s programs. “When Europe unites, Europe succeeds.”

Afterward, ESA’s 23 member states and several associate and cooperating states delivered opening remarks. Many expressed strong support for the proposal and a willingness to back up those words with euros.

Diana Morant, Spain’s minister of science and innovation, said Spain would increase its ESA contribution by 50% from the 2022 ministerial, rising from about 300 million euros a year to 450 million euros. The increase, she said, reflects “how strategically important space is and the importance of our work through ESA.”

Lisa Campbell, president of the Canadian Space Agency, confirmed that Canada will make a “historic investment” in ESA programs. Canada, a cooperating state, will contribute 407.7 million euros over three years, including 352.5 million euros for optional programs, up from 98 million euros at the 2022 ministerial.

“This investment will enable our country to contribute to important ESA missions directly benefiting Canadian industry and allowing it to grow and diversify,” she said. That includes work in satellite communications, exploration, navigation and space situational awareness.

Several other smaller nations also announced they would be increasing their contributions to ESA. Matevž Frangež, Slovenia’s state secretary for internationalization, said his country would double the modest contribution of about 20 million euros over three years it made at the 2022 ministerial.

Others, though, added asterisks to their planned contributions. “Netherlands is currently operating under a so-called ‘caretaker government,’ which calls for financial restraint,” said Vincent Karremans, the country’s minister of economic affairs. He said that the country would increase its contribution by 110 million euros, or nearly 25%, from 2022.

“Given the current political and financial situation in the Netherlands, we propose an exceptional measure,” he said, making that increase conditional on formal government approval by the end of January.

Belgium also requested additional time. “Belgium has decided to make a particular and an exceptional budget effort in the context of this ministerial council. However, I do require a bit more time to make that additional contribution official,” said Vanessa Matz, minister of modernization of the public administration.

She did not disclose how much Belgium, which committed nearly 1 billion euros in 2022, would add, but said 16% of its planned contribution “remains subject to confirmation” by the end of January.

Earlier in the day, Aschbacher said subscriptions to ERS would remain open for a year after the ministerial, unlike other programs, whose funding will be finalized at the close of the conference Nov. 27.

“For many countries, we have been discussing this with their ministries of defense and, for them, this is something of a new approach,” he said. “It’s probably late in the process to now switch budgets from classical defense spending into ESA, so there’s more work to be done in the next months.”

He noted the one-year extension is “quite unique” and does not apply to other ESA programs. “I think it leaves us also the chance to keep discussing, and also maybe collecting some more funds as well throughout next year.”

The extension raised questions about whether ERS can maintain ESA’s previous schedule, which called for completing the first prototype satellites for its proposed imaging constellation by 2028.

At the end of the day, Aschbacher called the extension a “positive step” for ERS. “We want to keep it open to collect more money in addition to what we get today,” he said. ESA, he added, would still be able to begin the spacecraft projects with funding committed at the ministerial and augment it later.