Negotiations between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Union on the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA) for the period 2021-2027 got off to a flying start when ESA’s new Director General, Josef Aschbacher, took up his post at the beginning of March, according to a report by the Director General on Thursday 18 March, following the 296th Ministerial Council.
Interviewed by EUROPE at a press briefing, Mr Aschbacher confirmed that he had reshuffled the ESA negotiating team to get the negotiations back on track. He set out an ambitious timetable with a interim agreement expected by the end of April or early May and a possible signature of the agreement by both parties in June.
Mr Aschbacher detailed some of the proposals made recently to break the deadlock in the negotiations: the creation of a ‘joint programme office’ bringing together ESA, the European Commission and the future EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) in the framework of the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), and the establishment of an integrated ESA team within EUSPA and vice versa to facilitate communication on the European Galileo and EGNOS programmes.
The new dynamic, in contrast to the “Wörner” era, as some have pointed out, was also welcomed by Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton in a video intervention on Wednesday 17 March. The two men have also sent a joint letter to the Ministers of the Member States, in which they express their willingness to work together and cooperate further (see EUROPE 12680/13).
Towards a European Space Summit in 2022
Mr Aschbacher indicated at this meeting that he was finalising a document to give a perspective towards 2025 or even 2035. The document should be presented to the press by the end of the month, once the final remarks of the national delegations have been integrated, he said. A draft version has been seen by EUROPE.
Among the priorities presented in the document, a chapter is dedicated to the relationship between the EU and ESA. A key issue is to conclude the negotiations on the FFPA while avoiding any overlap between the activities of the different entities in the framework of the EU space programme. The aim is to ensure more coordination, trust and coherence.
The ESA Director General wants to conduct a comprehensive analysis with the European Commission and the space industry and define Europe’s political ambitions. The ESA Executive intends to prepare an evaluation of the cooperation with the European Commission over the last 30 years. The document states that “de facto” the ESA should be the implementing agency for space programmes decided within the EU framework.
With a view of the conclusions of the Conference on the Future of Europe in 2022, he would like to see a European Space Summit organised in the same year, at the end of which the launch of new flagship space programmes should be officially announced, in addition to Copernicus and Galileo.
Various projects are envisaged: constellation broadband connectivity and/or quantum communication. Another possible project, envisaged by the Director General, is an action in the field of space traffic management.
Other projects include the establishment of a very high resolution rapid response capability in Europe, integrating Earth observation and space-based communication and navigation infrastructures, and the creation of a digital twin of the Earth.
Finally, another ‘grand’ ambition would be to ensure that Europe could participate in a first international interplanetary expedition by requiring the participation of a European woman to walk on Martian soil.
Finally, the Director General’s desire to strengthen the commercialisation of space activities, by creating a true European ‘New Space’, as well as a strengthening of the safety and security pillar in its activities. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)