Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The European Union will launch an aggregation platform for space launch services in the next two years as it attempts to increase its competitiveness and independence in the sector of space.
European Union defense and space commissioner Andrius Kubilius, at a conference in Brussels, said this platform will bring together information and demand for space launches in Europe.
The platform will unify information on European demand for space launches, thus helping to better coordinate and optimize the industry. This is further by the EU in consolidating its space market status, especially in light of competitions from other mighty powers like the United States and China. This platform will assist key EU programs in space programs, such as the Galileo satellite navigation system and the Copernicus Earth observation program.
What role does the EU play in space competitiveness?
The European Union has made several critical moves over the past several years. It is committed to gaining competitiveness and independence in the global space sector.
In 2021, the EU created the European Union Agency for the Space Programme, replacing the former European GNSS Agency, whose missions were now expanded. This agency is dedicated to satellite navigation, Earth observation, and telecommunications, focusing on using synergies within the EU space community to better enhance service delivery and innovation.
The European Space Policy was also founded in 2007, uniting the approaches of the European Space Agency (ESA) and EU member states towards space activities. To this end, this policy established a common framework for cooperation and strategic planning in space exploration, technology development, and applications.
Much has been put into reliable launches like Ariane 6 and Vega C for that purpose, building up capabilities such as for European satellite communications and Earth observation programs and space missions for research.
