Budget woes for EU’s space programme

Commission ‘not confident’ funding over 2021-27 will match ambitions

Policymakers have pleaded with national leaders not to undermine the EU’s space programme by being tight-fisted with their commitment to the bloc’s 2021-27 budget.

Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative, told the 12th European Space Conference in Brussels on 21 January that space is “a new frontier of global politics”. Space is increasingly “congested, contested and competitive” he warned, citing Russian laser technologies that can blind satellites.