Keith’s note: there are some blatant truths in this piece “Are we pilots or are we passengers?“ by ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher. The same growing distrust in Europe with regard to the U.S. and NATO is now expanding into NASA/ESA relations. It’s our own fault folks. This is no way to treat our friends. We can fix this. Just sayin’.
- “Recent changes to the Artemis architecture by the United States signal a rapidly shifting landscape in human space exploration. Decisions to pause Gateway and cancel Mars Sample Return disrupt Europe’s lunar exploration plans, underscoring a broader reality: Europe has become too exposed to decisions beyond its control.“
- “Europe must decide whether it prefers to be dependent on others to send its explorers into space or to assume its role as a fully capable space power. As the head of the European Space Agency (ESA), I am convinced that autonomous human spaceflight is not a luxury. It is a necessary anchor for Europe to secure its freedom to unlock the scientific, economic, strategic and geopolitical benefits of space and to inspire a new generation to shape Europe’s future.”
Well, what did you expect? Isaacman is a member of the current administration, and dissing our allies seems to be a requirement for anyone with a seat at the table.
You are correct. What troubles many is the expectation that the US carry the cost burden for these countries similar to what NATO EU countries had been doing until the Trump administration is holding them accountable for their fair share of the cost as agreed to. Re-establishing “normal” is painful and tumultuous but necessary for all of our institutional survival.
Have any sources for those numbers? I’m looking at ESA budget breakdown, I see no mention of US subsidies.
Er, those are NASA missions… which if anything ESA subsidized. So you’ve got nothing… I see you’re just trolling. Have fun.
Calm down.
And folks we work with voted for this….