Paris Space Summit Proceeds as US Firms, Key European Leaders Stay Away
France hosts a major space summit in Paris, seeking to bolster European autonomy, despite US firms and several European leaders declining to attend.
France is moving forward with a major international space summit in Paris this week, aiming to strengthen Europe's position in the global space race, even as several high-profile participants have pulled out.
The two-day event, held at the Grand Palais, was designed to bring together decision-makers, corporations, and scientists from around 120 nations, including the US and China, to discuss cooperation and regulation. However, the gathering has been overshadowed by the absence of key figures.
Four American space companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, have withdrawn from the summit. Sources indicate that White House concerns over a perceived pro-European agenda led to their decision. The absence of these US giants is a blow to an event intended to showcase global collaboration.
The summit has also seen a lower-than-expected turnout from European leaders. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose country is officially co-chairing the event, will not attend due to scheduling conflicts. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has also confirmed her absence.
This diplomatic friction highlights a growing divergence in European space policy. France is championing greater autonomy for Europe, while Germany appears more open to continued cooperation with SpaceX, which currently dominates the commercial launch market. The two nations also differ on satellite communications, with France backing the EU's IRIS² constellation and Germany pursuing its own secure network.
Despite the notable absences, organisers are downplaying the gaps, noting that around 2,000 delegates are expected. The event is not designed to produce formal decisions but will focus on broad declarations regarding space traffic management and access to scarce orbital frequencies.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech. The summit is also expected to serve as a platform for commercial announcements, similar to the billion-euro deals unveiled at a French AI summit last year.
France, historically Europe's leading space power, is seeking to reassert its influence, though Germany has now overtaken it as the top contributor to the European Space Agency (ESA). ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher noted that Europe invests roughly five times less than the US in space, and the agency is developing proposals to end Europe's reliance on US rockets for human spaceflight. Security concerns in space are also expected to be a major topic of discussion.