Surprisingly, while Europe knows how to do everything in terms of manned space flight, it still does not have the political will to become autonomous in this area. It is all the more surprising that the low orbit, the LEO-Hub, will become a sort of eighth continent, seat of a new economy with significant human activity. We are taking advantage of the release in bookstores of a book, which wants to sound the alarm to say that it is time for Europe to have an autonomous means of access to space for its astronauts, to summarize the current situation with Philippe Coué, its author.
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At the last interim ministerial meeting, held in Portugal on November 19, on accelerating the use of space in Europe ” The Matosinhos Manifesto », No decision has been taken concerning a possible decision on the green light to a manned flight program which could have been decided at the next ministerial meeting, scheduled for the end of 2022.
A lack of boldness that we regret and that many specialists obviously do not understand. Philippe Coué, in a new work entitled ” Manned space flight, a structuring choice for Europe “, For its part decided to” sound the alarm to say that it is time for Europe to have an autonomous means of access to space for its astronauts “. Surprisingly, since the abandonment in the early 1990s of the Hermes program, which would have allowed Europe to be autonomous in manned flights, theESA has chosen international cooperation – and therefore swap the flights of our astronauts – rather than developing its own manned space transport infrastructure. Since this abandonment, Europe has ” all key technologies available, and generally demonstrated, in Europe », Christophe Bonnal, senior expert in the direction of launchers du Cnes and lead author of a study showing ESA’s ability to carry out manned space transportation system from a suitable version ofAriane 6.
As Philippe Coué points out, “ Europe knows how to do everything in terms of manned space flight. Now you have to decide to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “. Indeed, from Hermes toIXV and from the X-38 to the ARD, without forgetting theATV, of which five copies have been launched, and CTV studies (Crew Transfer Vehicle) and ARV (Advanced Reusable Vehicle), all these programs, have provided access to this skill that few countries have acquired.
This lack of political will is all the more surprising given that the cost of an inhabited program obviously cannot be the excuse that would justify this refusal. It could be carried out between 6 and 10 years at a cost of “only” a few billion euros. The budget of the European Space Agency being limited, the funds allocated to manned flights would necessarily be at the expense of other programs. To limit ESA’s budgetary effort, and therefore the postponement or even the abandonment of programs or projects, it would be ” judicious d‘involve the‘European Union because there is an obvious political dimension to such an initiative », Explained in July 2020 Didier Schmitt, coordinator of the proposal for the ESA Ministerial Council for exploration robotic and human. But, let’s be real. Taking into account the calendar of the European Commission, no initiative of the sort can be decided before at best 2024, date on which will begin the ” discussions on the next multiannual framework program of the‘EU, for implementation in 2028 “, Wanted to clarify Didier Schmitt.
Will the LEO-Hub force Europe to become autonomous in human space flights?
Currently, ESA is satisfied with its policy of international cooperation to fly its astronauts aboard Russian and American vehicles. But, if this policy were justified, perhaps, a few years ago, the situation in orbit bass has changed dramatically and so have the stakes. Ensuring access to it becomes a major economic and geopolitical issue. To understand this change, it is necessary to know that theemergence private players in New Space has resulted in a reduction in the costs of access to space and an increase in the capacity of space systems. As a result, its new players laid the foundations for the economic development of low orbit, also called the LEO-Hub. This privatization of access to space and the use of low orbit now offers commercial opportunities and new activities are possible, so that ESA and Europe can no longer afford not to not be there.
Tomorrow, most of the space activities will take place in low orbit. A situation which should push the ESA and the European Union to reflect on the advisability of having a autonomy access to space for its astronauts, but also its scientists and entrepreneurs. Without this autonomous access to the LEO-Hub, Europe will not be able to discuss as equals with its partners and runs the risk of being marginalized when it comes to negotiating large partnerships and international programs.
As Philippe Coué asserts, he is “ time for Europe to have an autonomous means of access to space for its astronauts “. Given the stakes, we do not ” can wait any longer otherwise you will go to 3e spatial division – and in 3e division at all – while the United States, Russia, China, and India (in 2023), have developed and operate their own vessels and space stations and not just to revolve around the Earth », He concludes.
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