"In total, France is preparing to invest more than 9 billion euros in the space sector over the next three years, for research and our space industry", declared the Prime Minister at the opening of the IAC, which until Thursday brings together several thousand representatives of the world space community.
These "major" investments are part of the space strategy defined by President Emmanuel Macron last February, she underlined.
"The first strategy is to keep with Europe our autonomy of access to space" and for that "we need strong means and cutting-edge research", pleaded Ms. Borne, detailing the ambitions for launchers (Ariane 6), industrial competitiveness, exploration, climate and defence.
The envelope of 9 billion euros includes credits for the space component of the France 2030 investment plan (1.5 billion euros), those for the trajectory of the programming law for research voted until 2030, the "massive" means for the Cnes (National Center for Space Studies) as well as those of the military programming law 2019-2025 (5 billion euros).
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Also included, the next French contribution to the budget of the European Space Agency which will be voted on at the ministerial conference in November in Paris.
France's exact budget will be discussed on this occasion, Matignon was told.
The ESA intends to ask its 22 Member States about 18 billion euros to finance its programs over the next three years.
“It is fundamental to have given this global framing”, reacted to AFP Jean-Marc Astorg, director of strategy at Cnes.
The envelope given by the executive will "allow the entire space ecosystem - Cnes, space industry and scientific community) to find the most effective way to commit credits by the end of the year", he congratulated himself.
After her speech to thousands of delegates, the Prime Minister went to meet officials from Cnes (National Center for Space Studies), host of the IAC, as well as French astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
© 2022 AFP