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Reuters
10-07-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Europe looks to Nordic space race to scale back US dependence
KIRUNA, Sweden, July 10 (Reuters) - Two small spaceports in the far north of Sweden and Norway are racing to launch the first satellites from mainland Europe into space as the region looks to reduce its reliance on U.S. players. U.S. President Donald Trump's "America First" policies and the war in Ukraine have prompted Europe to ramp up its independent capabilities in a variety of areas, including defence and space operations. Amid fears that Elon Musk - Trump's one-time ally - could limit Ukraine's access to SpaceX's 7,000 Starlink satellites that are vital for the country's communications, Europe has been rushing to find alternatives. But there's a mountain to climb. In 2024, the U.S. carried out 154 launches of hardware into orbit, while Europe managed just three. Out of $143 billion in global public investment in space ventures last year, Europe accounted for only 10%, an EU study shows. The trend towards lower Earth orbit satellites - which are cheaper and offer better connections but need to be deployed in larger numbers to maximise coverage - also poses challenges. A Goldman Sachs report estimates that 70,000 LEO satellites could be launched in the next five years, a tenfold increase. "We've lost (in) competition to, let's say, Elon Musk ... and definitely we need to have our (own) autonomous launching possibilities," Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, told Reuters. "That's why the development of launching possibilities on the European continent, both in Sweden and Norway, is very important." Europe's only spaceport is in French Guiana, South America, some 7,000 kilometres (4,350 miles) from Paris. Europe successfully launched its new Ariane 6 rocket from there earlier this year, more than 10 years after it was commissioned and five years later than originally planned. While it can carry a bigger payload per rocket than SpaceX's Falcon 9, Ariane 6 is not reusable and has a higher cost per launch. It is also not nearly enough to meet Europe's commercial and military needs in coming years. That's where the budding Nordic spaceports come in. Situated 200 kilometres above the Arctic circle, near where the borders of Sweden, Finland, Norway and Russia converge, the Esrange Space Centre is unusual in Europe in offering 5,200 square kilometres (2,008 square miles) of uninhabited land. Surrounded by boglands, rivers and with the snow-clad peaks of Sweden's tallest mountain in the distance, Esrange is close to Kiruna, home to one of the world's largest underground iron ore mines, providing ready access to railroads and an airport. The area, more than three times the size of London, is shared only by the spaceport and the reindeer herds of Sweden's indigenous Sami, making it suitable for recovering rocket parts. It has little light pollution and is easy to close to air traffic. "It is unique, having a large land-based area such as the one we have here," said Lennart Poromaa, head of the Esrange Space Center, which has about 130 employees. Esrange, part of the state-owned Swedish Space Corporation, was established in 1964 and launched its first sounding rocket - a research rocket that does not go into orbit - a couple of years later. It was inaugurated as mainland Europe's first orbital launch site by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in 2023. Preparations for orbital launches are well underway, with a new set of bigger launch pads, hangars and research facilities being readied. opens new tab Together with Andoya Spaceport, an island base in northern Norway, it represents Europe's best hope of securing independent access to space in the coming years. Andoya is majority-owned by the Norwegian state, with defence firm Kongsberg holding a 10% stake. In March, Andoya conducted the first test launch of a small rocket made by German startup ISAR Aerospace that can carry a payload of around 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds). It flew for 30 seconds before falling into the sea in what was deemed a success. Daniel Metzler, CEO and co-founder of ISAR, said interest from defence ministries in the last six months had been huge and that ISAR's flights were being filled for the coming years, even before a first successful orbital launch. "Frankly, I think probably the biggest driver was Trump getting elected once again. And as such, Trump probably did more for European defence than any European politician before him. It really created a huge sense of urgency," he said. ISAR is aiming for the first commercial flights to take place next year. Andoya, visited by a NATO delegation this month, has a licence for 30 launches per year. Esrange has not set a fixed target but will also fill an important need for NATO in providing rapid launch capacity. Unlike Andoya, Esrange has opted for existing hardware, signing contracts with U.S. rocket manufacturer Firefly and South Korea's Perigee, giving it multiple potential options. Firefly, which plans to launch from Esrange from 2026, has a rapid response service that aims to be able to send rockets into space at 24 hours' notice to meet urgent needs, such as replacing a failing satellite. "I think Europe needs to look at similar or even more aggressive timelines," a NATO official told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity. All of the rocket suppliers are developing partially reusable rockets, with ISAR's due to be tested at Esrange. But there is much work to do across the board. "You need to get all the technical systems in place and then there will be quite a lot of testing and trialling," said Esrange's Poromaa. "Within a year or so, we'll probably have the entire base ready."
Bloomberg
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Bloomberg
Trump's Golden Dome Creates Opening for Space Force to Gain Relevance
By and Sana Pashankar Save Five years after its formation during President Donald Trump's first administration prompted jokes about the Star Trek-style logo and inspired a Netflix Inc. sitcom with Steve Carell, the US Space Force is still looking for respect. 'Many people don't even understand the Space Force is real,' General Michael Guetlein, the agency's vice chief of space operations, told a Washington area conference in March. 'That was a luxury that we had when space wasn't contested. We no longer enjoy that luxury.'
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Embry-Riddle graduate participated in NASA study about Mars travel
Among the graduates of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide Campus launching the next step in their careers May 31 was at least one who hopes to launch into space someday ― and maybe even head to Mars. Like other graduates set to walk across the stage, Shareef Al Romaithi, from Abu Dhabi, is already in an established career. The Worldwide Campus offers a range of fully online degree programs, which is attractive to professionals. Romaithi, 41, is a captain with Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. But what first drew him to Embry-Riddle was his dream of becoming an astronaut. "I followed the steps of the Apollo astronauts, and so I became an engineer," he said. He graduated Saturday with his master's degree in space operations. He already has a doctorate in aviation and a bachelor's and two master's degrees in aerospace and aviation-related areas. Embry-Riddle expected 465 students to graduate from the Worldwide Campus May 31: 257 undergraduates and 208 graduate students. The commencement ceremony was held at the ICI Center at the Daytona Beach campus. In separate events in May, more than 1,700 students participated in graduation ceremonies for the university's residential campuses in Daytona Beach and Prescott, Arizona. On Saturday, Al Romaithi's wife attended his graduation with him. They have three daughters. While "life took a different path" that led him to commercial flight, he still wants to be an astronaut, he said. His interest in the field prompted him to participate in a NASA study to simulate a journey to Mars, according to Etihad Airways. The study put him and a few others in a "habitat" about the size of a studio apartment for 45 days to study the effects of isolation, limited privacy and limited space on crew performance, he said. Getting to the red planet would actually take seven to 10 months, according to NASA. "They view it (45 days) as the ideal time to collect the necessary amount of data for their own purposes," Al Romaithi said. Despite the cramped quarters and lack of privacy, he described it as a smooth experience. And, if the opportunity to go to Mars ever does come up, Al Romaithi said he's interested. "I mean, if there's a return ticket, then why not?" he said. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Embry-Riddle graduate says he'd be open to Mars visit
CNA
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CNA
China 'seriously concerned' over US Golden Dome defence system
BEIJING: China is "seriously concerned" about the US Golden Dome missile defence shield project and urged Washington to abandon its development, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday (May 21). US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he had selected a design for the US$175-billion project and named a Space Force general to head the ambitious programme aimed at blocking threats from China and Russia. General Michael Guetlein, who will be responsible for overseeing Golden Dome's progress, currently serves as the vice chief of space operations. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, when asked about the project at a regular press conference, said it carries "strong offensive implications" and heightens the risks of the militarisation of outer space and an arms race. "The United States, in pursuing a 'US-first' policy, is obsessed with seeking absolute security for itself. This violates the principle that the security of all countries should not be compromised and undermines global strategic balance and stability. China is seriously concerned about this," Mao said. She urged Washington to abandon the development of the system as soon as possible and take actions to enhance trust among major powers. Trump on Tuesday said that the US Golden Dome missile defence programme should be operational by the end of his second term. "In the campaign, I promised the American people I would build a cutting-edge missile defence shield," Trump said at the White House. "Today, I am pleased to announce we have officially selected architecture for this state-of-the-art system." If implemented, this is the first time the US will deploy weapons in space, capable of intercepting and destroying missiles mid-flight. Golden Dome is envisioned to include ground and space-based capabilities that can detect and stop missiles at all four major stages of a potential attack: detecting and destroying them before a launch, intercepting them in their earliest stage of flight, stopping them midcourse in the air, or halting them in the final minutes as they descend toward a target. "Once fully constructed, the Golden Dome will be capable of intercepting missiles even if they are launched from other sides of the world, and even if they are launched from space," Trump said. "This is very important for the success and even survival of our country." While Trump put the total price at about US$175 billion, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated the cost of space-based interceptors to defeat a limited number of intercontinental ballistic missiles at between US$161 billion and US$542 billion over 20 years. Golden Dome has more expansive goals, with Trump saying it "will deploy next-generation technologies across the land, sea and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors." Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth, speaking alongside Trump, said the system is aimed at protecting "the homeland from cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, hypersonic missiles, drones, whether they're conventional or nuclear". The plan's Golden Dome name stems from Israel's Iron Dome air defence system that has intercepted thousands of short-range rockets and other projectiles since it went into operation in 2011. The United States faces various missile threats from adversaries, but they differ significantly from the short-range weapons that Israel's Iron Dome is designed to counter. The 2022 Missile Defense Review pointed to growing threats from China and Russia. Beijing is closing the gap with Washington when it comes to ballistic and hypersonic missile technology, while Moscow is modernising its intercontinental-range missile systems and developing advanced precision strike missiles, the document said. Russia in January condemned an executive order by US President Donald Trump to build a new missile defence shield, accusing the United States of trying to upset the global nuclear balance and pave the way for military confrontation in space. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the plan was aimed at undermining the ability of both Russia and China to exercise nuclear deterrence. The planned US move would hinder the prospects for talks on nuclear arms, she said.
