Space agency’s talks on renewed EU agreement ‘stuck’ says head

Agency countries vote to extend previous agreement to keep programmes on track

Talks between the European Space Agency and the European Commission on a renewed agreement under which Esa would continue to provide services for the EU’s €13 billion space programme “have been stuck for a while”, the agency’s head Josef Aschbacher has said.

Speaking after a 17-18 March meeting of Esa’s 22 member countries, Aschbacher (pictured), who took over as head of Esa on 1 March, said he had set up a new team “to negotiate almost day and night” with the Commission on outstanding issues in the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement for 2021-27—the same period as the overall EU budget.