Space & Satellites
European Nations Approve 22 Billion Euro ESA Budget for 2026-2028
European countries agree on a €22.1 billion ESA budget for 2026–2028, focusing on defense, launch innovation, and exploration programs.
In a decisive move to secure strategic autonomy and bolster competitiveness on the global stage, European nations have agreed to a record-breaking budget for the European Space Agency (ESA). Meeting in Bremen, Germany, in late November 2025, ministers from ESA member states finalized a funding package totaling €22.1 billion (approximately $25.6 billion) for the upcoming three-year period of 2026 to 2028. This agreement represents a significant increase of roughly 30% compared to the €16.9 billion allocated during the previous cycle in 2022, signaling a unified political will to prioritize space capabilities despite economic constraints across the continent.
The substantial financial boost is driven primarily by shifting geopolitical dynamics, specifically the ongoing instability resulting from the war in Ukraine and the intensifying race for space dominance involving the United States and China. European leaders have recognized that independent access to space and sovereign satellite capabilities are no longer optional luxuries but essential components of national security and defense. The decision in Bremen marks a pivotal moment where Europe is attempting to close the gap with its international rivals, particularly in the sectors of launch capabilities and secure communications.
This budgetary expansion also reflects a fundamental transformation in how the ESA operates. Traditionally focused on civilian science and exploration, the agency is now pivoting toward “dual-use” applications that serve both civil and military purposes. By pooling resources, member states aim to overcome the fragmentation that has previously hampered Europe’s aerospace sector, ensuring that the continent remains a Tier-1 space power capable of protecting its interests and infrastructure without over-reliance on non-European partners.
The negotiation process in Bremen revealed a reshuffling of leadership within the European space sector, with significant changes among the top five contributing nations. Germany has reaffirmed its position as the continent’s primary space power, committing €5.07 billion to the new budget. This represents a massive 46% increase from its previous contribution of €3.5 billion. The German government’s willingness to invest so heavily, despite facing tight domestic budget constraints, underscores the strategic importance Berlin places on aerospace leadership and industrial competitiveness.
France and Italy also solidified their commitments, ensuring the continuity of major programs. France increased its contribution by 15% to €3.6 billion, maintaining its strong support for sovereign launch capabilities, particularly the Ariane 6 program. Italy followed closely with a 13% increase, pledging €3.46 billion with a specific focus on Earth observation and exploration initiatives. However, the most dramatic shift occurred with Spain, which has emerged as a major winner in this ministerial council. Madrid doubled its investment, increasing its contribution by 101% to €1.85 billion. This aggressive expansion allows Spain to overtake the United Kingdom, positioning itself as the fourth-largest power in the ESA and the leading investor in the new security constellation.
Conversely, the United Kingdom has scaled back its financial involvement, dropping to fifth place among contributors. The UK pledged €1.71 billion, a 10% reduction from its previous commitment of €1.89 billion. This reduction has had immediate programmatic consequences, most notably the withdrawal of British support for the TRUTHS mission, a “gold standard” climate calibration satellite project that the UK had previously championed. This recalibration of spending highlights the diverging priorities and fiscal realities facing different member states in the post-Brexit landscape.
“When I saw these figures, I couldn’t believe it, I was very emotional… I think this message of Europe needing to catch up… has been taken by our ministers very seriously.”, Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General.
A central component of the new budget is the allocation of approximately €1.35 billion to a new program titled “European Resilience from Space.” This initiative marks ESA’s formal entry into the defense and security domain. The program aims to reduce Europe’s reliance on external data sources for critical intelligence. It includes €750 million for Earth observation systems tailored for security purposes and €250 million for secure connectivity, linked to the European Union’s IRIS² project. Spain’s leadership in this sector, contributing €325 million, indicates a strategic intent to lead Europe’s development of dual-use satellite constellations.
In the realm of space transportation, the ministers agreed to a €4.4 billion budget, a 20% increase intended to resolve Europe’s ongoing “launcher crisis.” With the continent currently lacking independent human access to space and facing delays with the Ariane 6 rocket, this funding is critical. Beyond supporting existing launchers like Ariane 6 and Vega-C, the budget funds the “European Launcher Challenge.” This new competition encourages private companies to develop cargo return vehicles and future rockets, mimicking the commercial model successfully employed by NASA with SpaceX. The program was notably oversubscribed, receiving over €900 million in interest against a lower request, demonstrating a robust appetite for a commercialized European launch market. Scientific and human exploration remains a core pillar, though with mixed outcomes. The science budget was set at €3.79 billion, securing funding for a future flagship mission to Enceladus, one of Saturn’s moons, to search for signs of life. Human and robotic exploration received €2.98 billion. While this sector was undersubscribed by roughly 20% due to the UK’s funding cuts, it confirmed the flight manifest for the Artemis program. The first European astronauts to fly to the Moon aboard NASA missions will hail from the top three contributing nations: Germany, France, and Italy.
The agreement reached in Bremen serves as a “survival” measure for the European space sector, ensuring it does not fall irrevocably behind the United States and China. By securing a 30% budget increase, ESA has bought itself the resources necessary to modernize its infrastructure and adapt to a rapidly commercializing global market. The heavy investment in the “European Launcher Challenge” suggests that Europe is finally ready to embrace private sector competition to drive innovation, moving away from the state-monopoly models of the past.
However, the divergence in funding commitments, particularly the reduction from the UK and the surge from Spain, suggests a changing internal political landscape. As the ESA moves forward with its 2026–2028 roadmap, the challenge will be to execute these ambitious programs efficiently while managing the complex industrial return requirements of its member states. The shift toward defense and security indicates that space is no longer viewed solely as a frontier for science, but as a critical domain for European sovereignty and geopolitical resilience.
Question: What is the total budget agreed upon for the ESA for 2026–2028? Question: Which countries are the top contributors to the new budget? Question: What is the “European Resilience from Space” program?
European Nations Commit to Historic €22.1 Billion Space Budget for 2026–2028
Shifting Power Dynamics: The “Big 5” Contributors
Strategic Pillars: Defense, Launchers, and Exploration
Future Implications for European Autonomy
FAQ
Answer: European nations agreed to a total budget of €22.1 billion (approximately $25.6 billion), which is a roughly 30% increase over the previous three-year budget.
Answer: The top contributor is Germany (€5.07 billion), followed by France (€3.6 billion), Italy (€3.46 billion), Spain (€1.85 billion), and the United Kingdom (€1.71 billion).
Answer: It is a new €1.35 billion initiative focused on defense and security. It aims to reduce reliance on non-European data by funding Earth observation for security and secure connectivity projects.
Sources
Photo Credit: ESA
Space & Satellites
Lockheed Martin Awarded $1.1B Contract for SDA Tranche 3 Satellites
Lockheed Martin secured a $1.1B contract to build 18 Tranche 3 satellites for the Space Development Agency’s missile tracking and defense network.
This article is based on an official press release from Lockheed Martin.
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has been awarded a major contract with a potential value of approximately $1.1 billion by the Space-Agencies (SDA). Announced on December 19, 2025, the agreement tasks the aerospace giant with producing 18 space vehicles for the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer (TRKT3) constellation. These satellites are a critical component of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA), a network designed to detect, track, and target advanced missile threats, including hypersonic systems.
This award represents a significant portion of a broader $3.5 billion investment by the SDA, which simultaneously issued Contracts to Rocket Lab, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris. Together, these companies will construct a combined total of 72 satellites. According to the announcement, Lockheed Martin’s specific allotment of satellites is scheduled for launch in Fiscal Year 2029.
Under the terms of the agreement, Lockheed Martin will deliver 18 missile warning, tracking, and defense space vehicles. Unlike traditional legacy programs that often take a decade to field, the SDA operates on a rapid “spiral development” model, fielding new generations, or “tranches”, every two years. Tranche 3 is particularly significant as it represents the “Sustained Capability” generation, designed to replenish and replace earlier satellites while introducing advanced fire-control capabilities.
The satellites will be manufactured at Lockheed Martin’s SmallSat Processing & Delivery Center in Colorado. The company confirmed that Terran Orbital will continue to serve as a key supplier, providing the satellite buses. This continuation of the supply chain partnership aims to maintain production stability across the various tranches.
A defining feature of the Tranche 3 Tracking Layer is the inclusion of “fire-control quality” tracking. While previous iterations focused primarily on warning and tracking, half of the payloads in this new constellation are designated for missile defense. This means the satellites can generate data precise enough to guide an interceptor to destroy a threat, rather than simply monitoring its trajectory.
“The Tracking Layer of Tranche 3… will significantly increase the coverage and accuracy needed to close kill chains against advanced adversary threats. The constellation will include a mix of missile warning and missile tracking, with half the constellation’s payloads supporting advanced missile defense missions.”
Gurpartap “GP” Sandhoo, Acting Director, Space Development Agency
With this latest award, Lockheed Martin’s total backlog with the SDA has grown to 124 space vehicles across multiple tranches. This reinforces the company’s position as a dominant player in the rapid-acquisition space sector. The SDA’s strategy involves splitting awards among multiple vendors to foster competition and reduce industrial base risk. The $3.5 billion total funding for Tranche 3 was distributed as follows:
Lockheed Martin and Rocket Lab received higher contract values, which industry analysts attribute to the complexity of the defense-specific payloads included in their respective lots.
“Lockheed Martin’s ongoing investments and evolving practices demonstrate our commitment to supporting the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. These innovative approaches position Lockheed Martin to meet the warfighter’s urgent need for a proliferated missile defense constellation.”
Joe Rickers, Vice President of Transport, Tracking and Warning, Lockheed Martin
The awarding of the Tranche 3 contracts highlights a pivotal shift in U.S. defense strategy toward “proliferated” architectures. By deploying hundreds of smaller, cheaper satellites rather than a handful of large, expensive targets (“Big Juicy Targets”), the U.S. Space Force aims to increase resilience against anti-satellite weapons. If an adversary destroys one node in a mesh network of hundreds, the system remains operational.
Furthermore, the explicit mention of “fire-control quality tracks” signals that the PWSA is moving from a passive observation role to an active engagement support role. This is a direct response to the development of hypersonic glide vehicles by peer adversaries, which fly too low for traditional ground-based Radar-Systems to track effectively. The reliance on Terran Orbital for satellite buses also underscores the critical nature of supply chain continuity; as production rates increase to meet the two-year launch cycles, prime contractors are prioritizing established supplier relationships to minimize delay risks.
Lockheed Martin Secures $1.1 Billion Contract for SDA Tranche 3 Tracking Layer
Contract Specifications and Deliverables
Advanced Fire-Control Capabilities
Strategic Context and Industry Landscape
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
Photo Credit: Lockheed Martin
Space & Satellites
Venturi Space Completes Driving Tests for MONA-LUNA Lunar Rover
Venturi Space successfully tests MONA-LUNA lunar rover at ESA’s LUNA facility, validating key mobility and wheel tech for a 2030 Moon mission.
This article is based on an official press release from Venturi Space.
Venturi Space has announced the successful completion of the first driving tests for its MONA-LUNA lunar rover. Conducted at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) newly inaugurated LUNA analog facility in Cologne, Germany, these tests mark a pivotal step in Europe’s roadmap toward autonomous lunar exploration. The rover, designed to be “100% European,” demonstrated its capability to navigate loose regolith and steep inclines, validating key technologies intended for a targeted 2030 mission to the Moon’s South Pole.
According to the company’s announcement, the tests focused on mobility, obstacle traversal, and the durability of onboard electronic systems under simulated lunar conditions. The successful campaign confirms the viability of Venturi’s proprietary wheel technology and sets the stage for further development leading up to integration with the European Argonaut lander.
The testing campaign took place at the LUNA facility, a joint operation by ESA and the German Aerospace Center (DLR) that opened in September 2024. The facility features a 700-square-meter hall filled with 900 tonnes of regolith simulant, volcanic powder derived from the Eifel region, designed to mimic the surface of the Moon. The environment also replicates the unique lighting conditions of the lunar South Pole, providing a high-fidelity testing ground for robotic systems.
Venturi Space reports that the MONA-LUNA rover exceeded initial performance targets during these Test-Flights. Specifically, the vehicle successfully climbed slopes of up to 33 degrees and navigated large rocky obstacles without losing traction. A primary objective was to verify that the rover would not sink into the loose soil, a common hazard in lunar exploration.
A critical component validated during these tests was the rover’s “hyper-deformable” wheel technology. Invented by Venturi, these wheels are designed to absorb shocks and maximize the contact patch with the ground, providing necessary grip on soft, unstable surfaces. Dr. Antonio Delfino, Director of Space Affairs at Venturi Space, emphasized the importance of this validation.
“The main objective… was to validate the rover’s mobility in conditions representative of a lunar surface, with a particular focus on the interaction between its hyper-deformable wheels and a highly realistic regolith simulant.”
Dr. Antonio Delfino, Venturi Space
The MONA-LUNA is engineered to serve as a logistics and exploration vehicle capable of surviving the harsh lunar environment. According to technical details released by Venturi Space, the rover weighs approximately 750 kg, with the capacity to extend to 1,000 kg depending on specific mission payloads. It is capable of speeds up to 20 km/h (approximately 12.4 mph). The vehicle is electrically powered, utilizing solar panels and three high-performance batteries. Crucially, the rover is built to endure the extreme thermal variations of the lunar cycle, with a stated operating range of -240°C to +110°C. It is equipped with a robotic arm for scientific tasks and is designed to carry cargo or, in emergency scenarios, an astronaut.
The development of MONA-LUNA represents a strategic shift toward European independence in space logistics. Currently, much of the global lunar infrastructure relies on non-European Partnerships. By developing a sovereign rover capable of launching on an Ariane 6 rocket and landing via the European Argonaut lander (developed by Thales Alenia Space), Europe is securing its own access to the lunar surface.
This autonomy is further supported by Venturi’s industrial expansion. The company plans to open a new 10,000-square-meter facility in Toulouse, France, by 2028. This factory will employ approximately 150 engineers dedicated to the Manufacturing of the MONA-LUNA, signaling a long-term industrial commitment beyond the initial prototype phase.
While the MONA-LUNA is targeted for a 2030 launch, Venturi Space has outlined an incremental approach to technology validation. Before the full-sized rover reaches the Moon, a smaller “sister” rover named FLIP (FLEX Lunar Innovation Platform) is scheduled to launch in 2026.
Developed in partnership with the U.S. company Venturi Astrolab, FLIP will fly on a commercial mission with Astrobotic. This earlier mission will serve as a “pathfinder,” testing the same batteries and wheel technologies in the actual lunar environment four years before the MONA-LUNA mission. Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space, expressed confidence in the current progress following the Cologne tests.
“Seeing MONA LUNA operate on the legendary LUNA site is a profound source of pride… We know we have only completed 1% of the journey that, I hope, will take us to the Moon.”
Gildo Pastor, President of Venturi Space
The successful completion of these driving tests at the LUNA facility confirms that the foundational mobility technologies required for Europe’s 2030 lunar ambitions are now operational in a relevant environment.
Venturi Space Successfully Tests “MONA-LUNA” Rover at ESA’s New Lunar Facility
Validating Mobility in a Simulated Lunar Environment
Performance of Hyper-Deformable Wheels
Technical Specifications and Mission Profile
AirPro News Analysis: The Push for European Autonomy
Future Roadmap: From FLIP to MONA-LUNA
Sources
Photo Credit: Venturi Space
Space & Satellites
Skyroot Aerospace Sets Launch Window for Vikram-1 Orbital Rocket
Skyroot Aerospace prepares for Vikram-1’s maiden orbital launch in early 2026 from Sriharikota, focusing on tech validation with reduced payload.
This article summarizes reporting by India Today and Sibu Tripathi.
Skyroot Aerospace, India’s pioneering private space technology firm, has commenced final preparations for the maiden orbital launch of its Vikram-1 rocket. According to reporting by India Today, the launch vehicle has been transported to the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, with the company targeting a Launch window within the next two months.
This mission marks a critical transition for the Hyderabad-based company, moving from suborbital demonstration to full orbital capability. While the primary goal is reaching Low Earth Orbit (LEO), company leadership has emphasized that the inaugural flight is primarily a validation exercise for their proprietary technology.
As of mid-December 2025, the first stage of the Vikram-1 rocket has arrived at the spaceport in Sriharikota. India Today reports that integration and assembly operations are currently underway at the launch site. Skyroot co-founder Bharath Daka indicated that all subsystems are expected to be ready within approximately one month, followed by a final round of validation checks.
Based on this timeline, the launch is projected to occur in early 2026 (January or February). This schedule aligns with the company’s rapid development pace following the inauguration of their new Manufacturing facility, the Infinity Campus, in November 2025.
Maiden flights of new orbital class rockets carry significant risk, a reality Skyroot leadership is openly acknowledging. To mitigate potential losses, the rocket will carry a reduced payload. India Today notes that the vehicle will fly with approximately 25% of its maximum payload capacity to de-risk the mission.
While orbital insertion is the ultimate objective, the company has set incremental benchmarks for success. Speaking to India Today, Bharath Daka emphasized that surviving the initial phases of flight would be a major technical victory.
“We will consider the mission a meaningful achievement even if the rocket simply clears the launch tower,” Daka told India Today.
In addition to clearing the tower, the engineering team is focused on the vehicle surviving “Max-Q”, the point of maximum aerodynamic pressure, and successfully executing stage separation. These milestones provide critical data for future iterations, regardless of whether the final orbit is achieved on the first attempt. The Vikram-1 represents a significant leap in complexity compared to its predecessor, the Vikram-S, which completed a suborbital test flight in November 2022. Unlike the single-stage suborbital demonstrator, Vikram-1 is a multi-stage launch vehicle designed for the commercial small satellite market.
The upcoming launch of Vikram-1 is a bellwether event for the Indian private space sector. Following the government’s liberalization of the space industry, Skyroot’s progress serves as a test case for India’s ability to foster a commercial ecosystem parallel to the state-run ISRO. If successful, Vikram-1 will position India as a competitive player in the global small satellite launch market, challenging established entities like Rocket Lab. The decision to lower public expectations by focusing on “clearing the tower” is a prudent communication Strategy, common among launch providers facing the high statistical failure rates of debut flights.
When will Vikram-1 launch? Where will the launch take place? What is the primary payload?
Launch Timeline and Status
Managing Expectations for the Maiden Flight
Defining Success
Technical Context: The Vikram-1 Vehicle
AirPro News Analysis
Frequently Asked Questions
According to current reports, the launch is targeted for early 2026, likely within January or February.
The mission will launch from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota, India.
Specific payload details have not been fully disclosed, but the rocket will carry a reduced load (approx. 25% capacity) to minimize risk during this test flight.
Sources
Photo Credit: Skyroot Aerospace
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