European Space Agency Approves Landmark €22.1 Billion Budget at Bremen Ministerial Council

The European Space Agency (ESA) has secured an unprecedented three-year budget totaling 22.1 billion euros. This historic decision was finalized during the Ministerial Council meeting held on November 26 and 27, 2025, in Bremen, Germany. This funding level marks a significant milestone, as it is the first time in the organization's 50-year history that the approved financing fully aligns with the agency's official request. Compared to the previous three-year budget approved in 2022, the total funding represents a substantial 32% increase, or a 17% rise when accounting for inflation.

ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher hailed the outcome as a "great success for Europe." He emphasized that this moment is crucial for bolstering European autonomy and leadership in scientific innovation, particularly given the current complex geopolitical landscape. A significant portion of this new financial commitment is earmarked to enhance Europe's resilience in space, formalized through the new initiative, "European Resilience from Space" (ERS). This program, backed by approximately 1.35 billion euros, introduces a new dimension for ESA, which has traditionally operated as a purely civilian organization since its establishment in 1975, by allowing it to engage in projects with defense implications.

The ERS initiative is designed to pool national space assets to develop critical capabilities in areas such as reconnaissance, surveillance, secure communications, and navigation. This directly addresses pressing security requirements. Key projects under ERS will include Iris2, positioned as Europe's answer to satellite networks like Starlink, alongside the Galileo system. These efforts will ensure that defense entities, police forces, and civil protection services maintain access to essential resources. Furthermore, funding for core scientific endeavors saw a notable boost, with the science program receiving 3.8 billion euros, representing an annual growth rate of 3.5% above inflation.

Investment in space transportation has also increased, rising to 2.8 billion euros. This allocation will support the strengthening of the Ariane 6 and Vega-C launch vehicles and facilitate the completion of the Space Rider reusable spacecraft development. For Earth observation, the FutureEO program has been allocated 2.7 billion euros, which includes funding for the development of the second generation of Copernicus satellites. The decisions made in Bremen also lay the groundwork for ambitious deep-space missions and ongoing lunar exploration programs.

Funding has been confirmed for the ExoMars mission, featuring the Rosalind Franklin rover, which is slated for launch in 2028 to search for signs of life on Mars; NASA has reaffirmed its commitment to providing the launch service. ESA is also advancing its lunar exploration roadmap, including the development of the Argonaut lander. Director General Aschbacher announced that the first European astronauts participating in NASA's Artemis program will hail from France, Germany, and Italy, with the German astronaut scheduled to be the first European to land on the Moon.

Germany stands out as the largest financial contributor, pledging over five billion euros. France follows with 3.7 billion euros, and Italy contributes 3.5 billion euros. In a related development, the European Investment Bank (EIB) unveiled the Space TechEU program, which, in collaboration with commercial banks, aims to mobilize 1.4 billion euros for space sector companies. Additionally, a letter of intent was signed with Norway to establish an Arctic Space Centre in Tromsø. This substantial financial package, endorsed by representatives from 23 member states, associated, and cooperating countries, underscores Europe's collective resolve to enhance its independence and competitive edge globally. The resolutions passed at CM25 also serve as the initial phase for implementing ESA's Strategy up to 2040, charting the agency's long-term objectives.