Germany remains the largest contributor to the European Space Agency (ESA), providing a record €5.4 billion. Research Minister Dorothee Bär described the move as a milestone for the agency: “This ensures sovereignty in space, strengthens competitiveness, and adds value to the German economy – in space travel and beyond.” The ESA announced that under NASA’s Artemis program, a German, a French, and an Italian astronaut are expected to travel to the Moon within the next few years. Currently under consideration are geophysicist and volcanologist Alexander Gerst and materials scientist Matthias Maurer, both active ESA astronauts. Maurer stated: “The Moon is a great dream for every astronaut.” The planned mission highlights Europe’s strong role in space exploration. As ESA is part of the Artemis program, three seats have been allocated to its astronauts for lunar missions.
Sources - Agencies
