Just Happened! Europe abandons plans to fly with China to go with SpaceX & NASA...

Just Happened! Europe abandons plans to fly with China to go with SpaceX & NASA...

Nearly six years ago the European Space Agency surprised its longtime spaceflight partners at NASA, as well as diplomatic officials at the White House, with an announcement that some of its astronauts were training alongside Chinese astronauts. The goal was to send European astronauts to China's Tiangong space station by 2022.
"We were welcomed as colleagues and friends by the ‘taikonauts’ and the instructors," said European astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti at the time. "Language and cultural differences are obviously a challenge, but also adds value, as we are all focused on the common goal of space exploration."
European astronauts did not fly to the Chinese space station in 2022, however, even though China completed its construction before the end of the year. In fact, Europeans are now unlikely ever to do so, even as the Tiangong facility flies for another decade, or longer, in low-Earth orbit.
During his annual press briefing in late January, Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency, said his focus remains on the International Space Station Partnership with NASA, Russia, Canada, and Japan. "For the moment we have neither the budgetary nor the political, let’s say, green light or intention to engage in a second space station—that is participating on the Chinese space station," Aschbacher said.
Well, what makes their attitudes change? How is Elon Musk's SpaceX related to this?
Expose everything about this in today's episode of Alpha Tech:
In 2017, the Americans really were blindsided by Europe's announcement of the Chinese partnership. It came as the United States was trying to determine its own path forward regarding the space station's lifetime and follow-on projects. At the time, the notion that the station should fly until 2028 or even 2030 was not a universal one among US policymakers.
The Trump administration muddied these waters with a 2018 budget proposal to end the International Space Station in 2026, in order to free up funding for what would become the Artemis Moon program. This effort was quickly beaten back by the US Congress, but European officials could not help but wonder where their astronauts would go in the latter half of the 2020s if the International Space Station was gone.
Just Happened! Europe abandons plans to fly with China to go with SpaceX & NASA...

[gregorysagegreene]

What a [geopolitical] difference 3 years makes!
... 'International [Starship] Rescue'
to saving the day!
- Gwynne must be incredibly busy.

[CTSXY]

EU is finally waking up from their Utopian dream? A common goal with China? ROFLMAO!

[davidboyle]

Once Starship is up and running, it will be capable of sending up components for a space station the likes of which few have even considered. Space football anyone?

[donscheid]

Europe is forgetting SpaceX is a commercial venture that co-operates with NASA, not owned by NASA. SpaceX would have to get approval from whatever country it launches from, which means co-operation with.

[conradnelson]

Elon’s new space station based on starship conveyance and construction will probably be spectacular. I hope he’s working on it and I would love to see some plans.

[johnbeckwith]

Euro's messed up by depending upon Russia for energy and did it again by even considering working with the Chinese. Euro's never seem to realize who their enemy is.

[sinatra]

I believe ISRO is working on some kind manned space mission.
It would be ideal situation for ESA and ISRO to collaborate.

[serronserron]

I would have thought that Roscosmos would have been their most troublesome partner considering their outrageous demands.

[mranonymous]

It is European who request China to join China Space program so no problem if European join or not. China have proved that it can do on its own. If in future European want to join China again hope China will not let European join them.

[timfenton]

Sounds like a case of fair weather friends to me.

[capevancouver]

If only one country militarizes space they then own it for whatever nefarious goal they may ever have.

[duhaneyparkclassics]

Sounds like Balloons caused weather disruptions 😂

[craigpalmer]

esa needs its own program, man rated even

[nickoD]

Kind of naive that CCP wouldn't want to militarize space.

[bdavr]

2035: A SpaceX dragon connects to the Chinese space station. No, wait, how did Dragon get copied? :D lol!!

[bearlemley]

It was such a relief when Trump re energized US efforts to go to the moon after eight years of the previous President crippling NASA’s moon plans. With 100 tons to orbit capability with Starship, designers will have more flexibility in designing new modules and construction methods for new habitats in space.

[El-Ge]

Once his Starship works aka flight to space, Elon may build his own Space Station for tourism dan scientific purpose.

[teddasher]

Guyana not Guinea. Different continents.

[henrypierce]

Now they can go to Elon Musk for supporting launches.

[maninifarmer]

Wonder if SpaceX could build or sell a Crew Dragon to Europe?