Overview
- The International Space Summit opened in Paris on Wednesday with about 120 countries represented and notable absences from major U.S. space firms.
- Reported White House private calls prompted SpaceX, Blue Origin and some startups to decline attendance, showing how U.S. government signals can shape commercial diplomacy.
- Arianespace announced that Amazon Leo ordered six additional Ariane 6 launches, increasing Europe’s commercial manifest and freeing capacity for planned 2029–2031 flights.
- President Emmanuel Macron laid out milestones for European capability: a reusable cargo capsule docking within two years, a lunar lander in five years, and a crewed European launch within ten years.
- ESA has warned of a possible shortage of European launchers by 2030, and summit announcements included record funding rounds for reusable capsules and calls for higher public investment to build independent launch and crewed-flight capacity.