Europe's Paradigm Shift: Reusable Spaceships and Strategic Autonomy in Spaceflight

The European Space Agency (ESA) and European spaceflight are undergoing a paradigm shift, with a focus on competition and commercial input. The ESA Council has announced two major projects: a competition for new launch vehicles to follow Ariane 6 and Vega-C, and the development of a new cargo vehicle for transport to and from the International Space Station (ISS) by 2028. The ESA aims to rectify the current "European launcher crisis" and increase cost-effectiveness and resilience. The agency will serve as the anchor customer, and the joint implementation of these projects will be prepared for the next Council Meeting in 2025.