France to Invest More Than $9Bln in Space Industry Over Next 3 Years - Prime Minister

PARIS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2022) France plans to invest over 9 billion Euros ($9 billion) in the space industry on the next three years, Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Sunday.

"In total, France is going to invest more than 9 billion euros in the space industry over the next three years for research and (development of) our space industry," Borne said at the International Astronautical Congress.

The space industry plays a key role in the fight against climate change, since many changes are tracked by satellites, according to Borne. Additionally, space industry is important for the digital sphere to ensure the proper work of the geolocation systems and the internet.

The French Prime Minister also noted that space is becoming a "confrontation field" and the process of its militarization is underway. That is why Europe should use the space industry achievements to "preserve strategic autonomy in situation assessment, decision-making and operations," as well as to "protect the national interests," Borne noted.

Europe should maintain the autonomy of access to space and not depend on other countries for launching rockets and satellites, Borne said.

In addition, the prime minister noted the importance of multilateral cooperation within the framework of the European Union, bilateral cooperation between space-faring powers and cooperation with space agencies.