Poland’s Camila constellation will boost the local ecosystem, but the impact of a parallel defence project is less certain

At an EU Council meeting, space ministers highlighted the important role the sector can play in the competitiveness of European industry

A more joined-up approach across EU and national funding schemes is needed if the sector is to be climate neutral by 2050

With the Ariane 6 rocket four years late and Russia’s Soyuz off-limits, Europe has no guaranteed access to space. Competition commissioner Thierry Breton pledges to change that in the next EU space programme

As the first private mission to deliver instruments to the moon for NASA crashes back to earth, ESA gives further details of its plan to work with industry to develop an independent cargo return vehicle

With Europe’s launchers in crisis, a ‘paradigm shift’ in its relationship with industry will see the agency copy NASA in adopting a new procurement model in which it no longer owns and operates its own space vehicles

More investment will ensure Europe takes a share of the future space economy, Josef Aschbacher, told MEPs. The ambition is to see ‘European astronauts, on a European capsule, on a European rocket’

Moves to police the afterlife of satellites will open up the market for in-orbit servicing and removal. Meanwhile, the increasing risk of collisions is inspiring development of new space debris monitoring technologies

The race is on to be the first to launch a satellite from a base in Europe, but private space start-ups are finding it hard to get the investment they need for lift off -  and to build a competitive EU sector