ESA Director General Proposes €10 Billion Plan for European Independent Human Spaceflight

Josef Aschbacher, Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), has outlined a plan to enable Europe to launch its own astronauts into orbit without relying on foreign providers. The proposal, estimated to cost around €10 billion over the next decade, involves developing a crewed vehicle and a recovery system, which are currently lacking in Europe's space capabilities. This initiative aims to achieve greater autonomy in human spaceflight.