Europe to develop commercial space capsule

A robotic capsule to carry cargo to and from the International Space Station is to be developed under a competition run by the European Space Agency.The initiative marks a big shift in the way Esa has traditionally run its projects.

If the endeavour is successful, the company behind the new capsule may be asked to upgrade it so it can also carry Esa astronauts into orbit, again on the basis of a commercially contracted service. This is how entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX company emerged. His Californian firm has since become the dominant supplier to Nasa of space transportation services. The US agency purchases seats in SpaceX capsules to get its astronauts to and from the ISS, and contracts SpaceX rockets to send science missions far beyond Earth.

"Public money is needed to start these kinds of competitions, but then that attracts investors to put money in through private companies," she commented. Esa member states have taken measures, at considerable cost, to try to put these projects back on track, but there is a recognition that the current malaise must not be repeated in the decades ahead.

"All 22 member states of Esa have agreed that we have to change how we procure the launchers of the future," Dr Aschbacher said.

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