President Emmanuel Macron hosts international space summit in Paris as several major US space companies withdraw

During the summit, President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the European Space Agency’s next private astronaut mission, PAM-6, which will feature the first Greek astronaut, Adrianos Golemis, in 2027. He also highlighted a major deal between Amazon Leo and Arianespace, noting that Amazon Leo is renewing its trust in the European provider with six additional launches. However, the summit faced diplomatic tension as several prominent US space companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2, and Starcloud, withdrew from the event. The White House pressured these companies to skip the meeting, warning that attending might result in them being forced to endorse policy positions that do not align with US interests. The administration announced that these companies were advised to skip the summit to avoid being treated unfairly by European policy prescriptions. This move reflects a broader effort by the administration to maintain US dominance in the space market while navigating complex relationships with and with traditional allies.