Can UAE help Europe cut its reliance on US space tech?

So this week ESA director general Josef Aschbacher is in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, working on an ESA UAE partnership that could give Europe new options.The emergence of Elon Musk's SpaceX highlights the extent of Europe's dependence on US space technology.

According to Aschbacher, "In exploration we are very exposed to the US." The political leadership of Europe, he says, is looking for increased independence and self-reliance.

Europe also depends on US vendors to launch its own astronauts into space.The partnership between ESA and NASA, stretching over many years, has deteriorated considerably.

Joint ventures have been scaled down or cancelled, such as Lunar Gateway and Mars Sample Return missions.The UAE sent the first mission to Mars from the Arab world in 2020.

It has several satellites in orbit.

The UAE has also sent two astronauts into space.

However, it is still unable to conduct its own launches.

Moreover, it lacks a satellite navigation system similar to Europe's Galileo or US GPS.Some negotiations concern the potential launch of a lunar rover and a flight of an Emirati astronaut to the International Space Station on the SpaceX rocket under the EPIC programme.

This way, any new cooperation necessarily implies using American equipment.Aschbacher is also scheduled to visit the Loft Orbital joint venture based in Abu Dhabi, which is focused on creating a satellite constellation.

In the long run, the ESA intends to conclude a framework agreement with the UAE.In September, Aschbacher said Europe would need €10bn over the next ten years to strengthen its autonomy in space.

He declined to discuss whether the UAE could invest in projects with ESA.

November 2, 2026.