Galileo, Copernicus, Cleansky, IRIS² must work together to secure Europe's place in the space race

• The article discusses the importance of cooperation among European space programs, including Galileo, Copernicus, Clean Sky, and IRIS², to achieve sovereignty in space. These programs are part of a new space race where Europe must rely on collective effort rather than national competition.
• The European Space Agency (ESA) plays a crucial role in managing this coopetition, acting as a centralizing function that facilitates knowledge sharing and technical compatibility among competing organizations.
• The European space sector is facing increasing competition but also greater interdependence, with the largest industrial players needing to collaborate on projects like the Harmony mission and VORTEX-S. This collaboration is essential for Europe to maintain its technological sovereignty and avoid relying on non-European systems.

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