Europe weighs €10bn plan to launch its own astronauts ahead of Rome space summit

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By Stefania De Michele

Published on 26/10/2026 -  EURONEWS

Europe is seeking to boost its presence in space and cut technological dependence on other states. The 15 December ESA summit in Rome will shape choices on astronauts, cargo and investment.

Europe wants to stop depending on others to send its own astronauts into space. The next key date for deciding how to do that is 15 December in Rome, when the member countries of the European Space Agency (ESA) will meet to discuss the future of space exploration. On the table are multi-billion-euro investments, new technologies and one strategic issue: ensuring that Europe can reach Earth orbit with its own means, without relying exclusively on services provided by foreign companies.

The summit, officially the Intermediate Ministerial Meeting 2026, comes at a time of transformation in the sector. Member states will have to assess proposals to strengthen Europe’s role in low Earth orbit, prepare for the post-International Space Station era and build the continent’s presence on the Moon, while also looking towards Mars. The aim is not to abandon international cooperation, but to take part in it with greater autonomy.

Ten billion euros to send European astronauts into space

The most ambitious challenge concerns human spaceflight. Today, Europe does not have a fully autonomous system to launch astronauts and bring them back to Earth: for crewed missions to the International Space Station it depends on capabilities developed outside the continent, in particular in the United States.

ESA’s director general, Josef Aschbacher, has proposed investing around €10 billion over ten years to develop a European system capable of carrying astronauts into space and returning them safely. According to the estimates he presented, continuing to buy services from foreign providers could cost European taxpayers about €5 billion over the same period.

These are projections, not funds already allocated: the political and financial decision rests with the member states. The choice, as Aschbacher frames it, is between building up Europe’s own industrial capabilities or continuing to buy services from other operators, with costs and availability that also depend on the commercial decisions of those suppliers.

What is at stake goes beyond transporting astronauts. An autonomous capability would keep a larger share of investment within Europe’s space industry, drive the development of reusable technologies and strengthen the continent’s bargaining power in international programmes.

Ariane 6 and Vega-C: Europe’s renewed access to space begins with its launchers

Autonomy also depends on having reliable rockets that can be launched frequently enough to meet demand. In this field Europe can count on Ariane 6, the heavy launcher developed for institutional and commercial missions, and on Vega-C, designed to place lighter satellites into orbit.

The two launchers are key components of independent access to space. Vega-C, for example, put the FLEX and Sentinel-3C satellites into orbit in September 2026 as part of Europe’s Earth observation activities. The goal is to consolidate launch capabilities and widen opportunities for both public and private customers.

Competition, however, is global. SpaceX has built a model based on frequent launches and reusable rockets, securing a central role in the international market. For Europe, therefore, it is not enough simply to have its own launchers: they must also be competitive in terms of cost, availability and turnaround times.

The challenge also involves new commercial operators. German company Isar Aerospace took a step forward on 5 September 2026, when its Spectrum rocket reached space for the first time, placing five small satellites and an experiment into orbit. The first test flight in March 2025, by contrast, ended after about 30 seconds. The 2026 outcome shows the progress of a European sector in which start-ups are seeking to stand alongside established operators.

Cargo capsules and reusable technologies: the race among European companies

Another piece of the puzzle is the transport of goods to space stations and their possible return to Earth. On 10 September 2026 ESA awarded The Exploration Company a contract worth a total of €760 million for the next phase of the ALADDIN programme, dedicated to developing the Nyx capsule.

The agreement provides €310 million for a demonstration mission and includes a further €450 million for two additional missions, which still have to be confirmed. The aim is to prove Europe’s ability to carry cargo to low Earth orbit and bring it back, starting with a mission to the International Space Station.

The programme marks an important step towards a European commercial service: ESA is not only funding technological development, it is also becoming a key customer for a private company.

At the same time, industry is working on reusable rockets, a technology that can help cut the cost of access to space. This is the context for programmes run by European companies such as France’s MaiaSpace and Italy’s Avio. For the latter, the development of new propulsion and launcher-recovery solutions remains an area to watch, but the results of individual demonstrators and their timelines must be assessed on the basis of official updates.

Italy, the States General to organise the Space Economy

For Italy, the Rome summit comes as the country seeks to strengthen coordination between businesses, research and institutions. The space sector involves major industrial groups, specialist firms, start-ups, universities, research centres and financial operators: a complex value chain in which the ability to work together can make the difference in accessing European programmes and international markets.

In June 2026**,** the cross-party parliamentary group on space chaired by Andrea Mascaretti, launched the States General of the Space Economy. The programme includes twenty events in sixteen Italian regions, with the aim of showcasing aerospace clusters and gathering input from the national production system.

The initiative aims to help define strategic guidelines for the sector. The issue is not only the ability to build satellites or launchers, but also to connect industrial expertise, attract investment and turn innovation into services and economic opportunities.

Life after the International Space Station and the challenge of the Moon

The timetable for European decisions is also linked to changes in human exploration. Under current plans, the International Space Station is due to end operations by 2030, while commercial projects for new low-orbit infrastructure are taking shape. For Europe, securing a role in this scenario means being able to continue carrying out scientific experiments, developing technologies and taking part in future missions without depending entirely on the choices of external partners.

The Moon is the other major objective. The ESA wants to strengthen Europe’s presence through international cooperation and the development of targeted capabilities, viewing Earth orbit and lunar missions as stepping stones towards the exploration of Mars.

On 15 December in Rome, European governments will be asked to discuss the options prepared by the space agency. No single summit is expected to resolve all the sector’s vulnerabilities, but it will be an important step towards understanding which goals states are willing to fund, and on what timescale.

Solar storms around a black hole

Researchers from the Technion Faculty of Physics have discovered that the powerful eruptions occurring in the coronae of black holes are driven by dynamics similar to those of solar storms

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology

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Technion researchers have presented evidence for the existence of solar-storm-like outbursts near supermassive black holes, which can be a million times larger than the Sun or more. The phenomenon was discovered in the vicinity of the black hole in the galaxy NGC 3783 and the researchers’ findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

 

Solar storms are powerful eruptions of X-ray radiation accompanied by winds of charged particles ejected from the Sun’s corona into the solar system, posing risks to astronauts and satellite communications. These Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) originate in the conversion of magnetic energy into kinetic energy through a process called magnetic reconnection. Technion researchers have discovered, for the first time magnetic reconnection eruptions and a CME in the coronae of a black hole.

 

In this study, the researchers monitored X-rays emitted from near the black hole using the XRISM space telescope. The phenomenon they identified near the black hole is known as the “Neupert effect.” It was first discovered on the Sun in 1968 but had never previously been observed around black holes. This means that the same physical processes underlying solar storms also occur in the environments of supermassive black holes.

 

The research was led by Gal Vardi, a doctoral student in the Technion Faculty of Physics, under the supervision of Prof. Ehud Behar, with the participation of researchers from Japan, Europe, and the United States. The observations were conducted using the XRISM space telescope, a joint mission of NASA, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as ESA’s XMM-Newton space telescope.

 

Photo: Gal Vardi

In the accompanying video and diagram: An eruption of solar wind

 

In the link: Flow along magnetic field lines

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/Kigkno5FGn6xnkEmzAqTzR.gif

 

The paper:

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/ae8f44/pdf

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Journal

The Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI

10.3847/2041-8213/ae8f44

Method of Research

Observational study

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Observation of a Solar-like Magnetic Reconnection Event in an AGN Corona with XRISM

 

Your car’s weakest spot may not be in the car

University of Gothenburg

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Srijata Basu, researcher in software engineering at the University of Gothenburg. 

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Credit: Gunnar Jönsson

Modern cars are constantly connected to the outside world. This makes them vulnerable to hackers who want to take control of the vehicle remotely. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology have found that IT vulnerabilities have shifted from the car’s own computer systems to apps and cloud services connected to it.

A car is a computer on wheels. It communicates with the car manufacturer’s cloud services, the driver’s phone and charging stations, and when children stream films in the back seat, data travels over the internet. All these connections can become entry points for hackers into the car. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology studied 413 reported security vulnerabilities in automotive software between 2022 and 2024 and compared them with the previous decade.

“Ten years ago, most vulnerabilities were found in the cars’ own systems. Now the share found in apps, websites and cloud services has nearly tripled. These systems hold data about where you live, where you drive and when, so the risk is not only that someone could interfere with the car, but that they could get hold of information about your life,” says Srijita Basu, postdoctoral researcher in software engineering at the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology.

Driver data in cloud services

A reported IT vulnerability does not mean that a breach has occurred, only that there is a risk of one. In December 2024, it was revealed that data from around 800,000 electric cars from Volkswagen, Audi, Seat and Skoda had been openly accessible on the internet for several months. The data contained precise GPS information and the email addresses, telephone numbers and home addresses of the owners of the cars. This meant that it was possible to see exactly where and when a particular car had been driven. The vulnerability was in the cloud service used by the car manufacturer to upload data from vehicles on the road. The data leak was uncovered by an ethical hacker group after a tip from a whistleblower and was widely reported in the media. The leak was fixed before it was known to have been misused.

“When we compare with the previous decade, we can see that IT vulnerabilities are now most commonly found in apps, websites and cloud services, and that the risks are more often rated as serious and critical. We are surprised by how basic some of the weaknesses in these systems are. They can involve passwords that have not been changed since installation. Hackers can use tried-and-tested old tricks to gain access through a back door,” says Srijita Basu.

Took control of the accelerator and brakes

The car’s audio and media system, commonly known as the infotainment system, is a weak point. Anyone connected to the car’s Wi-Fi network could potentially gain access to the car’s other systems as well if they are not properly separated.

This happened in a test conducted by security researchers to a Jeep Cherokee in 2015. Through the car’s media system, they were able to gain access to other systems in the vehicle and take control of steering, brakes and the accelerator. The new study shows that similar weaknesses still appear nearly a decade later.

“My advice to car manufacturers is to keep systems that control the vehicle strictly separated from infotainment and other connected systems, with strong security around them. They should also learn from the web and IT world, where many of these flaws have been known for years. When the car is constantly connected to the outside world, it also invites the outside world into the car,” says Srijita Basu.

Differences between computer chips

In their review of reported vulnerabilities, the researchers analysed where each vulnerability had originated. Was it in the design of the IT function, in the programming or in the software running on the car’s computer chips? The researchers found that chip manufacturers vary in how well they protect their products against attacks and in how openly they report security flaws. Computer chips from the same manufacturer are often used by several car makers. This means that hackers who have found a back door into the IT system of one car model may be able to use the same method on other cars as well.

“Car owners also have a responsibility to make things more difficult for hackers. It is important to update the software as soon as the car prompts you to do so, and strong passwords are still important. Today we share a lot of personal information with AI assistants for cars, for example when we ask to plan a long journey in an electric car. Like other AI systems, these assistants can be tricked into revealing information they have been given, so it matters what we share with them and what car makers allow them to access,” says Srijita Basu.

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Journal

Software Quality Journal

DOI

10.1007/s11219-026-09787-y

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Article Title

Mapping the landscape of software vulnerabilities in connected vehicles

 

EPND+ launches today, building on five years of public-private collaboration

New European non-profit organization will support existing and future research collaborations in neurodegeneration and beyond, building on the EPND Hub, resources, services and expertise

Alzheimer Europe

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Brussels, 21 October 2026: The European Platform for Neurodegenerative Diseases (EPND) partnership today announced the launch of EPND+, an independent, non-profit organisation that will take forward the infrastructure, resources and expertise developed through the five-year EPND project.

EPND+ was formally launched by EPND co-Lead Niranjan Bose at the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) Forum in Brussels, reflecting EPND’s origins as a public-private partnership established by IHI’s predecessor, the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) 2.

Since November 2021, EPND’s 28 partner organisations have addressed a fundamental challenge in neurodegenerative disease research: Europe has a wealth of valuable research data and biological samples, but these resources are dispersed across studies, institutions and countries, making them difficult to find, access and reuse.

Connecting data and biosamples across studies and countries

EPND’s response to this fragmentation was to develop the EPND Hub, alongside the tools, standards, SOPs and processes needed to support data and biosample discovery, access and sharing.

Today, the Hub connects more than 120 research studies, 126 datasets and 38 biosample collections across 12+ neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It provides a unified gateway to these resources, underpinned by the AD Data Initiative’s AD Workbench, which provides secure cloud-based infrastructure and a growing range of data analysis tools.

The result is a more integrated and streamlined research pathway, from finding and accessing data and biosamples through to secure analysis and new research outputs.

“The EPND Hub is perhaps the clearest expression of what we set out to achieve five years ago,” said Niranjan Bose, Managing Director for Health and Life Sciences at Gates Ventures and EPND co-Lead. “Over the last decade, I have seen how breaking down silos and giving researchers access to the right data, tools and collaborators can accelerate innovation. EPND+ will extend this approach, helping initiatives work across countries and cohorts, with the expertise, data and biosamples they need to address new research questions.”

EPND’s biomarker Case Studies demonstrated this in practice, using samples and data from multiple cohorts and countries to test and refine the infrastructure and processes for sharing. The first three Case Studies used samples and clinical data from 350 participants across ten European cohorts, spanning Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, generating novel datasets that are being shared with the research community through the Hub.

“Developing the Hub has entailed making data discoverable and accessible while respecting different governance and consent requirements,” said Anthony Brookes, Professor of Genomics and Health Data Science at the University of Leicester and EPND co-Lead. “Rather than relying on a single data model or one set of sharing conditions, EPND employs a flexible approach to data sharing, thereby respecting data provider and user preferences, and includes centralised and federated approaches. This flexibility will allow the infrastructure to adapt as research needs and technologies evolve.”

EPND+: sustaining and scaling support for a new generation of research initiatives

EPND+ turns EPND’s five-year investment into a lasting foundation for future research, allowing its infrastructure, resources and tools to be reused, adapted and scaled by new initiatives.

European research initiatives are already building on this foundation. AD-RIDDLE is making research resources discoverable through EPND as it develops approaches for earlier detection, prevention and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. ACCESS-AD, launched in 2026, will use EPND infrastructure to support the discovery and sharing of clinical, imaging, biomarker and real-world data to improve timely diagnosis, treatment and monitoring.

“Sustainability is not simply about keeping the lights on after a project ends,” said Phil Scordis, Head of Data Science and Analytics at UCB and EPND co-Lead. “After many years working with health data, I know that data sharing challenges are not unique to neurodegeneration. EPND+ gives us an opportunity to preserve what we have built, while applying these solutions, expertise and lessons to new research questions, disease areas and collaborations.”

EPND+ will continue to operate and develop the EPND Hub, maintaining the materials created during the IMI funding period, as well as providing infrastructure and tools for data and biosample discovery and sharing. As a European legal entity, it can also partner with new research initiatives to provide adaptable Hub infrastructure and practical data-sharing support, tailored to different research communities and disease areas, rather than requiring them to develop these capabilities from scratch.

“Across IMI and now IHI, Europe has built more than 200 projects around some of our most complex health challenges,” said Niklas Blomberg, Executive Director of the Innovative Health Initiative. “Their strength is not simply in combining investments, but in bringing together expertise, data and capabilities that no single organisation or sector could mobilise alone. EPND+ demonstrates that public-private partnerships can create durable resources for European research, enabling new collaborations, advancing novel science and, ultimately, delivering greater impact for patients.”

The EPND project concludes on 31 October 2026, but its infrastructure, resources and mission will continue through EPND+.

Learn more: (EPND+ https://www.epndplus.org/)

About EPND+

EPND+ is an independent, non-profit European organisation providing researchers with data infrastructure, resources, tools and services to advance research into neurodegenerative diseases and other health conditions. With organisational and technical support from the AD Data Initiative, EPND+ continues EPND’s mission to enable data discoverability and collaboration between researchers.

Funding acknowledgement

The EPND project has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No. 101034344. The Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme and EFPIA.

Disclaimer

This communication reflects the author's view and neither IHI nor the European Union, EFPIA, or any Associated Partners are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.

 

UK sanctions senior commanders as rape still weaponized in Sudan

26.10.2026,  DPA

Photo: Mudathir Hameed/dpa

The UK has sanctioned senior military figures implicated in a campaign of rape related to the conflict in Sudan.

The move targets commanders from both sides of the conflict suspected of sexual violence and other atrocities during the siege of El Fasher, which fell 12 months ago.

UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the perpetrators of crimes against humanity “must be held accountable and support from all external backers to the warring parties must end.”

A total of 15 commanders from both the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have been targeted with a travel ban and asset freeze, with the broader aim of ensuring “the horrors that took place at El Fasher will be known to the world,” the Foreign Office said.

Those subject to sanctions include Hussein Abu Jalak, an RSF colonel linked to atrocities during the siege of El Fasher; and Al-Nour Ahmed Adam, also known as “al-Qubba,” who was identified as present and playing a prominent role in besieging and attacking the city.

The announcement followed the release of UK-funded reporting by the Centre for Information Resilience (CIR) which revealed a campaign of systematic starvation and conflict-related sexual violence against civilians in Sudan.

Miliband said: “The war in Sudan has created a humanitarian catastrophe.

“A year on from the atrocities in El Fasher, UK-funded investigations by the Centre for Information Resilience have shown that rape and starvation are still being weaponized against the people of Sudan.

“These are crimes against our humanity – the perpetrators must be held accountable and support from all external backers to the warring parties must end.

“El Niño may worsen an already desperate situation, but whether famine takes hold is in the hands of the RSF and SAF - they must stop attacking aid convoys and let food reach communities.”

The UK has allocated £5 million ($6.6 million) to support survivors of sexual violence in Sudan, with the funding enabling services including sexual and reproductive health care, maternal health services, psychosocial support, and safe spaces for women and girls.

An additional £10 million package also supports the ongoing response to the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country, which is facing increased risk of famine driven by attacks on markets, health facilities, displacement camps and other infrastructure – as well as obstruction of aid and El Niño-induced drought.

The funding will aim to improve access to clean water and sanitation in displacement sites around Tawila and support essential humanitarian services in El Obeid, also spelt al-Ubayyid, where civilians are facing acute needs.

Hundreds of thousands of civilians were starved during the 18-month siege of El Fasher, which can also be spelt al-Fashir, in West Sudan.

The city, which served as a major agricultural market, fell to the RSF in October 2025.

Civilians were massacred in the aftermath as women and girls were subjected to sexual violence.

CIR reporting, this week, said the tactics used during the siege are still being deployed across Sudan.

This includes drone attacks on civilian infrastructure and humanitarian operations, and the obstruction of aid, with footage showing RSF fighters discussing shutting off water supplies to El Fasher and preventing traders from bringing food into the city.

The CIR described women and girls being abducted, repeatedly raped, and held in conditions amounting to sexual slavery.

The UK has previously issued five previous rounds of sanctions related to the conflict.

(c) 2026 dpa Deutsche Presse Agentur GmbH

 

Zelensky complains of waiting a month for Hegseth's missile sign-off

26.10.2026, DPA

Photo: Cornelius Poppe/NTB/dpa

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has again complained about delays in deliveries of air-defence missiles from the United States and pointed the finger directly at US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. 

"In particular, we have been waiting for almost a month for Mr Hegseth's signature regarding the missiles for Patriots and NASAMS [National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System]," Zelensky wrote on social media on Monday.

US Patriot systems are considered particularly effective at intercepting the ballistic missiles that Russia uses in its war against Ukraine. Zelensky said he had ordered another conversation with the US side.

Ukraine was working with the US, Europe and other partners that had stocks of such missiles, he wrote. He also announced preparations for a Ramstein meeting, also known as the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, in November.

Earlier, Ukrainian Defence Minister Yevhenii Khmara had said Ukraine and its Western allies wanted to discuss further military aid at a new meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.

Zelensky has repeatedly complained recently about delays in deliveries of interceptor missiles. Ukraine has been defending itself with Western help for more than four and a half years against a full-scale Russian invasion.

• Zelensky post on Telegram, in Ukrainian

(c) 2026 dpa Deutsche Presse Agentur GmbH

 

UN report accuses Moscow of war crimes in weaponizing the cold

26.10.2026, DPA

Photo: Michael Kappeler/dpa

Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity, UN human rights officials stated on Monday.

In a report to the UN General Assembly in New York, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine describes years of systematic attacks on heating plants, power lines, gas facilities and other infrastructure.

"The Commission has concluded that the Russian authorities have committed war crimes of intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects and crimes against humanity of other inhumane acts," the report says.

The report notes that thousands of households had to cope without heating last winter, while millions of people were affected by power cuts. It points out that cold has negative consequences for the physical and mental health of the population.

"As a new cold season sets in, the attacks have again intensified and there is serious concern for the life and health of civilians," it says.

The commission, which was set up by the UN Human Rights Council, also accuses Moscow of human trafficking in connection with the recruitment of foreign fighters. "The majority of those recruited have been killed, went missing, while others have also been injured or captured," the report says.

Amnesty International made similar allegations in September.

According to Ukrainian figures, more than 28,000 foreign nationals from over 130 countries have signed contracts with the Russian armed forces since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022.

• Commission of Inquiry

(c) 2026 dpa Deutsche Presse Agentur GmbH