The European Space Agency (ESA) is negotiating with NASA to secure astronaut participation in lunar surface missions following the U.S. agency's decision to prioritize Moon base construction over the Gateway orbital station, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher confirmed on April 2, 2026.
NASA's revised strategy leaves Europe's previously agreed-upon Gateway astronaut flights in limbo, with three ESA astronauts originally slated for lunar orbital missions. Aschbacher emphasized the urgency of redefining collaboration terms during discussions with NASA leadership, stating: "The goal is to have Europeans walking on the moon."
The development follows Wednesday's successful Artemis II mission launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Center, which sent three American and one Canadian astronaut on a lunar flyby. While Japan's space agency (JAXA) maintains its scheduled astronaut mission ahead of European counterparts, Aschbacher stressed Europe's ambition to develop independent human spaceflight capabilities alongside international partnerships.
ESA remains committed to contributing existing Gateway components while adapting to NASA's new priorities. The agency's leadership views 2026 as a pivotal year for determining Europe's role in crewed lunar exploration and technological autonomy.
