Press Release No. 32/2019 IG Metall calls for 1.5 billion euros for the future of space travel

Frankfurt am Main – IG Metall is calling on the federal government to increase the space budget for the ESA Ministerial Council meeting to 1.5 billion euros. “Germany’s important role in international space exploration must be secured by expanding expertise in industry, science, and research. To this end, an increase in the German space budget is urgently needed,” says Jürgen Kerner, executive board member of IG Metall responsible for the aerospace sector, ahead of the ESA Ministerial Council meeting on Tuesday in Frankfurt.

The relevant ministers and representatives of the ESA member states, delegated by their respective governments, will decide on the budget for European space programs for the next three years on November 27 and 28, 2019, in Seville, Spain. IG Metall expects the Ministerial Council meeting to set a decisive course for the German space sector.

“Space represents the future and security in climate and disaster protection. Successful research into climate change also depends on the space budget,” says Kerner. For example, satellite-based comparative data is necessary to reliably analyze the melting polar ice caps and the composition of glacial ice. Data from space is also used in Earth observation and weather forecasting. “Furthermore, other major industries benefit from investments in the space industry,” emphasizes the union representative. Innovative space technologies are used in automotive and mechanical engineering as well as in medical technology.

In light of the looming job cuts, Kerner calls on the federal government to honor its commitments regarding the Ariane-6 launch vehicle and to consistently continue developing the program. “The long-term viability of German sites must not be jeopardized,” says the union representative.

Background information for editorial offices:

European Space Agency (ESA)

The European Space Agency, headquartered in Paris, was founded in 1975 to better coordinate European space activities and to enable Europe to compete on an equal technological footing with the spacefaring nations of the Soviet Union and the United States. It has 22 member states and an annual budget of €5.3 billion (2018).

ESA Council of Ministers Conference

The ESA’s highest governing body is the Council of Ministers. All ESA members and partners participate in the biennial conference. There, future programs and their funding for the next three years are decided, and new partners and members are admitted upon application.