No Test, No Launch — Test Infrastructure as a Critical Strategic Enabler of Europe’s Access to Space

Europe’s aspirations to establish both independent and competitive access to space are, like with any other region, fundamentally tied to access to ground test infrastructure. Extensive hot-fire test campaigns, integrated system verification, etc., are all essential steps in the development and qualification of Europe’s existing and future launch vehicles. And while some key facilities that enable such testing do exist in Europe, such as the Andøya Space Center (ASX) and the Swedish Space Corporation’s (SSC’s) Esrange facility, the European launch vehicle testing ecosystem remains fragmented, with extensive limitations in both capacity and system-level testing availability.

These gaps in Europe’s space infrastructure hinder both the pace of the European space sector’s technical development and also the reliability and frequency of European launch operations. And in the surrounding worldwide context of rapid space industry development and geopolitical evolution, such a bottleneck acts as a significant strategic risk to Europe’s space ambitions.

This presentation offers a concise assessment of Europe’s existing test infrastructure, referencing international benchmarks and recent investments. It highlights the urgent need for coordinated regional political focus and sustained investment necessary to create the infrastructure that meets the demands of the region’s burgeoning space industry. And addressing this challenge can be considered absolutely essential for ensuring Europe’s timely, safe, and sovereign access to space.