Germany has emphasized Europe’s indispensable contribution to American space exploration efforts, highlighting the deep technological interdependence between the United States and Europe at a time of growing geopolitical and technological competition.
Speaking to Politico on the sidelines of the VivaTech trade show in Paris, German Space Minister Dorothee Bär stated that Europe provides critical technologies that are essential to major US space missions.
“Germany and Europe provide critical key technologies,” Bär said. “That is why we can confidently say: without us, it cannot be done.”
The minister pointed to the European Service Module (ESM), a vital component of NASA’s Orion spacecraft, as a key example of Europe’s contribution to the United States’ lunar ambitions. According to Bär, the module’s role is so significant that NASA would be unable to carry out its planned missions to the Moon without it.
“Without the European Service Module, the United States would not be able to fly to the moon,” she said.
NASA itself describes the European-built service module as the Orion spacecraft’s “powerhouse,” providing electricity, propulsion, thermal control, air and water support. The module is assembled in Bremen, Germany, under a program led by the European Space Agency (ESA).
Bär also highlighted the contribution of German technology firm Jena-Optronik, which manufactures star trackers used by Orion to determine its orientation in space.
While stressing the importance of transatlantic cooperation, the German minister also warned against overlooking strategic competitors in the global space race.
“We talk a great deal about the United States. At the same time, we must not overlook the fact that a strong alliance is forming on the other side, consisting of Russia, China, North Korea and Iran. I do not want these countries to win the race in space,” she said.
Europe’s Growing Push for Technological Independence
The comments come amid increasing tensions between Europe and the United States over technological dependence in areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, semiconductors and digital infrastructure.
European leaders have intensified efforts to reduce reliance on American technology providers, particularly following recent policy decisions by the Trump administration. Concerns have grown across European capitals that access to critical US technologies could become vulnerable to political or economic disputes.
In response, the European Commission has unveiled a broad “tech sovereignty” strategy aimed at strengthening Europe’s technological self-sufficiency. The initiative seeks to expand domestic capabilities in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, semiconductor manufacturing and digital infrastructure.
At the centre of the strategy is a proposed Cloud and AI Development Act designed to accelerate the growth of European data centres and triple the bloc’s computing capacity over the next five to seven years. The legislation would also encourage the development of sovereign European cloud and AI services while requiring governments to conduct “sovereignty risk assessments” to identify vulnerabilities and viable European alternatives.
The initiative is expected to benefit major European technology firms such as SAP, Mistral and OVHcloud. Currently, more than 70 percent of the European cloud market is controlled by US-based technology giants Amazon, Microsoft and Google.
American companies have sought to reassure European customers about data security and service continuity. Microsoft, for instance, has stated that it would challenge any US government directive requiring it to suspend cloud services for European clients.
As Europe pushes for greater technological autonomy, Germany’s message underscores a broader reality: despite growing competition and strategic divergence, the United States and Europe remain deeply interconnected in critical sectors ranging from space exploration to advanced technology.
