First Int'l Space Summit opening in Paris marred by U.S. no-shows-Xinhua

An exhibit is seen during the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Sept. 9, 2026. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

PARIS, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives.

Initiated by French President Emmanuel Macron and co-organized by France and Germany, the two-day summit is expected to attract around 2,000 participants. Discussions will focus on science and space exploration, including exploration of Mars, ocean observation and space research; the global space economy, including access to space, connectivity, industrialization and European competitiveness; and space security and governance.

However, the event had been overshadowed by transatlantic tensions before its opening, with major U.S. space companies canceling their participation. French daily Le Monde reported that space giants Blue Origin and SpaceX, as well as Stoke Space and Starcloud, had withdrawn from the summit.

Politico previously reported that the White House had pressured U.S. space companies to skip the summit on the grounds that their attendance could look like tacit support for European Union (EU) policy positions.

Xavier Pasco, director of the Foundation for Strategic Research, said Wednesday in an interview with Belgian public broadcaster RTBF that the absence of the major U.S. companies was politically influenced, as the EU is preparing its Space Act. The new legislation will establish a framework for the governance of space activities, and the United States also wants to have a say in the new rules.

"There is therefore an aspect of symbolic confrontation," Pasco said.

"Space is affected by the upheavals of geopolitics," said French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, Macron's special envoy for the summit, in an interview with French television channel TF1 on Tuesday.

Against this backdrop, European cooperation will also be a major theme at the summit. "We must succeed in becoming more integrated as Europeans," Pesquet said, adding that "we need sovereign access to space and a real European strategy."

However, the summit has also been marked by the non-attendance of German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who had been scheduled to co-chair the event with Macron. French news channel BFM TV, citing a spokesman for the German government, reported that Merz's busy schedule had left him "no room" to attend.

According to Le Monde, a space-related component of around 60 billion euros (69.78 billion U.S. dollars) should be included in the EU's next financial framework for 2028-2034. While France wants the funding to be accompanied by a European preference in procurement and other criteria, Germany is disputing some of these proposals and wants its start-ups to have the autonomy and freedom. ■

Visitors check an exhibit during the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Sept. 9, 2026. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

A visitor passes the logo of the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Sept. 9, 2026. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

People gather during the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Sept. 9, 2026. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

This photo taken on Sept. 9, 2026 shows the scene of the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

A visitor checks exhibits during the International Space Summit at the Grand Palais in Paris, France, Sept. 9, 2026. The first International Space Summit opened Wednesday in Paris, bringing together heads of state and government, scientists, astronauts and industry representatives. (Xinhua/Wu Huiwo)

(260909) -- CUPERTINO, Sept. 9, 2026 (Xinhua) -- People look at Apple's first foldable smartphone, iPhone Duo, at Apple Park in Cupertino, California, the United States, Sept. 9, 2026. U.S. tech giant Apple on Wednesday unveiled its first foldable smartphone, iPhone Duo, along with the iPhone 18 Pro lineup, new Apple Watch models and AirPods at a product launch event held at Apple Park, its headquarters in Cupertino, California. (Xinhua/Wu Xiaoling)