Insider Brief
- The European Space Agency Council has approved a preliminary budget of €7.7 billion for 2025, a slight decrease from the €7.79 billion allocated for 2024.
- The budget comprises €4.8 billion in contributions from ESA member states, €1.7 billion from the European Union, and €1.2 billion from other sources.
- Although the preliminary figure suggests a €200 million reduction compared to the previous year, ESA expects the finalized budget to exceed the 2024 total.
The European Space Agency (ESA) Council has reportedly approved a preliminary budget of €7.7 billion for 2025, reflecting a slight decrease from the €7.79 billion allocated for 2024. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher announced the figure during a media briefing on December 18 following the agency’s 330th Council meeting.
The budget comprises €4.8 billion in contributions from ESA member states, €1.7 billion from the European Union, and €1.2 billion from other sources. A more detailed breakdown of the allocations will be provided during the DG’s annual press briefing, scheduled for January 9, 2025.
Although the preliminary figure suggests a €200 million reduction compared to the previous year, ESA expects the finalized budget to exceed the 2024 total. Contributions from some Member States, particularly the UK, are pending parliamentary approval. ESA Director of Internal Services Marco Ferrazzani noted that once these funds are confirmed, the budget “will probably be larger than that of 2024.”
In 2024, Earth Observation received the largest share of ESA funding at 30.5%, followed by Navigation (13.5%) and Space Transportation (13.3%). Germany contributed the most funding among member states with €1.17 billion, trailed by France (€1.05 billion) and Italy (€881 million).
The 2025 budget will support ongoing ESA programs and initiatives, many of which are set to be presented for adoption at the ESA Ministerial Council Meeting in late 2025. Key agenda items include the next phase of the Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Cargo Return initiative, the European Launcher Challenge, and a revised geo-return policy designed to boost Europe’s competitiveness in the global market.
Image credit: ESA
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