Incoming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has pledged to secure a lunar mission for a German astronaut as part of his coalition agreement with the Social Democrats (SPD), according to Euractiv.
The agreement, finalised on 9 April 2025, commits to boosting funding for the European Space Agency (ESA) and supporting a North Sea floating launch pad, yet Europe currently lacks both a crewed lunar programme and a confirmed seat on NASA’s Artemis missions.
Japan secured the first non-US Artemis slot in 2024, leaving European astronauts, including Germany’s Alexander Gerst and Matthias Maurer, competing for future opportunities. Both veterans of the International Space Station have trained at Cologne’s LUNA facility, but face stiff competition from France’s Thomas Pesquet and Italy’s Samantha Cristoforetti, who enjoy strong political backing.
Merz’s coalition plans to consolidate Germany’s fragmented space governance under a new Ministry for Research, Technology and Space, a move aimed at strengthening Berlin’s voice in international forums. Currently, Europe’s largest space investor (contributing €3.5 billion annually to ESA) relies on ad-hoc parliamentary coordination.
However, critics note the absence of concrete funding allocations or NASA partnerships in the coalition pact. With ESA’s ministerial meeting slated for November in Bremen, Merz faces pressure to deliver tangible commitments.
