White House Pressures US Space Firms to Skip French Space Summit

The White House has pressured prominent U.S. space companies—including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Starcloud, K2 Space, and Astra—to skip the International Space Summit in Paris hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. Charles Powell, assistant director for space and spectrum in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, warned in a late August call that attendance could be seen as supporting EU policies counter to U.S. interests. The boycott comes amid broader tensions regarding the proposed EU Space Act, spectrum allocation disputes involving satellite networks like Starlink and Europe's IRIS², and U.S. concerns over anti-competitive practices. Despite the withdrawal from the summit, several of the same companies are scheduled to return to Paris shortly after for World Space Business Week.

// Background

The diplomatic friction arises as the European Union advances the EU Space Act and pushes for satellite spectrum allocations (such as for the IRIS² network) designed to reduce European reliance on dominant U.S. commercial providers like Elon Musk's Starlink. French President Emmanuel Macron also announced a significant nearly $5 billion increase in military space spending last year, creating lucrative opportunities that U.S. companies would otherwise seek to access.

// Key Developments

• White House official Charles Powell warned companies on August 27 that attending the Paris summit could make them appear as props against U.S. interests.
• Four major U.S. space companies—SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, and Starcloud—notified French authorities they were canceling their participation.
• The summit, scheduled for September 9-10 at the Grand Palais, features attendees from around 120 countries, including expected Chinese officials.
• Underlying tensions involve Washington's opposition to the EU Space Act and Franco-German efforts to prioritize European satellite frequencies over providers like Starlink.
• French officials noted that despite skipping the summit, companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are still expected back in Paris the following week for World Space Business Week.