German astronauts Matthias Maurer and Alexander Gerst have urged Europe to cut its dependence on foreign partners for crewed access to space, calling for stronger sovereign capability as the continent plans for life after the International Space Station. Maurer made the remarks during a visit with North Rhine-Westphalia premier Hendrik Wüst at the LUNA lunar simulation facility in Cologne, where the discussion focused on Europe’s long-term role in crew transport and future missions.
The astronauts want Europe to develop its own crew capsule for European astronauts, while continuing cooperation with partners on lunar exploration. Europe currently sends astronauts to orbit on American and Russian vehicles, leaving the region reliant on external systems for human spaceflight. Maurer framed the issue as a strategic one rather than a prestige project, linking it to the need for secure follow-on capabilities once ISS-era access ends and Europe looks beyond low Earth orbit. Gerst backed the broader push for greater autonomy in human spaceflight.