Key facts
- Several US space companies, including SpaceX and Blue Origin, withdrew from a French space summit.
- The White House OSTP advised US firms that attending the summit might not be in their best interests.
- Concerns centered on potential French and European policy proposals regarding spectrum sharing.
- US officials warned that companies might face pressure to endorse unfavorable policy positions.
Several prominent US space companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, K2, and Starcloud, have withdrawn from a high-profile French space summit organized by President Emmanuel Macron. The decision followed advice from an official with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), who led a call with the companies late last week.
Macron had announced plans for the "Space Summit" during a speech in June 2025, aiming to consolidate French and European strategy in space and mobilize global partners. The summit, initially planned for spring 2026, was later rescheduled for the fall. As companies received invitations, their government relations officials contacted the OSTP with questions about the summit's nature.
US officials grew concerned that the event was not a standard industry trade show but might involve policy prescriptions on contentious issues like spectrum sharing. They believed that European space officials could potentially adopt policies detrimental to US companies. Consequently, the OSTP advised US firms that attending might not be in their best interests, warning they might not be treated fairly and could be pressured to endorse policy positions that misrepresent their preferences.