SpaceX, Blue Origin skip Paris space summit

SpaceX and Blue Origin are among four US companies that have cancelled their attendance at a Paris space summit next week, France's higher education, research and space ministry said.

The ministry said Stoke Space and Starcloud also pulled out of the September 9-10 meeting.

A ministry spokesperson said it was “hard not to link it to the rumours of pressure,” after Politico reported that the White House was pressing American space firms to avoid the summit.

Politico reported that a White House official told companies including SpaceX, Stoke Space, K2 Space and Astra that attending the two-day event could look like tacit support for European Union policy positions. Politico cited three anonymous sources familiar with a private call.

Politico also reported that the official said France had not coordinated with the United States on the summit, accused France of anti-competitive practices and suggested the event's panels might not include the American perspective or could diminish US industry efforts.

The White House did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Philippe Baptiste, France's minister of higher education, research and space, had said earlier that he was unsure of the accuracy of Politico's report but wrote on X that America was welcome and wanted at the summit. He said US companies, scientists, NASA, NOAA and the US administration were welcome.

The summit, co-chaired by France and Germany, is scheduled to be held at the Grand Palais in Paris and is expected to bring together leaders from around 120 countries to discuss challenges linked to the use of outer space.