Four American companies cancel their participation in the Paris International Space Summit

A highly political absence which will not go unnoticed in the city of lights. Four American companies, including the giants Blue Origin and Space X, have canceled their participation in the International Space Summit organized in Paris on September 9 and 10, AFP learned Thursday from the French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space. “It is difficult not to make a connection with the rumors of pressure that the press echoes. We obviously want to continue working with our American partners and allies, even if strategic reversals and political pressures sometimes make the task unnecessarily complex,” said the ministry.

In addition to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Elon Musk's Space When contacted by AFP, the Blue Origin and Space X groups did not immediately respond.

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Pressure from the White House

According to the American media Politico, the White House pushed American space companies not to participate in this summit wanted by French President Emmanuel Macron. “The Trump administration continues to collaborate with its space allies and partners. We look forward to productive conversations at the Space Summit on critical priorities, including science missions, exploration programs and space security,” responded an official from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Politico reported a phone call between a White House office and several space companies, including SpaceX, in which "it appeared that the (US) administration was discouraging participation in the event" in Paris, arguing that it "could be seen as tacit support for the European Union's policy positions." The American site said it relies on three sources, of which it preserves anonymity, two linked to space companies and one operating in the political sphere.

According to these sources, a White House official claimed during the telephone exchange that “France had not coordinated with the United States, accused the country of “anti-competitive practices” and suggested that the workshops had not been designed to include the American perspective,” Politico wrote.