A place in space A substantial national budget and a leading position in ESA makes France Europe’s strongest space nation. But can it withstand increasing international competition? The future of France’s space industry, largest among the European Union nations, is beholden to European policy, say its leaders, They warn that the region’s stagnant space budgets will leave the industry in a diminished competitive position if the situation does not change. The warning comes two months before the industry’s largest customer, the European Space Agency, decides its next multi-billion euro budget. “The trend has been flat budgets. It’s a stagnation of...