France and the United States vowed on Wednesday to continue strengthening their space cooperation, particularly on issues of exploration and climate, during a visit by Emmanuel Macron to NASA headquarters in Washington, along with US Vice President Kamala Harris.
Emmanuel Macron, who has been on a state visit to the United States for several days, referred in particular to the US program to return to the Moon, Artemis, whose first unmanned test mission has just taken off, with the participation of the Agency European Space Agency (ESA).
Emmanuel Macron promotes Thomas Pesquet
“We really want to participate,” he reaffirmed, before adding with a smile, causing Kamala Harris to laugh: “It is very important to us. You can propose to the French leader that he fly to the Moon quite quickly,” he said in a clear allusion the French astronaut Thomas Pesquet, present at his side during the visit.
Also in terms of space exploration, the two countries are also collaborating through ESA on the new James Webb Space Telescope, the first observations of which have already shaken our understanding of the Universe.
Regarding the climate, the French president mentioned the takeoff scheduled for December 12 of the SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) mission, a satellite developed in partnership with the French CNES, which aims to observe the levels of oceans, lakes and rivers. .’Water.
“We have come a long way”
“We are very proud to be working with France,” said Kamala Harris, who chairs her country’s National Space Council.
“Les États-Unis et la France collaborate on spatial exploration after more than 60 years. During this period, we are making great advances, but well with our égards, we begin a new voyage ensemble”, according to the vice-president from United States.
During a visit by Kamala Harris to Paris last year, the two leaders decided to “launch a strategic dialogue on space,” recalled the French president.
“I really believe that space is a new place of conflict,” he added. The two leaders thus stressed the importance of developing new “standards” of conduct in space.
France joined the US-sponsored “Artemis accords” in June, a series of principles intended to govern the use of deep space by different nations. On Tuesday, France also pledged, like the United States earlier this year, not to test anti-satellite missiles, which generate space debris that can then threaten orbiting ships and satellites.
Source: BFM TV
