歐洲太空主管前往海灣，歐洲把目光投向美國以外

佛羅倫斯・洛耶夫（Florence Loeve）報導By Florence Loeve

巴黎，11月2日（路透）——歐洲太空總署署長本週將在阿拉伯聯合大公國會見官員；歐洲正尋求新的夥伴，並致力降低太空探索方面對美國的依賴。PARIS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - The head of the European Space Agency will meet officials in the United Arab Emirates this week as Europe seeks new partners and aims to reduce its reliance on the United States for space exploration.

伊隆・馬斯克（Elon Musk）旗下SpaceX的崛起，凸顯歐洲對美國太空技術的依賴。The rise of Elon Musk's SpaceX has laid bare Europe's reliance on American space technology.

ESA署長阿施巴赫告訴路透：「首先，我們應該強化自身能力，在全球生態系中成為更強大的參與者，但同時利用這股實力，繼續與其他夥伴合作。」他將出席杜拜和阿布達比的會議。"Number one, we should strengthen our capability, become a stronger player in the global ecosystem, but one that uses its strength to still work with other partners," Josef Aschbacher, director general of the ESA, told Reuters. He will attend meetings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

阿施巴赫補充說：「我們意識到，在探索領域，歐洲對美國的曝險非常高。」他並表示，歐洲政治領袖曾告訴他，該地區需要「更多自主性與更強實力」。"We realised that in exploration, Europe is very exposed to the United States," Aschbacher added, saying that European political leaders had told him that the region needed "more autonomy and more strength".

與NASA合作轉弱COOPERATION WITH NASA WEAKENED

ESA與美國航太總署（NASA）長達數十年的合作，在華府縮減或暫停共同計畫後已轉弱。這些計畫包括在月球軌道部署太空站的月球門戶（Lunar Gateway）計畫，以及火星樣本返回任務。The ESA's decades-long cooperation with US space agency NASA has weakened after Washington scaled back or halted common projects, including the Lunar Gateway programme to deploy a space station in lunar orbit and the Mars Sample Return mission.

阿施巴赫表示，ESA約5%的預算與對美合作有關。歐洲也仰賴美國業者將其太空人送上太空。About 5% of the ESA's budget is linked to cooperation with the US, Aschbacher said. Europe also relies on US providers to send its astronauts into space.

阿施巴赫表示，從較長期來看，ESA希望與阿聯簽署框架協議。阿聯在2020年發射了阿拉伯世界首個火星任務。Aschbacher said that over the longer-term the ESA hopes to sign a framework agreement with the UAE, which launched the Arab world's first mission to Mars in 2020.

阿聯營運多枚衛星，並透過其太空人計畫將2名本國公民送上太空，但目前仍無法自行組織發射，也沒有像歐盟伽利略系統或美國全球定位系統（GPS）那樣的獨立衛星導航系統。The UAE operates several satellites, and sent two of its nationals into space through its astronaut programme, but cannot yet organise launches on its own and does not own an independent satellite navigation system like the EU's Galileo or the US Global Positioning System (GPS).

ESA與阿聯的討論內容包括可能發射月球探測車，以及阿聯太空人可能參與EPIC計畫。該計畫將以SpaceX太空船把載人組送往國際太空站。Discussions between ESA and the UAE include a possible lunar rover launch and the potential participation of an Emirati astronaut in the EPIC programme, which would fly a crew to the International Space Station aboard a SpaceX spacecraft.

阿施巴赫將參訪法美新創公司Loft Orbital與阿布達比支持的Marlan Space成立的一家合資企業，該企業旨在開發衛星星座。此前，法國與阿聯已同意深化兩國戰略防務協議。Aschbacher will visit a joint venture between Franco-American startup Loft Orbital and Abu Dhabi-backed Marlan Space to develop a satellite constellation, after France and the UAE agreed to deepen a strategic defence agreement between the two countries.

被問及阿聯是否可能投資與ESA合作的專案時，阿施巴赫拒絕談論進行中的協商。他9月曾表示，歐洲未來10年將需要100億歐元（112億美元），以強化其太空自主性。Asked if the UAE could invest in projects in collaboration with the ESA, Aschbacher declined to discuss ongoing talks. He said in September that Europe would need €10 billion ($11.2 billion) over the next 10 years to strengthen its autonomy in space.

阿施巴赫表示，這項資金缺口可能會與阿聯討論，但他補充說，ESA首先需要歐洲各國政府就自身出資水準達成一致。Aschbacher said the funding gap may be discussed with the UAE but he added that the ESA first needs European governments to agree on their own level of funding.

他說：「一旦作出這項決定，我們就會研究國際合作。」"Once this decision is made, we will look into international cooperation," he said.

（1美元 = 0.8948歐元）($1 = 0.8948 euros)

（佛羅倫斯・洛耶夫巴黎報導；Adam Jourdan與Kirsten Donovan編輯）(Reporting by Florence Loève in Paris. Editing by Adam Jourdan and Kirsten Donovan)