The European Space Agency could provide human spaceflight services including astronaut training, engage in partnerships with European space tourism ventures and contribute to the development of the necessary pan-European related legal framework, according to its space tourism position paper published today
The position paper can be found here. The agency has already conducted its own studies with one project that looked at the feasibilty of an air launched system and another project that offered business plan support; the company that won that award was the UK’s Starchaser Industries. ESA has also managed a European Union space tourism study
Here is a rundown, with images, of the various declared European (and I do include the Russians in that description) suborbital ventures
Starchaser Industries is the only European space tourism company to have recieved funding from ESA to date. With operations in both the UK and the US the company has been looking to launch from New Mexico’s planned Spaceport America
