The main challenges facing European use of space are institutional, military, financial and industrial. How to confront them was a question to which Pascale Sourisse suggested answers when speaking on duality and competitiveness at a CHEAr (Centre for Higher Armaments Studies) conference on 22 March this year. Since that date the European Commission has authorised the transfer to Thales of Alcatel-Lucent’s shares in Alcatel Alenia Space, which becomes Thales Alenia Space; the author is CEO of the company.