ESA and Mistral sign letter of intent on space AI

The European Space Agency said on September 23, 2026 that it and Mistral signed a letter of intent in Paris on September 16 to deepen AI cooperation. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher and Mistral CEO Arthur Mensch signed the framework, which covers exploring Mistral models and infrastructure for Earth observation, engineering and space AI on European systems. The LoI builds on existing ESA-Mistral work including the Orbit assistant and EVE Earth Virtual Expert. It is not a production contract.