Sébastien Lecornu, a French government official, laid the cornerstone on Friday in Vernon, Eure, for a new factory by the French start-up MaiaSpace. This facility will eventually span 12,000 square meters and will be responsible for producing various components of reusable rockets. These components will be transported to Le Havre and then shipped to French Guiana, where the rockets will be assembled for launch. The first launch is now scheduled for the second half of 2027, a delay from the original plan of 2025. MaiaSpace is a subsidiary of ArianeGroup, a major European aerospace company. The start-up aims to help Europe catch up with American companies like SpaceX, which have been more advanced in developing reusable rocket technology. Lecornu encouraged MaiaSpace to begin operations, emphasizing that the French government is heavily invested in this subsidiary. He noted the urgency to start due to budget constraints and the uncertainty surrounding European space policies. The event was attended by several high-profile figures, including ArianeGroup CEO Christophe Bruneau, MaiaSpace CEO Yohann Leroy, and the president of the Normandy region, Hervé Morin. MaiaSpace plans to produce about twenty reusable upper stages of rockets annually from 2032, with the number of main stages varying depending on how many can be recovered and reused using barges. The company has grown significantly since its founding in 2022, now employing over 400 people. It will use the "Notre-Dame method," which simplifies and speeds up administrative procedures to help it operate more efficiently. Yohann Leroy stated that recovering the first stage of the rocket will reduce costs by more than half, a crucial factor in making space launches more affordable. Before the Giverny Economic Forum, Lecornu linked national "sovereignty" in space with the need for bold decisions in the government's budget. These decisions will be reviewed starting in October by Parliament. He also warned of potential financial risks due to ongoing tensions, such as the situation in Iran, and the effects of droughts and reduced agricultural productivity. However, he stressed that France can avoid these risks only by controlling its budget deficit and making courageous economic proposals.