Large scale lunar&NEO programs and Hypothetica

>
> >>>I would have thought that Germany, being a member of ESA (c.f.,
> http://www.space.com/spacenews/launchindustry/ariane_vinci_talk_010612.html
> ), would have access to the Korou launch site. Am I mistaken?>>>
>
> True enough. But this assumes that relations between Germany and France
> are always going to remain tip-top. If there is a trade dispute and things

That is pretty much a given.

> start to get ugly, is there anything actualy stopping the French from
> saying that no German launch vehicle or equipment can set-foot on French
> colonial soil? This is an unlikely I grant you. But still, the Germans

That is not an option.

Tony, Ia am surprised, you seem completely unaware of how things work in
Europe (even though you live there!).

The EU Treaty guaranteees free movement of goods and servides throughout
the EU without impediment.

As long as France and Germany remain members of the EU, trade disputes
simply cannot happen by definition, they are part of a common trading
block.

Since Germany and France were founding members of the EU, it is
unthinkable that either country would cede from the EU. On the
contrary, they are both pushing for a federal european state.

Both countries are also a member of ESA, which provides for common use
of the Kourour facilities.

Germany can buy commercial launches from Airanespace, and under the EU
treaty France cannot block that transaction.

The only exceptions involve safety and public health, e.g. British beef
was banned to prevent spread of BSE disease, and British livestock was
banned to prevent spread of Foot and Mouth Disease. But the same
restrictions applied within Britain itself, so it was not Britain versus
the EU, rather Britain AND the EU trying to get things under control.

> would be betting tens of billions of dollars on the hospitality of the
> French. That is something that i personally, would not feel comfortable
> with. Maybe I'm just paranoid...
>

If you are in the EU then hospitality is a given.
It would be similar to the State of FLorida banning launches of payloads
from California from Cape Canaveral, it simply ain't gonna happen !
There are Federal courts of appeal, just as there is an EU court of
appeal.