MPs on the budgetary control committee are demanding further explanations about the explosion in the cost of the Luxeosys satellite project, which has doubled from an initial €170 million to €350 million.

On Monday the committee heard from defence officials who claimed the €170 million budget included the purchase, launch, construction and “operation” of the satellite, but not the “scenarios of use” and long-term management.

They say this is consistent with defence project funding, such as the acquisition of the Airbus A400M Atlas military aircraft. Legislation covering projects like this would include “little detail” on what they say are partly unpredictable elements such as long-term costs, what the army does with the equipment and over what period of time.

Their explanations did little to assuage opposition party members of the committee. They have issued a formal invitation to former minister of the economy Étienne Schneider (LSAP), who initiated the project, to appear before the committee. Schneider, who was also deputy prime minister, resigned from government on 4 February.

Minister of defence, François Bausch (Déi Gréng), has said that €350 million was an absolute maximum that would be spent on the satellite. He told the committee he would provide them with more precise details of the final cost of what he called this “really useful” project no later than 13 July.

This article was originally published in French by Paperjam and was translated by Delano.