ESA's intentions for the coming years

1999/06/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Astronautika

The ministers gathered last month in Brussels approved for the European Space Agency, the ESA, a budget of 2,103.2 million euros for the period 1999-2002. More than half of this amount, 1,460.8 million euros, will be used by ESA to develop its scientific project. According to the approved budget, the microgravity research program, called EMIR-2, will continue, subsidize the Ariane-5 Plus rocket program and advance the second phase of development of the launching Vega.

On the other hand, in the scientific project there are a couple of projects to highlight. On the one hand, start the work of preparing the Mars Express probe for shipment to Mars. On the other hand, the decision to launch the Living Planet program to collect data on Earth and the environment.

Finally, the ministers who are part of ESA also approved a certain policy change, giving more responsibility to the aerospace industry and collaborating with other organizations such as the European Union. In fact, those gathered in Brussels pointed out that, with the military origin of current systems and the growing importance of satellite navigation, Europe needs its own independent system, without limits that the United States or Russia can establish.