From: freed@nss.org (Bev Freed)
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: ESA Council meeting report
Date: 12 Sep 92 20:51:59 GMT
Organization: The NSS BBS, Pittsburgh PA (412) 366-5208


European Space Agency

09 September 1992

            STATUS REPORT ON THE ESA COUNCIL MEETING

                        9 SEPTEMBER 1992

The ESA Council, meeting in Paris on 8 September 1992, considered 
the evolution of the planning for the Agency's policy and 
programmes which was previously discussed in Council in June and 
July 1992.  

Since these previous meetings, further budget constraints in the 
Agency's Member States have emerged and new perspectives have 
opened up for wider cooperation with international partners, in 
particular with Russia, and beyond the already existing close 
cooperation with the US, for the realisation of Europe's space 
objectives including manned spaceflight.  

The plan presented to Delegations still contains a financial 
envelope of around Ecu 22 billion in the planning of the Agency's 
activities covering the years from 1993-2000, which includes a 
reduction of about Ecu one billion compared to the earlier 
spending proposed by the Agency.  

One of the main features of the new proposal consists of the 
introduction of a reorientation phase which will be devoted to 
intensive studies with Russia on a possible joint development of 
a future space transportation vehicle and some servicing 
elements.  In addition, the new proposal contains definition 
studies on the different steps leading to a Euro-Russian Space 
Station, starting with an ESA contribution to Mir 2.  This 
cooperation will, after the first years, be developed on a non-
exchange of funds basis.  

This phase is to be completed within the next three years after 
which decisions concerning the follow-on of these programmes will 
be taken. 

Delegations expressed their support for the realistic approach 
taken by ESA, in particular as far as the budgetary possibilities 
of the Agency's Member States are concerned.  The new proposal 
offered a good basis for preparing the Ministerial Council 
meeting in Granada on 9-10 November 1992.  

It was also appreciated that the allocation for the Science, 
Earth Observation, and Telecommunications programmes, as now 
envisaged, would be maintained and thus allow ESA to carry 
through an ambitious programme and to take on a leading role, in 
particular in the field of Earth observation from space dealing 
with environmental problems. 

Concerning the increased cooperation with other international 
partners, in particular with Russia, and the joint development of 
a future space transportation system and of a joint future space 
station, Delegations welcomed the emphasis of the Director 
General's proposal for a more international approach with regard 
to these programmes associated with man in space.  

Delegations observed that more analyses had still to be carried 
out in the coming two months before the Ministerial Council 
meeting, and the Director General was asked to prepare a final 
proposal with regard to the content of the programmes envisaged 
in the new strategy.  
        





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