From: A6%ESOC.BITNET@vm.gmd.de
Newsgroups: sci.space
Subject: ESA ministerial conference at Granada (Spain)
Date: 11 Nov 92 15:28:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: cs.BxK5uD.J6I.1
Distribution: sci
Organization: [via International Space University]
X-Added: Forwarded by Space Digest
Original-Sender: isu@VACATION.VENARI.CS.CMU.EDU








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                      ESTEC Public Relations - Announcement

    Subject: PR No.3 Ministerial Meeting Progress Report

    Issued by     : Public Relations ESTEC
    Date , time   : 92-11-11 , 11:49

             EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY GIVEN MANDATE FOR THE COMING YEARS

   The Council of the European Space Agency, meeting at Ministerial Level in
   Granada on the 9th and 10th November 1992, under the Chairmanship of Profes-
   sor Hubert Curien, the French Minister for Research and Space, gave ESA a
   wide-ranging mandate to continue with all existing programmes.

   The ministers representing 13 Member States of the Agency, the Associate
   Member Finland, and Canada, re-affirmed the commitment made at the Munich
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   Meeting to the continuity and strengthening of European space policy, while
   adapting the Agency's strategy for its future space programmes to the chang-
   ing political and economic circumstances.

   All Member States are strongly in favour of strengthening the Agency's ac-
   tivities in the pursuit of a greater understanding of the Earth's environ-
   ment and the problems that all countries feel in this domain.  Envisat-1, a
   remote-sensing mission dedicated to the science and processes of the envi-
   ronment, thus ensuring continuity of the invaluable data provided by the
   Agency's ERS-1 and ERS-2 satellites received full support. Preparatory ac-
   tivities will go ahead for the operational climate monitoring mission
   Metop-1, planned for launch in 2000, to be developed in cooperation with
   Eumetsat and which will represent a significant contribution to the Eumetsat
   programme for long-term monitoring of "Plant Earth". A start will be made in
   1993 on a second generation Meteosat system, again to be developed in close
   collaboration with Eumetsat; the first launch being planned for 1999.

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   In pursuing the in-orbit infrastructure programmes, the development of APM
   has now been given the go-ahead. The Agency will negotiate with NASA on the
   exploitation costs of the international space station, aiming to achieve a
   firm ceiling, within which a significant portion of the Agency's contrib-
   ution will be made "in kind", which could include such services as the As-
   sured Crew Return Vehicle (ACRV), the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) using
   the Ariane launcher and the Data Relay System (DRS)

   Concerning Hermes, the decision was taken to continue with the orientation
   of the programme towards greater and deeper cooperation with Russia to ar-
   rive at a crewed space transportation system developed from Hermes which
   will be reviewed in 1995.

   The decision was taken to go ahead with the Data Relay Satellite, DRS-1.

   These developments together with an assessment on the operations uses of the
   DRS will be the subject of a major review in February 1995.
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   Within the Columbus programme means to provide full funding for the attached
   pressurised module (APM) laboratory will be clarified; with specific meas-
   ures being taken over the next few years to align development with the fi-
   nancial resources available. A five per cent cut in APM costs was accepted.

   The problems faced by several Member States following the financial re-align
   ment in the last few months were fully discussed and the Agency must provide
   an equitable solution of an interim nature before the end of the year.

   The Ministers were enthusiastic about the synergy existing with the CEC on
   Earth Observation questions, Eutelsat and Eumetsat. They welcomed what had
   been achieved with ESA's international partners particularly USA, Russia and
   Japan, and they look for intensification and expansion of relations.

   Relations with Russia received particular attention, with emphasis on joint
   studies in the areas of in-orbit infrastructures and associated communi-
                      --------------------------------------

   cations, manned transportation systems and missions of European astronauts
   to the Mir station. Possible cooperation with other former USSR countries
   might be considered.

   ESA now has clear policies to follow for the coming years, and a further re-
   view at Ministerial Level will take place in 1995.
Xref: sparky sci.space:15808 alt.sci.planetary:306