Brussels, 27/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 26 November, ministers in charge of space activities in the European Space Agency's 18 member states and Canada concluded a successful session in The Hague, where they agreed to undertake new initiatives in several fields and endorsed the next phases of a set of ongoing programmes. The decisions made in the Netherlands are a further step towards giving Europe the means to respond to global challenges. In keeping with the European space policy, designed in cooperation with the European Commission, the measures will further strengthen Europe's role in the development and exploitation of space applications serving public policy objectives and the needs of European citizens and enterprises. In total, around €10bn will be invested in space by 2012, a substantial amount compared to that agreed to by the same countries (not including the Czech Republic, which has just joined ESA) three years ago in Berlin. In percentage terms, this effort corresponds to a 21% increase in the budget by 2011. The European space programme, however, is still lacking stamina and ambition if it is compared to the policies of other confirmed and emerging space powers. In annual terms, the increase in the ESA budget decided at The Hague, does not go above 7%, while the rates of annual growth in China and the US are 12%. These rates stand at 20% in India. In the context of launchers, China intends to provide itself with a 15 tonne capacity, while ESA is counting on 12 tonnes in 2015. Ultimately, the exploration of space remains the poor relation of European policy.
Recognising that space is a strategic asset and that it is of fundamental importance for the independence, security and prosperity of Europe, the ministers also adopted four resolutions: “The role of space in delivering Europe's global objectives”, covering the political and programmatic highlights of the Council; the level of resources for the agency to cater for space science programmes and basic activities in the period 2009-2013; the renewal of the contribution of ESA member states to the running costs of the Guiana Space Centre - Europe's spaceport in French Guiana (South America); the future development of the agency, spanning its financial management reform, decision-making processes, industrial and procurement policies and the further development of site infrastructures for ESA programmes. Operational decisions still include: 1) the subscription (€357 million for studies + €1.5bn for the development from 2011) for launcher programmes, including funding of the Guiana Space Centre, Ariane-5 and Vega accompaniment technology programmes, Ariane-5 development and the future launchers preparatory programme; 2) subscriptions for the Earth Observation activities, including the second segment of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security Space Component programme, the Meteosat 3rd generation development programme and a novel climate change initiative on the provision of essential climate variables; 3) subscriptions (€1.374bn until 2012) for the human spaceflight, microgravity and human exploration programmes, including exploitation and evolution of the International Space Station, on-board research in life and physical sciences, and definition studies on the evolution of a returnable transfer vehicle; 4) subscriptions for robotic exploration programmes (the ExoMars programme and preparatory activities on future Mars robotic exploration); 5) subscriptions for advanced research in telecommunications systems (ARTES), focusing on technologies, applications and mission demonstrations, and including preparatory work for a European data relay system (EDRS), an air traffic management satellite system (Iris) and Integrated Application Promotion, combining usage of telecommunications, Earth observation and navigation satellite systems with terrestrial information and communications systems; 6) subscriptions for the programme on the evolution of the European Global Navigation Satellite System, to continue the improvement of Galileo; 7) subscription for the start of a Space Situational Awareness programme to provide the information to help protect European space systems against space debris and the influence of adverse space weather; and 8) subscription for the continuation of the General Support Technology programme to provide, in a timely way, technologies for a wide range of new space programmes. (O.J./transl.rh)