The economic crisis has reached into space. The Council of Ministers of the European Space Agency (ESA), which should define the European space policy for the coming years, was launched yesterday in The Hague (Netherlands) with an investment proposal on the table of 10,525 million euros. But "taking into account the very critical situation in which we find ourselves, if we get 9300 million will be a great success," said Franco Bonacina, spokesman for the agency.
Spain will lead a European program
Spain will provide 20 million euros over the next three years to the new Alert program of the Space Situation of the European Space Agency (ESA), an initiative designed to protect satellites and spacecraft from meteors, space debris and radiation, as announced yesterday Minister for Science and Innovation, Cristina Garmendia, in The Hague (Netherlands). With this investment, which exceeds 30% of the program's budget, Spain is assured his leadership, which will help to boost the European Space Astronomy Center that the ESA has in Villanueva de la Cañada (Madrid).
The second priority project for Spain that were approved in The Hague is the Meteosat Third Generation. Spain has pledged 100 million euros until 2020, which represents - pending the completion today subscriptions in different countries to the project, 12% of the planned investment.
These investments are dependent on space programs ranging from Earth observation (such as next-generation meteorological satellite Meteosat) to the evolution of the rockets (the European Ariane have lost its hegemony in the market for launches), scientific exploration (as The ambitious ExoMars mission that aims to find evidence of life on Mars) or manned missions to the space station.
In the Council of Ministers of the ESA, which is held every three years, brings together ministers responsible for the space of the 18 member states of the agency over Canada. It's the meeting where the states undertake the investments earmarked for space programs and in which, together with the budget, is given the green light - or not-for programs that the agency will develop.
With the ministerial council culminates nearly a year of work, during which the leadership of ESA and delegations from each state have been designing the strategy in the space sector and anticipating the contributions of each country. However, the economic situation is not the same as when they started preparing for the meeting.
The ministers yesterday minimized the impact of the crisis on the space sector. "We must make key investment decisions, especially in uncertain times like these, we must defend the European and global interests," said Maria van der Hoeven, minister of Economy of Holland. "Space is fundamental to our competitiveness, this view is unanimous," said Cristina Garmendia, Minister of Science and Technology, who heads the Spanish delegation.
However, he admitted Garmendia, "maybe we are lacking ambition in the new programs." As the negotiations were at press time, the council will ensure the continuity of the major programs that already exist, such as the Ariane rocket or the space station, but sacrificed some proposals to start new projects.
Spain will lead a European program
Spain will provide 20 million euros over the next three years to the new Alert program of the Space Situation of the European Space Agency (ESA), an initiative designed to protect satellites and spacecraft from meteors, space debris and radiation, as announced yesterday Minister for Science and Innovation, Cristina Garmendia, in The Hague (Netherlands). With this investment, which exceeds 30% of the program's budget, Spain is assured his leadership, which will help to boost the European Space Astronomy Center that the ESA has in Villanueva de la Cañada (Madrid).
The second priority project for Spain that were approved in The Hague is the Meteosat Third Generation. Spain has pledged 100 million euros until 2020, which represents - pending the completion today subscriptions in different countries to the project, 12% of the planned investment.
These investments are dependent on space programs ranging from Earth observation (such as next-generation meteorological satellite Meteosat) to the evolution of the rockets (the European Ariane have lost its hegemony in the market for launches), scientific exploration (as The ambitious ExoMars mission that aims to find evidence of life on Mars) or manned missions to the space station.
In the Council of Ministers of the ESA, which is held every three years, brings together ministers responsible for the space of the 18 member states of the agency over Canada. It's the meeting where the states undertake the investments earmarked for space programs and in which, together with the budget, is given the green light - or not-for programs that the agency will develop.
With the ministerial council culminates nearly a year of work, during which the leadership of ESA and delegations from each state have been designing the strategy in the space sector and anticipating the contributions of each country. However, the economic situation is not the same as when they started preparing for the meeting.
The ministers yesterday minimized the impact of the crisis on the space sector. "We must make key investment decisions, especially in uncertain times like these, we must defend the European and global interests," said Maria van der Hoeven, minister of Economy of Holland. "Space is fundamental to our competitiveness, this view is unanimous," said Cristina Garmendia, Minister of Science and Technology, who heads the Spanish delegation.
However, he admitted Garmendia, "maybe we are lacking ambition in the new programs." As the negotiations were at press time, the council will ensure the continuity of the major programs that already exist, such as the Ariane rocket or the space station, but sacrificed some proposals to start new projects.
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