Quantcast
ZME Science
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
Home Space

ESA gets big budget, prepares Mars mission

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
November 23, 2012
in Space, Space flight
Reading Time: 2 mins read
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

After no less than 48 hours of negotiating in Naples, Italy, the 20 European nations that support the European Space Agency (ESA) have finally agreed on a budget for the agency and a set of priorities which, while not delightful, doesn’t disappoint, despite the tight economic situation Europe is in at the moment.

ESA’s activities, much like NASA‘s, are quite diverse – from monitoring meteorology to communications, space exploration and running the International Space Station. However, the objectives for the near future are drawn out quite firmly: space exploration is the priority. While a mission to the Moon hasn’t been approved, governments have agreed on a mission to Mars, in collaboration with Russia: the much-troubled ExoMars mission will take place in 2016, if everything goes according to plan.

ADVERTISEMENT

“It’s a pity that we’ve lost the partnership with NASA but it’s good that we’ve now got the Russians coming in instead, so we’re optimistic that this is now on track,” British Science Minister David Willetts said.

The big fund raise was offered by the UK, who, for the first time, said it will be contributing to the budget. However, the UK is interested in satellite development and meteorology.

Sorry to interrupt, but you should really...

...Join the ZME newsletter for amazing science news, features, and exclusive scoops. More than 40,000 subscribers can't be wrong.

   

“We are backing sectors where Britain has got great strengths, for example the next generation of telecomms satellites,” he said. “We think that satellite broadband, satellite TV, satellite communications will be very important to the future”, Willets added.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tags: european space agencynasa
ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Andrei's background is in geophysics, and he's been fascinated by it ever since he was a child. Feeling that there is a gap between scientists and the general audience, he started ZME Science -- and the results are what you see today.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Features
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.