Europeans To Double Spending

The European Space Agency and European Union member states have agreed to double spending on space-related activities, from a current level of 6 billion euros (US$6.9 billion) to 12 billion euros (US$13.8 billion, according to ESA official Franco Bonacina. He could not provide a timetable as to when the funding would double. The two bodies last week ended consultations on the Green Paper on European Space Policy, issued in January as part of an effort to expand Europe’s activities in space.

“The paper can only have beneficial consequences for the commercial satellite industry in Europe,” said Bonacina. “Space is being raised to a higher level of interest. Many more funding sources should be available for the development of space activities,” he added.