The European Space Agency and the Russian government have signed an agreement to cooperate in the use of space for “peaceful purposes.” The accord replaces one concluded in 1990 between ESA and the Soviet Union.

ESA and the Russian space agency, Rosaviakosmos, are already cooperating in the fields of satellite navigation, Earth observation, manned space flight and microgravity research. The agreement signed Tuesday formalizes and expands that cooperation to include development of future launcher technologies and operation of the Russian Soyuz vehicle from Kourou, French Guiana.