spacetoday.net: EU calls for expanded space efforts

Posted: Tue, Nov 11, 2003, 9:30 PM ET (0230 GMT)
Europe should undertake more ambitious space projects, including possibly developing an independent means of launching humans into orbit, a new European Union space policy concludes. The space policy paper, presented to the European Commission in Brussels on Tuesday, says that Europe needs to bolster its space efforts to remain competitive globally. The key recommendations of the paper, based on efforts by the EU dating back to early this year, include consolidating existing programs and agencies and increasing funding for space programs. The policy paper specifically calls for a 3.4 percent increase in space funding per year for the next decade. EU commissioner Philippe Busquin suggested that Europe could consider developing its own means of sending humans into orbit, noting that China accomplished this feat despite having a total economy much smaller than Europe's. ESA director-general Jean-Jacques Dordain said he was skeptical of any plans by the EU to take a bigger role in funding space projects at the expense of ESA.