ESA reaches agreement on Ariane, Soyuz funding
Posted: Fri, Feb 6, 2004, 9:22 AM ET (1422 GMT)
The member nations of the European Space Agency have agreed to release funds to support the Ariane 5 as well as construct a launch pad for Soyuz launches from Kourou. The agreement, reached late Wednesday and formally announced Thursday, will provide €960 million (US$1.2 billion) for the European Guaranteed Access to Space program, an effort to financially support the Ariane 5 booster by paying for some of the fixed costs associated with the program. The program also provides €223 million (US$280 million) of the €344 million (US$430 million) to construct a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana to permit launches of Soyuz vehicles there. Soyuz launches are slated to begin there in 2006. Arianespace will pay the remainder of the cost. ESA had tried to win approval for the funding during a December meeting, but could not work out a funding formula among the member nations. Space News reported this week's meeting was contentious, and at one point ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain warned that unless an agreement was reaching during the meeting, he would have to contact Arianespace and tell them to prepare to file for bankruptcy.
The member nations of the European Space Agency have agreed to release funds to support the Ariane 5 as well as construct a launch pad for Soyuz launches from Kourou. The agreement, reached late Wednesday and formally announced Thursday, will provide €960 million (US$1.2 billion) for the European Guaranteed Access to Space program, an effort to financially support the Ariane 5 booster by paying for some of the fixed costs associated with the program. The program also provides €223 million (US$280 million) of the €344 million (US$430 million) to construct a launch pad in Kourou, French Guiana to permit launches of Soyuz vehicles there. Soyuz launches are slated to begin there in 2006. Arianespace will pay the remainder of the cost. ESA had tried to win approval for the funding during a December meeting, but could not work out a funding formula among the member nations. Space News reported this week's meeting was contentious, and at one point ESA Director-General Jean-Jacques Dordain warned that unless an agreement was reaching during the meeting, he would have to contact Arianespace and tell them to prepare to file for bankruptcy.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
China launches first Long March 12A, but booster landing fails
Posted: Sun, Dec 28 9:50 AM ET (1450 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Monday, December 29
Iran Says It Launched 3 Satellites Into Space From Russia
AFP — 5:08 am ET (1008 GMT) Starlink withdraws satellite services from Papua New Guinea
Radio New Zealand — 5:07 am ET (1007 GMT) SpaceX Rocket Launch of Italian Satellite Scrubbed Again
Noozhawk — 5:04 am ET (1004 GMT) If we're going to vacation on the Moon, we need to make sure no-one is left behind
BBC — 5:03 am ET (1003 GMT) New Outer Hebrides spaceport won't launch rockets on a Sunday
The Sunday Post — 5:02 am ET (1002 GMT) |
