ESA agrees to spend US$12.8 billion on future space missions

William Atkins
Saturday, 29 November 2008 19:30

Science - Space

The ESA consists of eighteen member states dedicated to the exploration of space.

Headquartered in Paris, France, officials with the ESA member states do not always agree with the future direction of the agency.

Specifically, it took two days of aggressive discussions and political give-and-take before all eighteen countries ageed on a final agenda for its future.

It is reported that Germany had major disagreements with the other member states, especially with regards to the ExoMars mission and the International Space Station.

The ExoMars mission is a highlight mission for Italy, while Germany is a major player in the ISS.

Germany was the largest monetary  contributor of the eighteen ESA members. It pledged  US$3.5 billion (euro2.7 billion).

The Mars exploration program, along with other unmanned and manned exploration missions within the solar system, of the ESA is called the Aurora Flagship program.

Page three discusses the ExoMars mission by the ESA.