ESA nations reach agreement on Galileo funding
Posted: Mon, May 26, 2003, 8:56 PM ET (0056 GMT)
The member nations of the European Space Agency have reached agreement on a compromise that will free up funding for ESA's component of the Galileo satellite navigation system. Funding had been held up since April because Spain rejected an earlier deal that gave it a 9.5 percent share of the program; the country wanted a 11 percent program. ESA officials did not release details about the compromise, although Space News reported last week that Spain offered a compromise whereby the four countries with the biggest shares — France, Germany, Italy, and the UK — would reduce their stakes from 17.5 to 17.25 percent each; Spain would then get 10.25 percent and Belgium 4.75 percent. ESA had been trying to work out an agreement since last year, when a dispute between Germany and Italy regarding leadership of Galileo held up the project. That agreement was reached in late March, but Spain announced its rejection of the agreement in April. Galileo is a joint project with the European Union, the first joint project between ESA and the EU. The EU had previously threatened to move ahead with Galileo alone if ESA did not work out an agreement for its share.
The member nations of the European Space Agency have reached agreement on a compromise that will free up funding for ESA's component of the Galileo satellite navigation system. Funding had been held up since April because Spain rejected an earlier deal that gave it a 9.5 percent share of the program; the country wanted a 11 percent program. ESA officials did not release details about the compromise, although Space News reported last week that Spain offered a compromise whereby the four countries with the biggest shares — France, Germany, Italy, and the UK — would reduce their stakes from 17.5 to 17.25 percent each; Spain would then get 10.25 percent and Belgium 4.75 percent. ESA had been trying to work out an agreement since last year, when a dispute between Germany and Italy regarding leadership of Galileo held up the project. That agreement was reached in late March, but Spain announced its rejection of the agreement in April. Galileo is a joint project with the European Union, the first joint project between ESA and the EU. The EU had previously threatened to move ahead with Galileo alone if ESA did not work out an agreement for its share.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Monday, February 2
First launch of Ariane 6 with four boosters
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Europe’s digital Earth gets ready to grow user community
ESA — 6:37 am ET (1137 GMT) Inside the high-stakes battle over Space Force advocacy
Washington Times — 6:34 am ET (1134 GMT) SpaceX rocket launch planned Monday morning at Vandenberg Space Force Base
KSBY-TV San Luis Obispo, CA — 6:32 am ET (1132 GMT) SpaceX Plans Data Center Satellite Constellation
Aviation Week — 6:30 am ET (1130 GMT) |
