SCIENCE IN EUROPE EUROPEANSPACEAGENCY------adequate infrastructure. Once•lame duck now But ESA's most controversial and expensive move , where tangible returns are less certain, came in November 1987 exudes self-confidence when a majority of member states backed Paris Britain found itself isolated when it initi­ a programme for manned space missions. THE European Space Agency (ESA) is ally refused to agree a 5 per cent annual Together, ESA's contribution of an "the best example of what European col­ increase in the science programme bud­ attached laboratory to the NASA Free­ laboration can achieve", says its director­ get, holding up scheduling and potentially dom space station, a free-flying laboratory general, Reimar Liist. "We are not only threatening some projects. and a polar platform, now account for involved with basic science and new tech­ The science programme is constructed almost 40 per cent ( 609 million ECU) of its nology, but are faced with heavy competi­ around a long-term plan, put together by total budget, while the French-conceived tion, unlike the European fundamental the science programme committee and Hermes space plane and the Ariane 5 research facilities , which have life easy. " covering the next 15 to 20 years. The cur­ rocket needed to launch it swallow a fur­ Yet, with only one-tenth of the budget rent programme, called Horizon 2000, ther 10 per cent (153 million ECU). available to the US National Aeronautics was jubilantly approved at the 1985 ESA Britain has opted out of these projects, so and Space Administration (NASA), ESA council meeting at ministerial level, in British companies will benefit hardly at all has become a force to be reckoned with. Rome. It comprises four 'cornerstone' from the contracts. The collaboration began in the early projects in solar terrestrial physics, a Liist applauds the decision to enter the 1960s, under the impetus of European comet nucleus sample return mission, manned space arena. "The trend will scientists, as the European Space Re­ an X-ray multi-mirror mission and a sub­ move towards robotics, but this will take search Organisation (ESRO) and the millimetre astronomy project. 20-30 years. Meanwhile, there is still a European Launcher Development Or­ For Liist, the science projects often help need for people." He argues that the ganisation (ELDO). ESRO was highly the push towards new technology - as Hubble Space Telescope, due to be successful, developing a series of scientific was the case with the optics of the launched at the end of the year, has been satellites launched by NASA, and estab­ Hipparcos astronomy sattelite, one of designed to last for ten years. But if it lishing specialized space­ needs repair during that time, "it may be science centres in the Neth­ more expensive to recover than to repair it erlands, Italy and West in orbit." Germany. But ELDO was a To Liist, there is no doubt about the damp squib and failed to value of ESA for European science and produce a viable launcher. industry. "The system really works. On ESRO and ELDO meta­ satellite projects, probably two dozen morphosed into ESA in truly European teams work together. 1975 with the signing of a Europe needs a drive on high technology convention by 11 European and ESA provides an excellent vehicle for countries: Belgium, Den­ this." He is proud that ESA scientists and mark, West Germany, engineers are already exploring new France, Ireland, Italy, the frontiers such as robotics, synthetic radar Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and laser applications for optical com­ Switzerland and the munication between satellites. United Kingdom. Austria "We also need more civil and less mili­ and Norway joined last tary research", says Liist. Since 1980, the year, when Finland became ESA convention has declared the purpose an as.sociate member. of its activities as exclusively peaceful, a ESA has taken European constraint that has strung out negotiations space capability out of a ESA's satellite-view of Europe . Europe could comfortably with NASA over the Freedom space purely scientific domain, double spending on space, says ESA's director·general. station. He also feels that space science is dependent on US launchers, into tel- four 'medium-sized' missions planned good value for money. "Europe's gross ecommunications, Earth observation under Horizon 2000. (Hipparcos is due national product is about three-quarters and meteorology. A major step was the to be launched in a few weeks.) Two of that of the United States, yet we spend establishment, in 1980, of Arianespace, a others, Ulysses and the Space Telescope, only one-eighth per capita of what the commercial joint-stock company (59 per are joint ventures with NASA, and have United States spends on civil research. cent owned by France) responsible for the had to stay on ice for almost three years Only 0.05 per cent goes on space tech­ exploitation of ESA's successive genera- since the suspension of shuttle launches in nology. Even if the figure doubled it tions of Ariane rockets. With a record of 1986. Future ESA missions will be would still be all right." only four failures out of 30 launches, launched by its own Ariane rockets. But last year, ESA found its member Arianespace now has 50 per cent of the The applications programmes are states less united and resolute than in 1985 world commercial launch market. where national passions, purses and fan- and is due for a new round of debate when Once the heart of European colla bora- tasies find direct expression. Participation it seeks backing for the Data Relay Satel­ tion in space, basic science now represents is optionai, but ESA ensures that backing lite, which, according to Liist, is an essen­ only 12.4 per cent of ESA's total 1,573 nations receive industrial contracts in tial element of the Columbus package. million ECU budget. But the science pro- proportion to their investment. Meanwhile, Columbus is not yet out of gramme, like the general budget, is Telecommunications satellites have the woods. President Bush has still to per­ mandatory. All member states have to been supported by all member states and, suade Congress to go ahead with Free­ contribute in proportion to their gross with Earth observation and microgravity dom. But, says, Lust, if the United States national product. Consequently, unani- projects, have stimulated the European reneges, ESA will continue alone, mity is required whenever policy or Commission to become involved to work although it may be more reluctant to co­ budget decisions are put to the vote at out norms, organize networks of users and operate with NASA in the future. ministerial-level meetings. Last year, to improve what it considers to be an in- Peter Coles 718 NATURE · VOL 338 · 27 APRIL 1989 © 1989 Nature Publishing Group