I've been looking at developing a TimeLine where ESA - European Space Agancy - is far more involved with the various aspects of Space Exploration compared to OTL.
To summerise. OTL, the primary contributions of ESA have been.
1) ATV for the ISS
2) Some Manned Space Platforms - Columbas, SpaceLab which was used in the Space Shuttle Cargo Bay while it was in service.
3) Gallileo Satellite Navigation System
4) Some Deep Space Exploration - Huygens, Smart 1, etc
5) Commercial Launch Services - where they've been most successful, IMHO
Those are the only ones I am really aware of. With most of their business conducted through use of the Ariane Series of Launch Vehicle. Starting in 24/12/1979 with the successful launch of Ariane 1 from the Kourou Launch Facilities in French Guiana. And was upgraded into Arianes 2, 3, and 4 - Ariane 4 to date being the most successful of the series - before the all-new Ariane 5 entered service in the late 1990s.
What I intend to do is develop a full TimeLine that's focused a much more ambitious ESA. One that is realistic, yet believable. That stays on the correct side of Plausible without heading into ASB. It's effects in not only Europe, but the US, Russia & China.
My personal POD preferance is somewhere around the mid-late '60s, which seems perfectly reasonable to me. And to use the build-up of capabilities, that is, starting small and working it up over the years, via upgrade programmes and new development.
Your thoughts? What would be probable? Possible? And total ASB?
I'll be working on this bit by bit to try and make it work. Hopefully, I'll have something you can really enjoy.
EDIT: Can't believe I forgot to mention this! Any help and/or advice you can provide will be appreciated.
To summerise. OTL, the primary contributions of ESA have been.
1) ATV for the ISS
2) Some Manned Space Platforms - Columbas, SpaceLab which was used in the Space Shuttle Cargo Bay while it was in service.
3) Gallileo Satellite Navigation System
4) Some Deep Space Exploration - Huygens, Smart 1, etc
5) Commercial Launch Services - where they've been most successful, IMHO
Those are the only ones I am really aware of. With most of their business conducted through use of the Ariane Series of Launch Vehicle. Starting in 24/12/1979 with the successful launch of Ariane 1 from the Kourou Launch Facilities in French Guiana. And was upgraded into Arianes 2, 3, and 4 - Ariane 4 to date being the most successful of the series - before the all-new Ariane 5 entered service in the late 1990s.
What I intend to do is develop a full TimeLine that's focused a much more ambitious ESA. One that is realistic, yet believable. That stays on the correct side of Plausible without heading into ASB. It's effects in not only Europe, but the US, Russia & China.
My personal POD preferance is somewhere around the mid-late '60s, which seems perfectly reasonable to me. And to use the build-up of capabilities, that is, starting small and working it up over the years, via upgrade programmes and new development.
Your thoughts? What would be probable? Possible? And total ASB?
I'll be working on this bit by bit to try and make it work. Hopefully, I'll have something you can really enjoy.
EDIT: Can't believe I forgot to mention this! Any help and/or advice you can provide will be appreciated.
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