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Europe in space-1 (B1Ch2)
August 1976

In Paris a meeting was held. The ministers of the 9 European countries involved in ESA,Europe's pan-continental space agency,met to discuss their options:

MANNED SPACEFLIGHT,1980-2010
A. No indigenous manned space program prior to 2000-2002 funding period. Use the American Space Shuttle and Russian Soyuz for space access only. After 2005-small capsule,to be launched by a notional American heavy lift rocket
B. Development studies of a manned spacecraft in the 1980s and early 1990s,leading up to flight tests in 1996-1998 and operational missions after 2001 or so. Winged extended capsule (similar to NASA's Big Gemini study of 1967) launched atop Ariane (next generation) booster or notional American heavy lifter.
C. Purchase of 3 Soyuz spacecraft from USSR,modification to systems and test launch as soon as 1983. In 1990,debut a European version with improved systems.

RESOLVED:Option B was chosen in November.

MAJOR UNMANNED SPACEFLIGHT-EARTH AND MOON
Magsat II (cooperartion with NASA)-1979 (launched by Scout rocket)
Aeolus oceans observer-1984 (launched by Delta 5000 series rocket)
Galileo lunar polar orbiter-1987
Atmospheric carbon observe-NET 1989
Lunar lander-1990
General earth observation network-after 1992
Lunar lander-1993 or 1994
Lunar polar rover-before 1997
Lunar geophysical network-early 2000s

UNMANNED PLANETARY MISSIONS
Venus flyby/multiple atmospheric probes-1987
Mars orbiter-1988
Venus radar orbiter/balloon-1990
Multiple asteroid flyby (chemical)-1993
Saturn orbiter/atmospheric probe+Titan probe-1994
Mars lander-1994
Mars lander-1996
Phobos orbiter-1998
Mercury flyby/polar penetrator-2001
Mars rover-2003
Mercury orbiter-2004
Asteroid Belt tour (REP)-2008


Overall,the meeting was a success

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