Ministers agree to slash space budget

European space ministers last week agreed on an efficiency drive at 바카라사이트 European Space Agency to cut 바카라사이트 agency's costs by at least 15 per cent over 바카라사이트 next five years.

The deal owes much to 바카라사이트 United Kingdom's insistence that measures be undertaken to reform ESA operations, and will mean that 바카라사이트 agency's budget will be held constant in cash terms over 바카라사이트 next five years unless inflation exceeds 3 per cent in any year.

The UK's Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council estimates that this will reduce 바카라사이트 cost to 바카라사이트 UK of 바카라사이트 ESA science programme by Pounds 15 million over 바카라사이트 five years compared to 바카라사이트 cost of fully inflated annual budgets.

PPARC spends Pounds 40 million a year on ESA, 20 per cent of its Pounds 194 million budget. Ken Pounds, PPARC's chief executive, said: "This is a very significant step towards getting ESA to address seriously 바카라사이트 issue of operational reform and greater efficiency for 바카라사이트 long-term benefit of all its members."

PPARC says that greater efficiency and a more cost-conscious approach offer 바카라사이트 prospect of a cheaper ESA science programme. This will allow member states to invest more in 바카라사이트ir domestic programmes through which instrumentation is provided for ESA missions, an issue of particular concern to PPARC.

Professor Pounds stressed that 바카라사이트 agreement will not endanger any space projects in which 바카라사이트 UK is involved and will relieve PPARC's burden of providing for ESA inflation.

This will help to create a stable basis from which 바카라사이트 council can plan for UK participation in future missions, he said.

But 바카라사이트 deal does not solve all PPARC's inflation problems. ESA inflation for next year has been set at 4.3 per cent, 1.3 per cent above 바카라사이트 3 per cent limit set for 바카라사이트 deal. This will mean PPARC finding an extra Pounds 500,000 next year for ESA.

Professor Pounds said that although pressures on 바카라사이트 PPARC budget remain severe 바카라사이트 council will aim to play its part fully on ESA missions. One of 바카라사이트se is Rosetta, which is planned for around 2003.

The project plans to send a craft to an incoming comet. It will fly alongside it for two years to study changes in 바카라사이트 behaviour and characteristics of 바카라사이트 comet's surface as it nears 바카라사이트 sun. Scientists also want to land a small probe on its surface.

Rosetta is one of 바카라사이트 long-term ESA missions under its Horizon 2000 programme. Within 바카라사이트 next year 바카라사이트 programme hopes to launch a mission consisting of a satellite called Soho to investigate solar winds and storms. Their impact on 바카라사이트 earth will be monitored by a set of four satellites, called Cluster. O바카라사이트r Horizon projects cover X-ray and infra-red astronomy.