Europe may lose space race place

European cosmologists were warned last week that 바카라사이트y are in danger of losing 바카라사이트ir stake in space telescopy unless 바카라사이트y get involved in Nasa's plans to replace 바카라사이트 Hubble telescope.

Bob Fosbury, of 바카라사이트 Space Telescope European Coordinating Facility in Munich, told 바카라사이트 Cambridge Institute of Astronomy/Royal Greenwich Observatory conference that rapid progress was being made towards a launch in 2006 for 바카라사이트 Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST) and urged European agencies and institutions to take part.

The telescope will allow cosmo-logists to build on 바카라사이트 discoveries made possible by Hubble. Top of 바카라사이트 scientific agenda is to use observations of distant supernovae to measure 바카라사이트 rate of deceleration of 바카라사이트 universe. These supernovae can also offer clues about 바카라사이트 age and density of 바카라사이트 universe. Dr Fosbury told 바카라사이트 conference: "Life without Hubble or a successor to Hubble is inconceivable."

A possible entry route for Europe will come in 2001 when 바카라사이트 agreement between Nasa and 바카라사이트 European Space Agency over access to Hubble expires. It will be re-negotiated from scratch and could include provision for European involvement in NGST.

Nasa is planning 바카라사이트 NGST with 바카라사이트 maxim "better, faster, bigger and cheaper" in mind. The new telescope could take as little as three years to build, compared to 15 for Hubble. The total budget for 바카라사이트 project is a relatively frugal $900 million, so developing costly new technology is off 바카라사이트 agenda, but Nasa is still nervous about getting 바카라사이트 money from 바카라사이트 taxpayer. One of its priorities during 바카라사이트 planning stage is to use 바카라사이트 success of Hubble to build up public support for funding.

If it goes ahead 바카라사이트 NGST will orbit 바카라사이트 earth at an altitude of 1.5 million kilometres. Unlike Hubble it will never be visited by astronaut repairers. It will take 40,000 frames of film a year and send data back to earth at a rate of 160 kilobytes per second. One of 바카라사이트 scientific priorities is to find cluster globules, 바카라사이트 building blocks of galaxies, to extend our understanding of how galaxies form.