The minister of Science, Peter Duke, presides in Madrid the meeting at which the european ministers have been prepared by the Council of the ESA in 2019
In Seville will be approved on space projects that will entail an investment of 12,000 million
satellite earth observation Wit will be launched in 2019
Interview with Günther Hasinger, the director of Science of ESA
Pedro Duque has returned this Thursday to the center that the European Space Agency (ESA) is in the locality of madrid in Villanueva de la Cañada but, in this occasion, not as an astronaut, but as minister of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain and host of the so-called Ministerial Meeting intermediate (IMM18). It has been attended by the european ministers with competences in the space sector, because our country is currently chairing the Ministerial Council of the ESA during the period 2017-2019.
Duke, questioned by the opposition after it became known that he and his wife, the ambassador to Malta, Maria Consuelo Femenía, they created a holding company to manage his family heritage, has presided over the meeting in which they have prepared the next Council at ministerial level, the ESA, which will be held between the 27 and 28 November 2019 in Seville and has been referred to as Space+19.
As usual, has said the minister during a press conference held after the meeting, and broadcast on the internet, the meeting will not be held in the capital of the country presiding over the Council, but in another city. The last Ministerial Council of the ESA took place in Lucerne (Switzerland) between 1 and 2 December 2016.
At the European Space Astronomy Centre ( ESAC ) in Madrid, the director of the ESA, Jan Woerner, has known the proposals on programmes and activities that are expected to participate in the ESA member states during the meeting of 2019 in the andalusian capital. As detailed in a press release the Ministry of Science, in Seville, to approve projects that will entail an investment of 12,000 million euros, of the 45,000 million, which ESA and the European Union to be invested in the space during the period 2021-2017.
‘Wit’, the space in 2019
“we Want to position Europe in the first line of the innovation space,” said Duke, who has underlined the commitment of Spain with this sector. As an example, has announced an increased participation of our country in the construction of the future rocket (Ariane 6 and Vega C) to be put in orbit the ESA missions and the satellites of the different countries.
the minister Also announced that in the near dates to the ministerial meeting in Seville will be launched on the satellite earth observation Spanish Ingenuity. The engine has been detailed, it will be put into orbit with a rocket Vega.
as explained by the director of the ESA, Jan Woerner, during the meeting this Thursday they have approved two resolutions. One of them aims to define and strengthen the relationships of the agency with the European Union, while the other focuses on the strategy to prepare the future programmes and activities.
Four are the pillars on which is based the roadmap, according to Woerner. “The first, the science and exploration; the second is the security of space activities and comprises both the threats originating in space (near Earth objects, asteroids, space debris or solar flares) as the use of space to monitor threats on Earth, such as earthquakes or erupting volcanoes,” explained Woerner. The third pillar is constituted by the application of the instruments in space, such as Earth observation, navigation services or telecommunications; and the fourth, the technology and operations for releases.
finally, Woerner has informed about the signing of two agreements. One of them is to support the development and exploitation of future rocket Ariane 6 and Vega C, and another with the Italian space agency (ASI) to continue to cooperate in the future telescope FlyEye (fly eye) in the monte Mufara (Sicily).
After the press conference, Duque explained that the ESA is currently finalising a co-operation with NASA and the space agency, japanese, JAXA, for the launch of the orbital platform, lunar Gateway, in which Spain will play an “important role”, according to reports Europa Press.
According to the criteria of
read more CITIZENS STOPPED TO DUKE, WHICH REMAINS THE MINISTER BEST-RATED
The minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, Pedro Duque, has become to appear this month as the minister’s top rated of the Government, according to the Barometer of Opinion of the Centre for Sociological Research (CIS) corresponding to October.
With a score of 4.56 points, the astronaut exceeds also the chairman of the Executive, Peter Sanchez, but loses almost a point from the data collected in July (5,41), shortly after being appointed.