NASA, 13 Space Agencies Join in Historic Space Cooperation Agreement
The Moon. The nearest and first goal of the 14 space agency partners.
SARTEANO, Italy, June 5, 2007 - Satnews Daily - The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and 13 of the world's top space agencies have agreed to work together and coordinate future space missions. They did not, however, agree to create a single global space program.
The partner space agencies include ASI (Italy); BNSC (UK); CNES (France); CNSA (China); CSA (Canada); CSIRO (Australia); DLR (Germany); ESA (European Space Agency); ISRO (India); JAXA (Japan); KARI (South Korea); NASA (USA); NSAU (Ukraine) and Roscosmos (Russia).
The group released a 25-page document, "The Global Exploration Strategy: The Framework for Coordination," that highlights a shared vision of space exploration focused on solar system destinations such as the Moon and Mars where humans may someday live and work. The document is the latest product of their Global Exploration Strategy discussions.
The document says that sustainable space exploration is a challenge that no one nation can do on its own, and recommends a voluntary, non-binding forum, the international Coordination Mechanism, through which nations can collaborate to strengthen both individual projects and the collective effort. The framework should help different nations exchange ideas and mission plans. The document also will help identify gaps in space organization and duplication of similar missions among participating parties.
The completely voluntary framework allows space organizations to participate in joint missions, along with distributing scientific data amongst those participating in the program. The partners have high hopes for planned missions to the Moon and Mars.
The document was written following intensive discussions that began after a space exploration conference held in Washington in April 2006. With different backgrounds, interests and capabilities, the agencies have started to develop a mutual understanding of, and language for, space exploration.
British Science and Innovation Minister Malcolm Wicks said the document marks the start of a new era of space exploration. "During this century we are sure to see some fantastic voyages of discovery as robots and humans venture further into our Solar System," said Wicks. "What they learn will excite and inspire new generations to get involved in science and create new technology that could benefit the whole economy."
The Global Exploration Strategy identifies the Moon as the group’s nearest and first goal. The Moon will also be a base from which to study the Earth and the universe, and to prepare humans and machines for venturing farther into space. Mars is a prime space exploration target with missions also planned for Jupiter’s moon Europa, and Saturn’s moons, Titan and Enceladus.
The agencies said a partnership between humans and robots is essential to the success of these ventures. They note that robotic spacecraft are their scouts and proxies, venturing first into hostile environments to gather critical intelligence that makes human exploration feasible.
The United States has developed its Vision for Space Exploration while the European Space Agency has its Aurora space exploration program. China, India, Japan and Russia have ambitious national projects to explore the Moon or Mars. Canada, Germany, Italy, South Korea and the United Kingdom have their own space projects.
