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The database development phase of Spacearts is being developed under a grant from the European Space Agency's Technology Transfer Department. www.esa.int/tt

ESA

European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides for and promotes, for exclusively peaceful purposes, co-operation among European States in space research and technology and their space applications, with a view to their being used for scientific purposes and operational space applications systems.

For over 30 years, the Member States of ESA (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada which also takes part in some programmes) have worked together and pooled their resources to open up new pathways in space exploration and the development of advanced technologies for the nations of Europe.

ESA's Convention lays out the task of defining and putting into effect a long-term European space policy that allows Europe to become and remain competitive in the field of space technology. ESA also endorses a policy of co-operation with various partners on the basis that pooling resources and sharing work will boost the effectiveness of its programmes. ESA's European space plan spans the fields of science, Earth observation, telecommunications, space-segment technologies (including in-orbit stations and platforms), ground infrastructures and space-transportation systems, as well as microgravity research. Its role also takes in co-ordinating the Agency's own work with the national programmes of its members, so that they can be progressively integrated within pan-European programmes.

ESA, which is basically a research and development organisation, also has an industrial policy that encourages competition and ensures that each member country will, for the investment it makes, enjoy a fair financial return and a fair share of the technological spin-offs. Apart from the scientific programme, which is directed more towards basic research aimed at widening our knowledge of space, the Earth and its environment, ESA's work results in industrial development, operational products like the launchers of the Ariane family, and applications satellites such as ECS, Marecs and Meteosat, which are managed by commercial companies (Arianespace, Eutelsat, Inmarsat and Eumetsat).

More information can be found at: www.esa.int

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