The ESA Convention: 50 years of successful regional cooperation in space

摘要

Back in the late 1950's, the parents of the European cooperative space effort came together to create the blueprint of what was to become a continuing success story in regional cooperation in space matters. As early as 1964, two specialised regional intergovernmental organisations saw the light of day: ELDO, the European Launcher Development Organisation, and ESRO, the European Space Research Organisation. Building on the ESRO Convention, a merger of the two organisations led to the creation of a unique regional intergovernmental organisation: the European Space Agency, which began to function de facto on 31 May 1975. To this date, the success of ESA in serving European cooperation and innovation proves ESA's founding parents right in their organisational approach.