Europe keeps space science budget level

摘要

Europe's space ministers last week agreed on a level budget for joint space science activities over the next few years that will allow science missions already approved by the European Space Agency (ESA) — including a mission to Mars known as Mars Express — to be launched on schedule. The ministers also approved the start of a new optional programme of scientific missions to observe the Earth, called the Living Planet. Nearly 600 million euros (US$640 million) has been approved for its first four years of operation.