Research and industry ministers from 29 European governments endorsed a growing role of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission in space-based security and defense Sept. 26, and specifically said Europe's Galileo satellite-navigation system will be open to use by Europe's military forces. Meeting in Brussels, Belgium, European Union research and industry ministers joined with their counterparts overseeing ESA as part of what is called a Space Council. The meeting produced a declaration that nudges ESA closer to becoming an avowedly dual-use agency bringing its technical expertise to bear on both civil and military-related programs.
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