Dordain Hopes ESA's Orion Contribution Will Spur Common Crew Vehicle

摘要

The European Space Agency (ESA) wants to use the recently approved European contribution to NASA's Orion crew transport vehicle as a tool to widen trans-Atlantic collaboration to include a common space exploration vehicle, ESA Director-General Jeanjacques Dordain said. While Europe and the United States would retain their own launch vehicle capabilities for strategic autonomy, he said, exploration vehicles should be developed as collaborative ventures to avoid duplication. "We're basically talking about development of a truck," Dordain said. "Is everyone going to develop his own truck? I have informed NASA that on my next trip to Washington I want to start talking about this."