GERMANY IS ON the brink of joining France, Spain and Italy in the $2 billion development of the two-satellite Helios 2 optical reconnaissance-satellite programme after months of uncertainty.
German technology minister Jurgen Reuttgers, speaking at a European Space Agency meeting in Toulouse on the 18-20 October, said: "It does look fairly clear that we will go with France."
Germany had threatened that it might turn to the USA in obtaining a military-reconnaissance satellite from Lockheed Martin.
Reuttgers says that, "...we still intend to discuss the technical details with our US friends". These discussions would appear to be aimed at possibly purchasing US equipment for the Helios 2 to control costs.
Germany is being asked to provide some 15% of the cost of the Helios 2 programme, and up to 60% of the more advanced Osiris reconnaissance satellite.
The UK Ministry of Defence will order a sixth Skynet 4 military-communications satellite from Matra Marconi Space (MMS) in 1996 for launch in 1999. The Skynets 4D and E are being built by MMS.
Source: Flight International
