Tim Furniss
There's been "quite a change" in the operating philosophy of the European Space Agency (ESA), Antonio Rodota, the agency's director general said yesterday.
ESA was no longer there to "-fund industry; industry needs to support its own legs," he says.
This change in attitude has been influenced by Rodota's own experience. He came into ESA from industry, heading Alenia Spazio.
Rodota realises that it is up to industry to come up with initiatives for ESA's support and put some money into them at the start.
Real role
"I'm not saying I was responsible but perhaps helped change the way towards a better understanding of the real role industry and the agency have to play in the future."
The transformation in thinking began some years ago, Rodota adds, and it is all part of the maturing of the space industry, now dominated by commercial applications rather than research and development.
An example of this wind of change has been the invitation from industry to propose projects for ESA's Earthwatch Earth observation applications programme.
"We have had so many proposals from industry, it is going to be difficult to judge the best," Rodota says. "We need to have operational applications in space and it is the role of agencies to help develop these with industry backing.
"Big changes are needed in ESA too. We have often addressed the more traditional industries and the time has come to embrace those in the component and service industries also."
Earthwatch is one of three major new initiatives agreed by the ESA Council recently. The others were the initial development of a Vega small launcher and work on the next stage towards a European navigation satellite system.
Source: Flight Daily News
