((Translation automated by Reuters, please consult the non-responsibility clause https://bit.ly/rtrsauto))))
(Add details and quotes to paragraph 3) by Tim Hephere
The European space Agency (ESA) said on Monday that it was studying the impact of US budgetary proposals that provide cuts in NASA lunar programs in which it plays a role, and that it remained open to cooperation with the American space agency.
The ministers of the ESA board of directors will discuss “potential actions and alternative scenarios” during a meeting in June, the European agency of 22 countries said in a statement.
The main lines of the American budget published on Friday provide for the gradual abolition of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket of NASA and its Orion crew vehicle, which includes a key service module provided by the European company Airbus Air.PA on behalf of ESA.
The White House described the SLS and Orion as “very expensive” and said they have largely exceeded their budget.
The budget summary also provides for the cessation of the Gateway lunar platform project, which would play a key role in future Lunar Missions Artemis and include elements built by the Franco-Italian company Thales Alenia Space
TCFP.PA
LDOF.MI
.
ESA said that US budgetary proposals were being developed, but that it had started to discuss their implications with NASA.
“ESA remains open to cooperation with NASA on programs intended to be reduced or deleted, but it nevertheless evaluates the impact with its Member States in preparation for the ESA of the ESA of June”, specifies the press release.
During this meeting, on June 11 and 12, ESA and its Member States will assess “potential actions and alternative scenarios” for the programs concerned of ESA and European industry, added the press release, without giving more details on the other possible options.
The Artemis program, launched under the first administration of President Donald Trump, aims to bring humans back to the moon and to use the exercise as a test bench for subsequent Martian missions. It involves dozens of private companies and countries, including European countries.
The discounts would concern the European Orion space module, which maneuver the spacecraft and provides it with water and oxygen. According to the manufacturer Airbus, it is the first time that NASA has given an unusual company that is such an important role in inhabited space flights.
European contributions to Gateway include a inhabited module called Lunar I-Hab built by Thales Alenia Space, the Lunar View observation and logistics module led by the same company, and a communication device called Lunar Link.
The United States and ESA signed in 2020 a Gateway agreement defining Europe’s contributions to the project, which is largely inspired by the agreement between the United States and Europe about the International Space Station.
Airbus and Thales did not immediately respond to requests for comments.
Related news :