A New Force at a New Frontier: Europe's Development in the Space Field in the Light of its Main Actors, Policies, Law and Activities from its Beginnings up to the Present

This book will provide a comprehensive source of information for space specialists and others having a close interest in European space affairs. Written by an acknowledged expert and former space agency official, the work opens up a vital component of Europe's technostructure and the world's space programs. Its mass of information will serve the insider as a handy reference while its lively analysis will assist public judgment of European space efforts. The book first explores the Space Age's origins and Europe's response up to the 1970s. It then devotes its bulk to the present scene by investigating ESA, Eutelsat, Arianespace, Eumetsat, ASTRA, national agencies and other bodies. How this scene works, what has been achieved, how space technology is made and used and how policy is formed are main concerns, but of interest too are various crises, including recently Europe's man-in-space program. The book identifies challenges for the space community, business, and the EU and how they may be met.