Informal European Union space ministers meeting – Interview given by Mme Valérie Pécresse, Minister for Higher Education and Research, to the “Aujourd’hui en France” newspaper

Kourou, 21 July 2008

Q. – Why this informal meeting in Kourou?

THE MINISTER – It’s indeed the first time such a meeting has been organized, what’s more in a symbolic place since Kourou is the European spaceport. Europe is a space adventure which must now take on a political dimension. We have to convince the 27 members of Europe that space can be beneficial to them and that they must take part in it. Our slogan is “Destination Earth”, space at the service of Earth and the European citizen.

Q. – What issues are you going to work on?

THE MINISTER – The climate, economic development, security and solar system exploration. The French presidency is going to propose the creation of a European climate research centre. The idea is to exploit, standardize and model all space data. Economic development will be tackled through Galileo, the European GPS, and its applications. We have guaranteed its funding, we’re entering its operational phase. We’re also going to propose a system of monitoring objects in space and space debris. Currently, only France and Germany have radar systems for this. We need to network our expertise and perhaps build new radar systems.

Q. – Will solar exploration embrace the issue of manned flights?

THE MINISTER – Yes. France is in favour of manned flights, but not solo ones, either for our country or Europe. It’s better to have vast international cooperation, as in the case of the International Space Station (ISS) and Cadarache – the ITER project is going to try and achieve controlled nuclear fusion. Europe has key technologies for participating in the adventure of manned flights, such as its space cargo ship, the ATV.¹ Why not think about conducting a feasibility study on transforming this craft so that it can also carry human passengers?

Q. – The space agencies collaborating on the ISS are calling for its mission to be extended beyond the scheduled date of 2015. Are you in favour of this?

THE MINISTER – Very much so. Despite the halting of the US space shuttle programme in 2010, we’ll still have the Russian capsules and the ATV to provide access to it. The ISS is now equipped with scientific research laboratories, it will be important to exploit its capabilities for longer, beyond 2015. But of course, that will cost something…./.

¹ The first Automated Transfer Vehicle, the "Jules Verne", for re-supplying the ISS with food, oxygen, water, spare parts and propellant, was successfully launched in March 2008 at Kourou.