🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1175@its63b.ed.ac.uk>, bob@its63b.ed.ac.uk (ERCF08 Bob Gray) writes:
> 
> In an unexpected announcement yesterday, Monday 18th April,
> The British Government changed it's previous position on
> the funding of space science, and is now to provide
> 250 million pounds to ESA over the next 10 years to take a
> 5.5% share in the Columbus project.
> 
> This change in policy seems to have happened after a
> House of Lords comittee report last month was highly
> critical of Government space funding.
> 
> The Government minister who made the announcement, and who
> earlier criticised ESA for being a "hugely expensive club"
> and "Over-ambitious", now says that sufficient changes have
> been made to make British participatrion worthwhile.

	It's very gratifying to see that the Upper House is still
performing its role efficiently.   It's also gratifying to see
that the threat of non-participation by one member state is enough
to influence ESA goals.

jon.