A New Force at a New Frontier

ThisisacomprehensiveworkontheEuropeanspacesector.Writtenbyanacknowledgedexpertandformerspaceagencyofficial,theworkopensupavitalcomponentofEurope'stechnostructureandtheworld'sspaceprogrammes.ItsmassofinformationwillservetheinsiderasahandyreferencewhileitsthemesandlivelyanalysiswillabsorbthelaypersonandassistpublicjudgementofEuropeanspaceefforts.ThebookfirstexplorestheSpaceAge'soriginsandEurope'sresponseuptothe1970s.Itthendevotesitsbulktothesceneofthe1990sbyinvestigatingtheEuropeanSpaceAgency(ESA),Eutelsat,Arianespace,Eumetsat,ASTRA,nationalagenciesandotherbodies.Howthissceneworks,whathadbeenachieved,howspacetechnologyismadeandused,andhowpolicyisformedaremainconcerns,butofinteresttooarevariouscrises,includingEurope'sman-in-spaceprogramme.Thebookidentifieschallengesforthespacecommunity,businessandtheEU,andhowtheymaybemet.