Europe in Space [Paperback]

This book traces the development of the European space programme from its pre-1970 beginnings to the prospects for European ventures beyond the year 2000. It looks at the failure of the Europa Rocket programme, and the development of the successful Ariane programme.The pioneering years - the early history of European space programmes pre-1970; the Europa debacle - the failure of the Europa rocket programme; Ariane, from drawing board to launchpad - the development of the Ariane programme through the 1970s; early scientific satellites - scientific satellite projects pre-1980; early communications and weather satellites - communications and weather satellites pre-1980; Ariane, the commercial challenge - the commercialization of Ariane in the 1980s; Spacelab - Spacelab and the European manned space programme; remote sensing, comets and the lure of Mars - the Spot earth observation programme, the Giotto Halley probe and the exploration of Mars; the telecommunications satellites in the 1980s; satellite television - television satellites in the direct broadcast age; the French manned spce programme - French astronauts on the Soviet and US space programmes; satellites and probes in the 1990 - developments in telecommunications, scientific and military satellites and planetary probes; shuttles, space stations and politics - Ariane 5,Hermes, Columbus and the 1987 Hague ministerial meeting; the international scene and the way forward - international competition, hypersonic space plane projects and prospects for European space ventures beyond the year 2000.