Dr. ThomasTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what United Kingdom participation(a) is currently fulfilled and (b) is expected in the United States space station project.
§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 25 March 1988]: European involvement in the international space station programme will be through the European Space Agency's Columbus programme. This is an optional programme of the agency and for the present the United Kingdom will not be participating in it, but we are continuing to discuss this with our partners in ESA.
Dr. ThomasTo ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the European Space Agency has any current involvements or is planning any involvement with the United States space station project.
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§ Mr. Atkins[holding answer 25 March 1988]: The European Space Agency will, through its Columbus programme, be participating with the USA, Canada and Japan in the development of a manned space station. The European involvement will be principally through a laboratory for microgravity research on the core space station, an independently orbiting unmanned experimental module for long duration experiments in space and a polar orbiting platform, mainly for earth observation.