§ Lord Kennetasked Her Majesty's Government:
(a) What are the current prospects of the space station and (b) whether, in the light of the "Hubble" malfunction, European participants are content with proposals for testing each part of it.
§ Lord HeskethPreparatory design work is under way for all the elements of Space Station Freedom. Funding for the programme in 1990–91 is currently under consideration in the US congress. The European Space Agency is concerned that, if NASA's appropriation is reduced, the space station schedule will need to be extended, to the detriment of ESA's own Columbus programme. The European polar platform, which is the UK's primary interest within the space station programme, is unlikely to be affected.
ESA is represented at all the more formal technical design reviews of the elements of the space station. These cover the plans for testing these elements. Notwithstanding the Hubble malfunction, ESA is content that the plans are soundly based.