PARIS - European ministers approved a 1.4-billion-euro ($1.5-billion) lifeline Friday for plans to place a life-seeking rover on Mars and maintain a presence on the International Space Station. Matters were not helped by a 230-million-euro test lander, designed to lay the groundwork for the planned rover, smashed into the Red Planet in October. The government portfolios of the "space ministers" present ranged from trade, economy and technology to higher education. ESA was prompted to turn to Russia on ExoMars after US budget cuts led to NASA withdrawing from the mission in 2012. Many fear Trump will make further cuts, endangering US and international space programmes, including the ISS.

Source: Bangkok Post December 02, 2016 17:49 UTC