Obstacles to space cooperation: Europe and the post-Apollo experience

Abstract

The U.S. invitation of Europe to participate in the American post-Apollo space effort provided an opportunity for something quite different from the cooperative projects of the past. It was the first offer to participate in the design, development, management and use of major manned flight systems. In spite of considerable interest on the part of European industry and a number of governments, such participation has been difficult to arrange because of (a) the differign attitudes and objectives of the major nations of Western Europe toward space research; (b) suspension of American motives; (c) concern about continued support for the space program within the U.S.; (d) the limited resources applied to space research within Europe; (e) the desire on the part of some nations to develop a launch capability independent from the Americans; (f) dissatisfaction with American dominance of Intelsat. While there are many technical problems involved in international cooperation in space, the political and economic problems appear to be even more complex. Yet, if these problems cannot be overcome, true cooperation in space cannot be achieved.