Decade Of Next Century Research Articles

Europe Ponders Space Constraints

PARIS —European space scientists gathering in Geneva last week had the unenviable task of trying to fit too many top-rated projects into the European Space Agency's shrinking budget. They made one painful decision: to recommend that a mission to the planet Mercury, slated for launch in the first decade of next century, be delayed indefinitely. But even that loss will not free up enough money to fly all the other missions space scientists had planned by 2010, nor will it guarantee Europe's participation in future collaborations such as the Next Generation Space Telescope.