Italy and the U.K. are moving to beef up their space programs despite the likelihood that near-term funding will be limited.rnMariastella Gelmini, the Italian minister in charge of space, revealed a new strategic plan here, to be submitted for approval in late September, that would extend funding and program visibility for the country's civil space program to 10 years, instead of three years currently. She also affirmed that Italian space agency ASI will likely be spared the brunt of across-the-board cuts be-rning imposed by the government to help reign in Italy's huge budget deficit, on the grounds that sustained space investment is a top strategic priority, and generator of future economic growth.
展开▼
