Czechs accepted into European ‘space club’

The Czech Republic will become a full member of the European Space Agency (ESA) as of Jan. 1, 2009. First, the Parliament has to approve the agreement signed July 8 by Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek and Jean-Jacques Dordain, the director general of ESA. Experts say they hope the membership will help to boost Czech industries connected with space technologies. The Czech Republic, having a long tradition in space research, has been trying for a long time to join ESA. In 1996, the country signed a Cooperation Agreement with the agency. Seven years later, in 2003, the Czech Republic acquired the status of European Cooperating State by signing a Plan for European Cooperating States (PECS). This status was granted to countries who wished to become full members of the agency. During five years of PECS, the Czech Republic invested an... [read full story]