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Russia and Europe to sign space agreement
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  • MOSCOW (AFP) Jan 18, 2005
    Russia and the European Space Agency (ESA) will sign an agreement Wednesday allowing Russia to use ESA's sites for space launches and allowing the two sides to freely exchange research and development information, the two sides said in a statement.

    The agreement would be signed in Moscow by ESA Director General Jean-Jacques Dordain and Russian Space Agency chief Anatoly Perminov, the statement said.

    The European side will allow Russia to conduct space launches from its Guinea space center.

    They will also sign a launcher agreement in which the two sides will share information on designing new launchers and fuels, according to the joint statement.

    Russia conducted the majority of space launches last year, according to Russian officials, carrying out 42.6 percent of launches compared to 29.6 percent by the United States, 14.8 by China and just 5.6 percent by the ESA itself, ahead of India's 1.9 percent share.

    "This document will allow Russian and European companies taking part in the project to sign specific contracts for future cooperation," said Alain Fournier-Sicre, the ESA's chief representative to Russia.

    The first launch of a Russian Soyuz craft from Guinea is tentatively scheduled for 2007.




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