May 28 1975
From The Space Library
28-29 May: More than 200 persons from 30 countries participated in an observance of "European Space Days," a demonstration of Europe's space capability held at the European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, Netherlands, by the European Space Research Organization [scheduled to become the European Space Agency on 30 May].
In a speech, Secretary General of the International Telecommunications Union M. Mili said ITU encouraged Europe's intention to play an important role in the peaceful uses of outer space; the programs of ESRO-ESA offered a particularly well chosen range of satellites for research and applications.
Y. Demerliac, Secretary General of Eurospace-Groupement Industriel European D'Etudes Spatiales-reminded the audience that since 1962 Europe had developed 43 satellites, including four communications satellites. In addition, European industry had built 36 of the 104 ground stations or antennas in the network of the International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT). More than two-thirds of these had been sold to non-European countries.
Director General of ESRO Roy Gibson (United Kingdom) said the creation of ESA was of more significance than a mere change in name: the convention of the new agency gave it a specific mandate to work toward a rationalization of Europe's space program which its predecessors ESRO and ELDO (European Launcher Development Organization) did not have. He hoped that the 3-day presentation of ESROESA and. other European programs would give the visitors an impression of the total competence and capability of Europe's up-to-date, rather dispersed space effort. (ESRO Release 28 May 75)
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