Ministers from the member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) met last week to set new objectives and approve funding programs to achieve them.

"The ESA member states have given a great boost to the whole European space community," said newly elected ESA ministerial council chairman Lord Sainsbury, the UK space minister. "The new investments agreed will underpin the development of new jobs in multi-billion euro knowledge-based industries in the next decade."

The ESA has shown its determination to maintain a world-class European space industry in new strategic sectors, said the agency's director general, Antonio Rodota. There are 14 member countries of ESA, along with Canada, which has a cooperation agreement with the agency.

The big winners, receiving the bulk of the budget allocations, were the International Space Station, where Europe wants to maintain a strong role, and the Ariane 5 rocket launch program.

Ariane 5 is the world's most powerful launch program, viewed as the current market leader in the commercial sector and the future of the European launch industry. Investments were aimed at safeguarding Europe's independent access to space, ministers said, as well as to enhance the performance of this heavy launch vehicle.

ESA ministers expect more funding for the Ariane 5 program will increase competitiveness. Eventually the Ariane 5 is expected to be able to launch even heavier satellites into orbit. The ESA also agreed to consider more funding for the second-stage development of the new small launcher, VEGA.

It was also agreed to develop an independent global satellite positioning network within the European Union.

"There is an urgent need to ensure strategic independence for Europe in the field of satellite navigation," the ministers said. The planned European Galileo global positioning system will compete with the US-based GPS system, which Europe chose not to help upgrade.