European Space Research Organisation: : [Fonds], 1964-1975

The Resource European Space Research Organisation: : [Fonds], 1964-1975

Label

European Space Research Organisation: : [Fonds], 1964-1975

Title remainder

[Fonds]

Inclusive dates

1964-1975

Language

Summary

The fonds mainly comprises minutes and correspondence originating from the various ESRO entities and departments. These documents provide a thurough understanding of the history of the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC). The richness of the legal documentation provides a high-level overview of the discussions on the various contracts and agreements. The minutes of the Council and the Scientific and Technical Committee give evidence of the decisional processes and the main political steps of ESRO

Biographical or historical data

According to the ESRO Convention the purpose of the organisation was to provide and promote collaboration among European states in space research and technology, for peaceful purposes exclusively. The member states were: Belgium, Denmark, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Austria, Norway, and later Ireland were granted observer status. Other centres were established under the ESRO umbrella: ESTEC for space and application engineering, the European Data Acquisition Centre (ESDAC) in Darmstadt, the European Space Research Institute (ESRIN) in Frascati and the European Tracking and Telemetry Network (ESTRACK), operating stations in Fairbanks, Alaska, Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands, Ny Alesund in Spitzbergen Islands and Redu in Belgium. The first four years of ESRO were devoted to an extensive sounding rocket programme and to the launching of three satellites. However, in 1968 ESRO faced a crisis due to the underestimation of the level of resources needed for launching its satellites. The group of experts chaired by J. H. Bannier (The Netherlands) drew up a proposal for revising the organisation's structure, its procedures, and working methods and various reforms were gradually introduced. The revised ESRO Convention introduced a new science programme which continued on a reduced basis. The ESRIN Space Laboratory was transformed into a documentation centre. The programmes for satellite applications (AEROSAT, METEOSAT and OTS) were introduced and adopted by the various countries.

Cataloging source

IT-FiEUI

Language note

Fonds in English, French, German, Swedish, Spanish, and Italian. Inventory in English

Location of other archival material

Documentation annexed to the fonds includes: rules, regulations and agreements, survey prepared by ESRO, text of the Convention for the establishment of a European Space Research Organisation, proceedings of the Colloquium on Space Biology related to the POST-APOLLO programme (Paris 15-17 March 1971), technical memoranda, proposals for the choice of a telemetry system for the ESRO satellite, Symposium sur la radiodiffusion par satellite (Frascati, 12-14 February 1975), report on eight years of sounding rockets activity (1964-1972), reports on the 14th (1971) and 15th (1972) COSPAR meetings.

Context

Context of European Space Research Organisation: : [Fonds], 1964-1975

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Context

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