Spain and US sign Mars deal

6 February 2004

WASHINGTON – Spain and Nasa signed a joint declaration on Spanish participation in future space missions to Mars, it was reported Friday.

Pedro Morenes, Spain’s secretary of state for scientific and technological policy, and Nasa director Sean O’Keefe signed the agreement at the US space agency’s headquarters in Washington.

Morenes also met Thursday with Nasa’s assistant administrator for international relations, Mike O’Brien, and with the agency’s chief of staff, John Schumacher.

In his meetings, Morenes examined how the two countries are cooperating in space affairs and how to increase that collaboration in the future, Nasa spokesperson Debra Rahn told EFE.

The Spanish government announced in late January that it would sign a collaboration agreement with Nasa to develop programs related to Mars missions scheduled for 2007 and beyond, but Rahn did not confirm if that specific accord had been signed during these meetings.

Morenes was scheduled to meet on later Friday with US Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham and with high-ranking officials in that department to negotiate several matters of bilateral cooperation in the sector, after which he will hold a press conference.

[Copyright EFE with Expatica]

Subject: Spanish news