Ukraine hopes to forge closer collaboration with EU through modification of national space programme
Ukraine has signalled that it would consider modifying its national space programme so as to integrate it into the EU space strategy and guarantee closer collaboration. The potential gesture was announced by Eduard Kuznetsov, Deputy Director General of the national space agency of Ukraine (NSAU) at the first meeting of the 'EU-Ukraine joint ad hoc working group on peaceful use of outer space' at the end of March. Ukraine has much expertise in areas such as launch vehicles, satellites and payloads, having inherited approximately 15 per cent of the former Soviet Union's space capabilities. The country also has several distinguished research centres. The following areas have been highlighted by Ukraine as of interest for collaboration: - modification of the national ground system for space-based navigation within the European GNSS, EGNOS and future Galileo systems; - the launch of Galileo satellites and space research vehicles using Ukrainian facilities; - use of Ukrainian ground-based infrastructure for space vehicle management; - cooperation within the GMES (global monitoring of environment and security) programme. The NSAU, together with the Ukrainian academy of science will hold a seminar on space research under the Sixth Framework Programme towards the end of the year in order to facilitate the integration of Ukrainian researchers into the programme.