Colorado springs (Sputnik) – the European space Agency (ESA) hopes that, if Skripal will not affect cooperation with Russia, Director General of ESA, Johann-Dietrich wörner said Satellite.
“In our case, our relationship with Russia is not so far implemented,” said Werner. “We are doing space activities, and so we try to stay away from all these discussions. I hope the space can also in the future the bridge of the earth’s crisis, and I therefore hope that there will be no impact on space.”
In March, former intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Julia was found unconscious outside a shopping centre in Salisbury, England. The British government accuses Russia of organizing the attack on Skripals with nerve gas and kicked 23 Russian diplomats. Russia has denied any role in the poisoning Skripals and noted that the British government evidence provided to substantiate their accusations.
The Director General of ESA, Johann-Dietrich wörner also noted that the ESA is very pleased to participate in new joint projects with Russia, despite the current political tensions between Moscow and the West.
“Of course, I notice that there are some political issues in the world and it was very good with space, we can overcome these earthly problems, because we need all these connections,” said Werner. “I am therefore very happy that the cooperation with Russia, especially with the Russian space Agency, IKI [space research Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences] this is really happening, and we look forward to new projects and programs in various fields.”
Werner told ESA it is now organized, the astronaut launches along with Russia which is next scheduled for 6 June from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan include German astronaut Alexander Gerst.
“Then we plan jointly with our Russian colleagues [to do] some activities on the moon, especially research on the moon’s surface and conduct some experiments,” said Werner. “So there are a lot of things that we have planned, and I think it is very good that we cooperate”.
Werner said on the sidelines of the annual space of the 34rd Symposium in Colorado springs, Colorado. The event was attended by representatives of space agencies, commercial space enterprises, as well as the military, national security and intelligence organizations for discussion and planning for the future of space exploration.
Werner also said ESA hopes that it will sign an agreement with the state of the Russian space Corporation Roscosmos on the moon exploration cooperation as soon as possible.
“Signed the framework agreement, I don’t know exactly when will be the next step that needs to be signed,” said Werner. “From our side, we expect [in the caption] as quickly as possible.”
Werner stressed that both sides are ready to go forward as the agreement is “basically complete, so we know what we have to do.”
“We are now looking into all the details of how we can contribute to this lunar resource missions, and what can we do then, in future missions, how we can cooperate also on the surface of the moon, because the Moon is very interesting,” said Werner.
Sourse: sputniknews.com
