estec_01.htmThe ESA-ESTEC Document - SP2000 - May 99:

"Why Must Europe Invest in Space"

Why Must Europe Invest in Space?

The Challenge of Independence

The Challenge Beyond

Twenty Actions for Year 2001

The Challenge of Planetary Management

The above document is published on the ESA-ESTEC web site, in PDF format. [http://esapub.esrin.esa.it/sp/sp2000-toc.htm]

In order to allow everyone to read it, we made this HTML version, now online on the TdF web pages, thanks to ESAWEB kindness.

Our request [june 12th 1999]:

Dear colleagues,
Ralf Buelow suggested me to put online, on our webzine Technologies of theFrontier http://www.tdf.it/, your very interesting document named in thesubject.
I already downloaded the pdf files from your site.
I'm asking you, respectfully, the permission to put everything online, or to have a link to an html version (if any).
Thank you very much.
Best regards
Adriano Autino
___________________________________________
President - TECHNOLOGIES OF THE FRONTIER
http://www.tdf.it/ - e-mail: adriano.autino@tdf.it
___________________________________________
Co-Founder - GREATER EARTH INITIATIVE
http://www.greaterearth.org/ - e-mail: adriano.autino@tdf.it
___________________________________________
President - Studio ANDROMEDA - Real Time Systems
and Simulators for Aerospace Industry - e-mail: autino@canavese.it

 The ESA-ESTEC answer [june 16th 1999]:

Dear Sir
Further to your recent note, we would like to inform you that you mayuse material you find on our site, but not for commercial use and youmust acknowledge that it originates from ESA.
Thank you for your interest in our Home Page.
Kind Regards
ESAWEB
Olivia

Curiosity:

The ESA-ESTEC document SP2000 - May 99 reports the Greater Earth concept, almost with the same words of our Greater Earth Manifesto!

Please see, in Chapter 3 The Challenge Beyond, paragraph "Exploiting the Solar System", the image "The Greater Earth concept" and the related text! [abstract] "...In this context, the classical notion of Earth’s extent may have to be revised. Its true dimensions may be defined by the spherical volume about 3 million kilometres in diameter, within which Earth’s gravity dominates over that of the Sun..."

Now take a look to the Greater Earth Manifesto [Issue 3, Rev. 2 - 30 may 1998]:

"PC.200 - Definition: Greater Earth By the term 'Greater Earth', we mean a spherical region of space, centered on the Earth, where the gravitational influence of our home planet dominates the motions of any object. This region has a radius of approximately 1.5 Millions km, thus extending up to the L1 Lagrange point, marking the border of Greater Earth. We regard this region as the truer extension of Earth. "

One of the first versions of the Manifesto said, textually:

"...The concept of a Greater Earth represents the true physical boundaries of our planet - i.e. the gravitational boundary of Earth - this is a sphere with a diameter of approx. 3 million kilometers. Our position is to recognize those resources contained within this sphere as natural resources belonging to our planet and thus naturally subject to utilization for its benefit. This of course includes all the energy passing through this sphere as well as the physical resources of the Moon and various asteroids..."

It is really great to be so much in tune with ESA ESTEC! And maybe we contributed a little to the ESA strategy. Let's hope that ESA will listen to our proposals even in future, first of all giving a better priority to Astronautics!