Hubble Space Telescope And UK Space Science

EDM number 566 in 1996-97, proposed by Michael Marshall on 24/02/1997.

That this House congratulates NASA and astronauts Steven Smith and Mark Lee on the successful completion of the second refurbishment mission for the Hubble Space Telescope during a seven hour space walk on 14th February; notes that the European Space Agency is a partner with NASA in the HST supplying the telescope's solar panel (built in Britain) and the fai nt object camera, and the sixteen major research proposals from United Kingdom astronomers have been accepted by the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore; recognises the United Kingdom strength in space science as demonstrated by our key involvement in major ESA projects which are already generating valuable information; and believes that while the prime objective of United Kingdom space plicy must be to encourage the development of a truly competitive space industry meeting user needs in fields such as satellite communications, navigation and Earth observation, achievements in space science are fundamental to understanding our environment and are a source of inspiration to young people to take up careers in science and technology on which the future of the nation depends.

This motion has been signed by a total of 26 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.