Europeans Begin Funding Development of Alternatives to U.S. Satellite Components

摘要

In response to current and anticipated U.S. technology-export restrictions, European governments have agreed to fund a technology-autonomy program to reduce their dependence on satellite-electronics components manufactured in the United States. The two-year program, called the European Component Initiative, was started in late 2004 with funding provided by the European and French space agencies. The first stage of the effort is to create incentives for European electronics-components manufacturers to establish production lines for systems that are critical to satellites and are currently available only from U.S. companies.