Artist’s rendering of the Norwegian satellite AISSat 1 in orbit. Photo: NRS/FFI/NASA

[Via Satellite 08-29-2016] French space agency CNES’ President Jean-Yves Le Gall recently met with Bo Andersen, director general of the Norwegian Space Center (NSC) to review joint projects and prepare for future European space activities.

The space agency leaders reviewed projects the two nations are pursuing together: the New Generation Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI-NG), with the Laser Source Electronics (LASE) device from Norwegian firm Konsberg (KDA), and activities concerning ionospheric propagation in northern regions, which have been extended for a further year. The two agency heads also discussed topics that will be on the agenda at the upcoming European Space Agency (ESA) ministerial council meeting this December in Lucerne, Switzerland, notably launch vehicles, International Space Station (ISS) utilization, the ExoMars program and ESA-EU relations. In this respect, they also discussed the evolution of the Galileo program in which Norway is participating under a special bilateral agreement.

Le Gall and Andersen are co-chairs of the ESA council, and CNES and NSC have forged closer ties at both bilateral and European levels since signing a framework cooperation agreement in 2007.