You are invited to attend a media briefing at which the UK’s decision
on participation in the European Space Agency’s ‘Preparatory Phase
of the European Space Exploration Programme’ [ESEP – previously known
as Aurora] will be announced.

Date: Friday 1st October 2004
Venue: The Royal College of Pathologists
2 Carlton House Terrace
London SW1Y 5AF
Time: 10.30am [registration from 10.00]

Speakers
Lord Sainsbury, Minister for Science and Innovation
Prof. Ian Halliday, Chief Executive, Particle Physics and Astronomy
Research Council
Dr. Sarah Dunkin, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and Vice President of

The Royal Astronomical Society
Dr. Mike Healy, Director Earth Observation and Science, EADS Astrium

Leading scientists from the UK’s planetary community will also be
available for interview and comment including Prof. John Zarnecki [Open
University], Dr. Monica Grady [Natural History Museum], Prof. Colin
Pillinger [Open University] and Dr. Andrew Coates [Mullard Space Science
Laboratory, UCL].

Registration
To register please contact Becky Farncombe in the PPARC Press Office
Tel: 01793 442092
Email becky.farncombe @ pparc.ac.uk

A map of how to find the Royal College of Pathologists can be found at:
http://www.rcpath.org/index.asp?PageID=29

Notes to Editors

At the last meeting of the Aurora Board of Participants, held at ESA’s
Paris headquarters in July 2004, the participating states approved
revising the original Declaration. The European countries already
participating in ESA’s Aurora programme, plus Canada, unanimously
agreed to remodel Aurora into a broader programme, namely the
Preparatory Phase of the European Space Exploration Programme (ESEP).

This decision would ensure that industrial work carried out thus far
under Aurora continued. It would also enable the drafting of a long-term
plan for a robust, innovative and flexible ESEP programme proposal and
for a decision at the next ESA ministerial-level Council meeting.

Participating states were required to confirm their funding levels by
the end of September 2004. This briefing will announce the decision of
the UK.

For further information on Aurora see:
ESA: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/index.html
PPARC: http://www.aurora.rl.ac.uk/Default.htm