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| | 1999: The Year in Space - European Space Activities |
 | | In Europe, which saw the formation of a new European economic union and the introduction of a unified monetary system, the Euro, at the beginning of the year, government funding for space projects in 1999 declined to a low level, particularly in France and Germany, the major member nations of the European Space Agency (ESA). |
 | | For the European aerospace industry, history was made on 10/14 in Strasbourg when the merger of France's Aerospatiale Matra, itself previously formed by merger of Aerospatiale and French/British Matra Marconi Space, and Germany's DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (DASA) was formally agreed, laying the foundation for the European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS), Europe's new industry leader. |
 | | A high-stakes mission for the European space community, the deployment of the large telescope to an initial orbit of 113,946 x 850 km (71,216 x 531 s.miles) inclined at 40 degrees to the equator went off flawlessly. |
| www.hq.nasa.gov /osf/1999/yearinrev/99esa.html (704 words) |
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