Ukrainian parliament adopts space program from 2013-2017 at first reading
The Ukrainian parliament at a session on Tuesday approved at first reading the state research space program of Ukraine for the period of 2013-2017.
A total of 327 MPs voted in favor of the program.
According to an explanatory note to the draft bill on the program, it is the fifth of its kind since Ukraine's independence and fourth to have the status of a law of Ukraine.
The program aims at increasing the effectiveness of the use of the country's space potential for settling urgent tasks in the development of society, supporting national security and defense and protecting the geopolitical interests of the state. The program says that space research, applied research on the creation of promising prototype rockets and spacecraft and modern technologies will be carried out, prestigious national projects will be implemented and scientific and educational programs will be realized.
It is expected that a mechanism for providing state support and ensuring the investment attractiveness of the space sector should be improved.
The draft also proposes that the presence of national enterprises on the global space service market should be expanded.