The second study tour within the ESA component took place in France from December 6th till 12th. An impressive delegation from NSAU and Industrial Enterprises was led by MM Eduard Kuznietsov and Sergey Zassukha, NSAU deputies general director, with three NSAU Department directors, MM Viacheslav Gusinin, department of Space Programs, Volodymyr Panchenko, department of Industrial Policy and Mrs Iryna Gorbenko, deputy director of department of Economics and Finance, three chief specialists of the International Relations department, Mr Oleksander Melashenko, RTA counterpart, Mrs Iryna Stubaylo and Ms Olga Stelmakh, and a representative of KB Yuzhnoye, Mr Oleksander Kushnar’ov, head of the Project complex. The group was driven by Mrs Anne Thieser, CNES, responsible for the component, Mr Jean-Claude Courteille, CNES, project leader and accompagnied by Andre Moussine-Pouchkine, RTA. Communication was ensured by Mrs Elisabeth Moussine-Pouchkine, CNES (CNES intranet and internet website, an interview of Mr Kuznietsov for Air & Cosmos, and for the French newspaper La Depeche du Midi in Toulouse).

This official delegation was, already on Monday morning at breakfast, welcomed at CNES headquarter in Paris by Mr Thierry Duquesne, director of Programs, International Affairs and Prospective, representing Mr Yannick d’Escatha, president. Two very interesting visits of respectively SNECMA in Vernon and EADS Astrium in Les Mureaux were organized and allowed Ukrainian specialists to discover two major enterprises in charge of the Ariane launchers (engines and general conception). A reception at the Ukrainian Cultural Centre gathered the Ukrainian ambassador, CNES, ESA and MAE representatives and concluded the first day.

The second day was devoted to the official visit of ESA and CNES headquarters in Paris. Presentations were made by MM Hulsroy, Berguist from ESA, and by Jean-Pascal LeFranc from CNES. Membership and joint programmes were discussed at ESA. Technical and scientifical Cooperation was discussed with CNES with a bilateral symposium organized within the first half of 2010. The delegation moved then to Toulouse France.

The first half day in Toulouse, a Kiev twin city, was devoted to get a feeling about the town and its major points of interest. A reception at the Mairie of Toulouse was organized with Mr Cotelle, vice president Economical & Trade Commission. The afternoon was devoted to the visit of CNES-Toulouse and its facilities in satellite making and ATV vehicles. Although everybody was involved with the launch of Helios, a military Earth remote sensing satellite, we met with Mr Lionel Suchet, director of Space programs and were able to visit the ATV control centre, various laboratories and the Picard white chamber (French scientifical satellite to be launched in March on a Dnepr launcher).

The second day was used to visit the two major Space enterprises Thales Alenia Space and EADS Astrium, both essentially involved in satellite making and in exploiting datas. Impressive installations and facilities were reviewed in details.

Finally the last day in Toulouse was dedicated to an Industrial forum with French Space Industry (over 20 companies represented) with the possibility for our delegation to present the Ukrainian Space industry and to answer the questions. The mayor of Toulouse, Mr Pierre Cohen and his team visited us during the forum, as well as Mr Marc Pircher, Head of the Toulouse CNES Space Centre. The afternoon was devoted to the visit of the Space City in Toulouse where we were welcomed by Mr Bernard Burel, director of the Centre. This last visit concluded the very hectic program of this study tour. The delegation moved back to Paris and then to Kiev.