Representatives from the UK and other European political, industrial and scientific sectors, together with members of the general public are helping to shape the future direction of space exploration.

On 8 and 9 January, in the historic city of Edinburgh, ESA and BNSC are to hold a workshop to kick off the first in a series of consultations with key stakeholders. The aim is to define European long-term strategy for space exploration and set the scene for the decisions to be taken at the ESA Council meeting at ministerial level scheduled for 2008.

The U. S. Space Shuttle Discovery has docked with the International Space Station.