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ESA Selects Next Generation Space Missions
davecl writes "The European Space Agency has announced the results of its Cosmic Visions 2015-2025 call for proposals. Fifty space science missions for the next decade were proposed, with just seven selected. They range from X-ray and far-infrared observatories to planet finders and a near-earth asteroid sample return mission. These seven, together with the LISA gravitational wave observatory, will go ahead for further study in the next few years, and then two will be chosen for launch in 2015-2017."
Given that it's looking more and more likely that we'll be well past the peak of global oil production by then, is it really a good idea to be planning seriously resource-intensive missions like these in this timeframe? I dont want to come over as a downer, but it's a good idea to be realistic. I suspect there will be more pressing issues than space exploration in this window.
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