Paris, The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to vote on whether to spend billions more euros to keep up with rising competition in space, as well as unveiling its much-anticipated new crop of astronauts, France 24 News reported.

The ESA’s 22 member states, whose ministers charged with space duties have been meeting in Paris since Tuesday, will decide on meeting the agency’s request for a record 18.7 billion euros for new programmes over the next three years.

The figure is more than 25 percent higher than the 14.5 billion euros agreed at the ESA’s last ministerial council in 2019.

Source: Oman News Agency