June 20, 2013

Bob Jacobs/Michael Braukus Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1600/-1979 bob jacobs@nasa gov / michael j braukus@nasa gov

RELEASE: 13-178

NASA AND ITALIAN SPACE AGENCY SIGN AGREEMENT ON EXPLORATION OF MERCURY

WASHINGTON -- At a meeting in Rome Thursday, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Italian Space Agency (ASI) President Enrico Saggese signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on the European Space Agency- (ESA) led BepiColombo mission to Mercury, strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation between NASA and ASI in planetary exploration

Bolden and Saggese also discussed NASA's plans for a new asteroid initiative, previously announced in President Obama's fiscal year 2014 budget proposal Saggese expressed the strong interest of Italy for the initiative and welcomed the opportunity to discuss potential ASI participation in a long-term exploration strategy

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