The UK is expected to miss the deadline for participating in the preparatory phase of the European Space Agency's (ESA) Aurora space exploration programme.
The deadline, on 30 September, requires each member state of ESA to provide £5 million ($9.3 million) to fund an 18-month preparatory phase.
It will be missed because the UK science research councils that would be involved will not have received their budgets in time, predicts the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council, which would lead UK participation.
The decision as to whether the UK joins will be taken by minister for science Lord Sainsbury.
Source: Flight International