The NGST project within the ESA Science Programme

The scientific goals of the NGST are among those recommended by the Horizon 2000+ Report, which outlined the long term path of the ESA Science Programme. Indeed the foreseen capabilities of the NGST are an excellent complement to those of other ESA approved projects like FIRST and PLANCK. From recent experience, it is clear that the best scientific results in astronomy and astrophysics are obtained by co-ordinated observations in different wavelength ranges and by complementary capabilities (e.g. in spatial resolution and flux collecting power): the joint effort of the European Space Programme and of the various, well advanced, large European Ground Observatories, will allow the European astronomers to be at the front line of astrophysics research.