Europe’s bold Explore 2040 campaign aims to take astronauts to the Moon and Mars.

The European Space Agency (ESA) is charting a bold course for the future as it seeks to strengthen Europe’s position in space exploration through its Explore 2040 initiative.

Josef Aschbacher, CEO ESAstressed the need for Europe to step up its space activities during a speech on October 16 at the 2024 International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Milan. The agency is currently developing a strategy that will shape its future. One of the key pillars of this is research.

“We have a process with our member states called Explore 2040, which represents the vision on the horizon of 2040 and where Europe could go,” Daniel Neuenschwander, director of human and robotic research at ESA.

“First of all, we want to increase the pace and method of delivering programs,” Neuenschwander said. This includes accelerating innovation and developing transport and infrastructure for exploration, he added.

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Neuenschwander outlined plans for a presence in low earth orbit (LEO) before heading to the moon and beyond.

“We want to attract Europeans moon and on the surface of the Moon… And then the goal on the horizon, of course, is to lead people to Mars“Neuenschwander said.

At the heart of Explore 2040 is the upcoming Ministerial Council meeting in 2025, at which member states will set Europe’s future course in space. These key summits are held every three years to determine the level of commitment of ESA member countries and what programs they will undertake. Support is vital to Explore 2040.

The LEO plan involves ensuring post-International Space Station (ISS), which includes a low-Earth orbit cargo program that, through the development of reentry capabilities, could pave the way for a full European human spaceflight capability.

Speaking in Milan, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti said initial goals include demonstrating end-to-end delivery and return of cargo to the ISS.

A diagram showing some of Europe's planned research activities over the next decade or so, presented at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan in October 2024.

A diagram showing some of Europe’s planned research activities over the next decade or so, presented at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan in October 2024. (Image credit: Andrew Jones/Space.com)

For the Moon, Europa already provides the European Service Module as part of a NASA project. Orion spacecraftThis means that ESA will already fly to the Moon in one form or another. However, the next stage is amphibious capabilities.

For this purpose, ESA is developing Argonauta class of landers for delivering cargo to the Moon, being developed in collaboration with Airbus.

The logistics lander will be critical to ensuring international cooperation and sustainable lunar operations, according to ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst.

“Argonaut fills a gap in how we approach landing on the Moon and then being able to operate on the surface with the 1.7 tons of payload it can carry,” Gerst said.

Regarding the path to Mars, ESA plans to continue the LightShip program to create a communications and navigation network around Mars. LighthouseShip According to ESA, it is an electric tug that will carry one or more passenger spacecraft to Mars, provide communications and navigation services and be able to carry a range of scientific payloads.

European Space Agency astronauts Luca Parmitano (right), Alexander Gerst (center) and Samantha Cristoforetti (right) discuss European plans for lunar exploration at the International Astronautical Congress in Milan in October 2024.

These ambitions show how ESA is positioning itself to make the agency useful for future research.

In addition to these commitments, ESA is initiating Lunar program to provide navigation and communication services around the Moon. Depending on the outcome of the 2025 ministerial summit, he will launch several small lunar missions. As for Mars, he intends to launch the much-delayed Rover Rosalind Franklin and provision Earth return orbiter for Mars Sample Return Mission With NASA.

The next crucial meeting of the Council of Ministers in 2028 will consider lunar exploration and sampling missions, possibly a lunar remote camp and lunar missions. gateway return of cargo, as well as the possible evolution of the Argonaut lander. A new stage of infrastructure development after the ISS will also be discussed.

ESA’s plans for the 2040 survey are not yet finalized. This is one aspect of ESA’s wider strategy being discussed.

“We discussed the ESA 2040 Strategy, a document that is being prepared right now,” Aschbacher told reporters during a press conference on October 24 discussing the 329th ESA ministerial meeting.

“So we have a draft document that has been presented to delegations. It has received very high praise. We have not reached the final version yet. The final version is expected to be ready by December.”

ESA’s Vision 2040 depends not only on innovative projects, but also on the unwavering support of its 22 Member States to turn the vision into reality.

Europe’s bold Explore 2040 campaign aims to take astronauts to the Moon and Mars.

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