Technical programme

D4.1. Novel Concepts and Technologies

In order to realise future, sustainable programmes of space exploration and utilisation, a focused suite of transformational new systems concepts and supporting technologies must be advanced during the coming decade. The technical objectives to be pursued should be drawn from a broad, forward looking view of the technologies and systems needed, but must be sufficiently well focused to allow tangible progression and dramatic improvements over current capabilities to be realised in the foreseeable future. This session will address cross cutting considerations in which a number of discipline research topics and/or technologies may be successful synthesised to enable a transformation new systems concept to be achieved. Papers are solicited in these and related areas.

D4.2-E6.4. Joint Session on Global Public/Private Innovative Initiatives in Spaceflight

This session will cover innovative system concepts in spaceflight activities, including human spaceflight, to reduce the costs of space launch and in-orbit infrastructures while increasing utilisation. The complementary roles of industry and governments at a global scale will be discussed, initiatives and emerging issues will be presented.

D4.3. Space Elevator Design and Impact

The Space Elevator is a visionary, far future concept that has received particular attention during the past two decades. It is a space access option that might, if successfully developed, enable extremely large-scale access to space at a low marginal cost. After a recent systems level design was published, IAA “Space Elevator Feasibility,” ideas have surfaced with numbers and estimates for the future. Some of these items are: $ 500/kg to GEO, 7 cargo loads per week, 14 metric tons per load. With this new level of detail, the questions begin to focus on successful design and what can be accomplished across the space community. So the question to be answered for this session is: “What Changes will a Successful Space Elevator Enable?” Some answers could include satellite designs, new businesses in space, new missions for governments and new opportunities to colonize.

D4.4. Contribution of Space Activities to Solving Global Societal Challenges

The session will discuss the contributions in the far future of space activities to the solution of world challenges (e.g. energy, population…), and how the space systems approach will support the understanding of the global societal issues. The session will also include the identification of the related technologies that need to be developed. World global challenges will be discussed and the possible contributions of space activities identified. The definition of a roadmap will be encouraged. Environmental issues including global climate change will be not covered in this particular session.

D4.P. Poster Session