From Columbus to the Moon: Human Spaceflight and Exploration, an European prospective
- Paper number
IAC-09.B3.1.4
- Author
Mr. Piero Messina, European Space Agency (ESA), France
- Coauthor
Mrs. Simonetta Di Pippo, European Space Agency, The Netherlands
- Year
2009
- Abstract
In 2008 Europe achieved two successful milestones as a partner to the ISS endeavour and as a player in future human spacelfight and exploration endeavour. The launch, docking and commissioning of the European laboratory Columbus as part of the ISS and the flawless mission of the first ATV "Jules Verne" demonstrated Europe's reliability and capabilities. Later in 2008 Ministers from ESA's 18 Members States met in Den Haag for an ESA Council meeting at Ministerial level to discuss future European space programmes. Among those decided and subscribed in Den Haag there was the continuation of European exploitation and utilisation of the ISS (with the largest amount ever subscribed for the life and physiscal science programme) as well as a programme covering an European transportation system (so called ARV) and Human exploration preparatory activities. The paper will present the scope of the programme approved in 2008, how they build on past European achievements and the strategy underlying them. It will also give the latest status of the activities and will introduce the next milestones and decision points
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)