Cosmic Vision 2015-2025
6 January 2006
The massive response by the scientific community to the April 2004 call for themes has been synthesized into the final version of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan for the ESA science programme.The plan has been prepared from over 151 proposed themes by the full ESA science advisory structure: the Astronomy Working Group (AWG), the Solar System Working Group (SSWG), the Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (FPAG) and, at the end, the Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC), assisted by ESA's Science Directorate.
The coherent 10-year plan is structured around four main questions concerning the Universe and our place in it:
- what are the conditions for planet formation and the emergence of life?
- how does the Solar System work?
- what are the fundamental physical laws of the Universe?
- how did the Universe originate and what is it made of?
To address these questions, several space tools are presented that form candidate mission concepts for the implementation of the Cosmic Vision plan. Announcements of Opportunities for missions are suggested to be issued by the ESA science programme in the coming years.
The Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan is now available as ESA brochure BR-247 and can be accessed through the publication link on the right-hand side.