ESSC Report: Science-Driven Scenario for Space Exploration
Publication date: 15 February 2008
Journal: ESSC-ESF Position Paper
Page: 1-28
Report from the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC), the ESF's strategic board on space research. The international space exploration programme foresees multiple robotic and human missions in the solar system in the coming decades. A global strategy is being developed jointly by a large number of space-faring nations and organisations. In Europe a major planning effort is ongoing in the framework of the ESA Aurora Programme, Europe's Exploration Programme (EEP) that envisages the launch of ExoMars in 2013 as a first step towards a robust and renewed effort for exploration. In view of the evolving international context, ESA has initiated further analysis and definition of Europe's potential role in the exploration initiative by identifying scientific, technological and societal priorities. For the science part ESA has asked the ESSC-ESF to conduct a broad consultation in support of the definition of a science-driven European scenario for space exploration.
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