International workshop paves way to future cooperation for space exploration (Forwarded)

ESA News
http://www.esa.int

15 May 2006

International workshop paves way to future cooperation for space exploration

Over sixty participants representing space agencies from Europe, North
America and Asia have today concluded the 2nd ESA/ASI Workshop for
International Cooperation for Sustainable Space Exploration, held in
Sarteano, Italy.

The workshop is the second in a series of international workshops jointly
organised by ESA and the Italian Space Agency ASI, that are meant to
facilitate the establishment of a global international cooperation framework
to support the space exploration plans of various space faring nations,
including NASAs Vision and Europes Aurora Programme.

The gathering was convened by Simona Di Pippo, Director of the Observation
of the Universe at ASI, and Daniel Sacotte, Director of Human Spaceflight
and Exploration at ESA, at the historical site of Abbazia di Spineto in the
vicinity of Sarteano.

Dr. Scott Horowitz, NASA Assistant Administrator for Exploration Systems,
delivered the keynote speech emphasizing the international dimension of
space activities, which he experienced himself as a Space Shuttle
crewmember.

The beautiful Tuscan countryside provided the setting for an intense
three-day discussion on the current and future space exploration plans of
major space agencies worldwide, and how best to tackle the issue of
international cooperation which is regarded as a key element by all parties
involved in long-term space exploration activities.

"Since we held the first Spineto Workshop last year," said Daniel Sacotte
"the plans of all major players have evolved and have become firmer and
clearer. The time is therefore right to advance on the issue of global
cooperation".

The ESA/ASI workshop follows an event organised by NASA in Washington D.C.,
in the United States, at the end of April, mainly focused on lunar
exploration, and is part of series of international events that will occur
throughout the coming months dwelling on the international dimension of
space exploration. The two workshops have shown that talks among
international partners are intensifying to come to the establishment of a
global strategy.

"An international community with a shared vision and common objectives is
coming together through these events," emphasised Simona Di Pippo. "This
community will be instrumental both in supporting domestic space exploration
plans and to work jointly to establish a globally accepted space exploration
strategy".

The event was organised around a first plenary day where representatives
from space agencies shared their updated plans and strategies for the human
and robotic exploration of the Solar System, in particular the Moon and
Mars. Senior non-governmental experts also presented some international
cooperation examples and contributed to a lively roundtable discussion on
the same subject.

The following day participants were divided in four splinter groups dealing
with the following themes: space transportation, in-orbit infrastructure,
surface infrastructure and automatic precursor missions.

The discussions converged on the need to foster international cooperation
among interested nations in order to ensure the long-term sustainability of
space exploration plans. "Activities linked to space exploration will return
economic benefits and will provide answers about the origin and distribution
of life in our Universe," noted Daniel Sacotte.

"We envisage a global reference architecture which allows all interested
space agencies to fulfil their aspirations, and we believe that its
establishment and its implementation will require structured international
cooperation mechanisms," stated the two workshop hosts.

With this series of workshops, and the ongoing work in between, Europe
proposes itself as a key player in the establishment of effective and
inclusive relations among nations with an interest in the exploration of the
Solar System.

This workshop, the follow up for which has already been announced by ESA and
ASI for end May 2007, marks the start of an intense period of consultation
and discussions among international players that will result in the global
strategy and later in the reference global architecture mentioned above.

For more information:

Piero Messina
Aurora European Space Exploration Programme

Related articles

* Next phase reached in definition of Mars Sample Return mission
http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMJAGNFGLE_index_0.html
* European ministers approve the Aurora Exploration Programme
http://www.esa.int/esaHS/SEM6NXVLWFE_exploration_0.html

Related links

* Aurora Exploration Programme
http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Aurora/index.html

IMAGE CAPTION:
[http://www.esa.int/esaCP/SEMI3Z8ATME_index_1.html]
Europe's Aurora Exploration Programme

Aurora Programme is part of Europe's strategy for space, endorsed by the
European Union Council of Research and the ESA Council in 2001. The
objective of the Aurora is first to formulate and then to implement a
European long-term plan for the robotic and human exploration of solar
system, with Mars, the Moon and the asteroids as the most likely targets.
Future missions under the programme will carry sophisticated exobiology
payloads to investigate the possibility of life forms existing on other
worlds within the Solar System. The Programme will also provide for the
missions and technology necessary to complement those planned in the
existing ESA and national programmes, in order to bring about a coherent
European framework for exploration and to progressively develop a unified
European approach.

Credits: ESA - AOES Medialab