Andrew Yee[_1_]
January 12th 07, 02:10 AM
Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council
Swindon, U.K.
Contacts:
Peter Barratt, PPARC Head of Communications
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 025
Gill Ormrod, PPARC Press Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 012
Dr David Parker, PPARC Director of Space Science at BNSC
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 174
Piero Messina, Dir Human Spaceflight,
Microgravity & Exploration Coordination Office - HME-CO
European Space Agency, Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 5369 7410
Fax: +33 (0)1 5369 7188
Franco Bonacina, ESA Head of Media Relations
ESA Media Relations Office
Tel: +33(0)1 5369 7155
Fax: +33(0)1 5369 7690
Rebecca Underhill, Senior Press Officer
Science and Innovation Desk
Department of Trade and Industry
Tel: +44 (0)20 7215 6403
10 January 2007
Europe forges long-term strategy for Space Exploration
Representatives from the UK and other European political, industrial and
scientific sectors, together with members of the general public are helping
to shape the future direction of space exploration.
At the first in a series of stakeholder consultation workshops held in
Edinburgh on the 8/9th January 2007, hosted by the European Space Agency
(ESA) and the British National Space Centre (BNSC), the future strategy for
ESA's long-term exploration of the solar system and beyond was debated by
the various stakeholder groups from Europe in consultation with colleagues
from across the world.
The Edinburgh workshop comes at a timely moment, when the ambitions of other
space nations are becoming apparent, for Europe to shape and focus its own
Space Exploration plans and how these might integrate with global space
endeavours. The conclusions from this and future pan-European stakeholder
consultation meetings will set the scene for key decisions to be taken at
the ESA Council meeting at Ministerial level scheduled for 2008.
Commenting on the workshop Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Science and
Innovation said, "ESA are to be congratulated on taking such an imaginative
and transparent approach to defining Europe's future space programme and,
importantly, how we in Europe might collaborate with other nations to
develop a truly global space exploration strategy.
The UK has a vibrant space science and industrial community that already
makes a significant contribution to our knowledge economy. Its experience in
developing innovative space technology will continue to ensure the UK plays
a leading role in both European and global space exploration in the future".
Professor Keith Mason, Chief Executive of PPARC and Chair of the BNSC Space
Board said, "In recognition of the developing worldwide interest in space
exploration focused on the Moon and Mars, PPARC are setting up an ad-hoc UK
Exploration Strategy Working Group that will review global and European
plans and establish UK interests and opportunities. A Report, which will
also include a review of the case for human space exploration in the global
context, will be submitted to the UK Space Board this summer".
The UK is already the second largest European contributor to ESA's Aurora
programme of planetary exploration and is currently involved in developing
an ambitious Mars Rover project that will fly onboard Europe's ExoMars
mission to the Red Planet slated for launch in 2013.
Dr David Parker, Director of Space Science at PPARC clarified the worldwide
view, "Stimulated by NASA, the past year has seen a remarkable effort by
fourteen worldwide space agencies to begin to discuss how to work together
in this new age of space exploration, to create a so-called Global
Exploration Strategy, and the UK is a key player."
Dr Parker added, "The UK has already completed a feasibility study of two
robotic mission options to the surface of the Moon focused on exploiting the
UK's leadership in small satellites and miniaturised science instruments."
MoonRaker, a small propulsive Lander to provide in-situ geological dating,
and MoonLITE equipped with missile-shaped penetrators carrying seismometers
to investigate the lunar interior and a telecommunications capability to
demonstrate high data rate telecoms at the Moon. These mission options
exemplify the UK's expertise in small satellites, robotics and miniaturised
instruments and MoonLITE's telecoms capability could provide a vital
contribution to NASA's ambition of establishing a Moon base by 2020".
Notes for Editors:
Images and movies:
* PPARC images
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/exploration.asp
* ESA images
http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?b=b&mission=Aurora&start=1
Related information on UK Lunar Penetrator Consortium,
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/UK_Lunar_Penetrator_Consortium.asp
Workshop background information
ESA Exploration workshop Edinburgh 8th and 9th January 2007 Reviewing the
European Exploration Scenarios
Overview
ESA has been working on a framework for European space exploration for
several years. During the last two years broad stakeholder consultations
were conducted addressing the four identified major groups of stakeholders:
political institutions, scientific community, industry and the general
public. Based on the stakeholder groups' interest and needs in space
exploration, ESA will build the basis for the development of a
comprehensive, inspirational long-term strategy for European space
exploration.
Between 2005 and today ESA set up a multidisciplinary scenario team, which
in particular analysed the potential European rationale and objectives for
space exploration. As a result of this work a number of future space
exploration scenarios have been developed responding to the requirements of
the stakeholder groups above. These scenario options now need to be reviewed
by representatives of the stakeholder groups as they will form the basis for
the further definition of the European implementation approach and
priorities for future space exploration.
In parallel to the scenario development, activities are implemented for the
preparation of detailed architecture studies. The main objective of these
preparatory activities is to define different architecture configurations
which enable the implementation of the emerging scenario.
Workshop Objectives
The major objectives of this workshop were to:
* Foster the development of a coherent European rationale for space
exploration by reviewing and evaluating European long-term space exploration
scenario options developed by ESA, but also by other European organisations;
* Progress on the European high-level requirements for the space exploration
architecture as a starting point for detailed architecture analysis;
* Identify opportunities for strategic international coordination on the
definition, build-up and operations of the space exploration architecture
through reviewing plans and architecture concepts of prospective
international partners.
Workshop Programme
Over the two days representatives from all four stakeholder groups gave
presentations on possible exploration programme scenarios. The workshop
participants were asked to identify areas of commonality and for each
stakeholder group to identify critical elements, which are necessary to
maintain the interest of that particular stakeholder group.
The analysis of the presented scenario options continued in
multi-disciplinary working groups. Furthermore, international space
exploration architecture configurations and related capabilities were
presented and reviewed.
The workshop programme was composed of a balanced mix of presentation and
working group sessions, providing each participant with the opportunity to
both gather information and share their point of view with the other
participants.
About PPARC,
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Ap/intro.asp
Swindon, U.K.
Contacts:
Peter Barratt, PPARC Head of Communications
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 025
Gill Ormrod, PPARC Press Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 012
Dr David Parker, PPARC Director of Space Science at BNSC
Tel: +44 (0)1793 442 174
Piero Messina, Dir Human Spaceflight,
Microgravity & Exploration Coordination Office - HME-CO
European Space Agency, Paris
Tel: +33 (0)1 5369 7410
Fax: +33 (0)1 5369 7188
Franco Bonacina, ESA Head of Media Relations
ESA Media Relations Office
Tel: +33(0)1 5369 7155
Fax: +33(0)1 5369 7690
Rebecca Underhill, Senior Press Officer
Science and Innovation Desk
Department of Trade and Industry
Tel: +44 (0)20 7215 6403
10 January 2007
Europe forges long-term strategy for Space Exploration
Representatives from the UK and other European political, industrial and
scientific sectors, together with members of the general public are helping
to shape the future direction of space exploration.
At the first in a series of stakeholder consultation workshops held in
Edinburgh on the 8/9th January 2007, hosted by the European Space Agency
(ESA) and the British National Space Centre (BNSC), the future strategy for
ESA's long-term exploration of the solar system and beyond was debated by
the various stakeholder groups from Europe in consultation with colleagues
from across the world.
The Edinburgh workshop comes at a timely moment, when the ambitions of other
space nations are becoming apparent, for Europe to shape and focus its own
Space Exploration plans and how these might integrate with global space
endeavours. The conclusions from this and future pan-European stakeholder
consultation meetings will set the scene for key decisions to be taken at
the ESA Council meeting at Ministerial level scheduled for 2008.
Commenting on the workshop Malcolm Wicks, Minister for Science and
Innovation said, "ESA are to be congratulated on taking such an imaginative
and transparent approach to defining Europe's future space programme and,
importantly, how we in Europe might collaborate with other nations to
develop a truly global space exploration strategy.
The UK has a vibrant space science and industrial community that already
makes a significant contribution to our knowledge economy. Its experience in
developing innovative space technology will continue to ensure the UK plays
a leading role in both European and global space exploration in the future".
Professor Keith Mason, Chief Executive of PPARC and Chair of the BNSC Space
Board said, "In recognition of the developing worldwide interest in space
exploration focused on the Moon and Mars, PPARC are setting up an ad-hoc UK
Exploration Strategy Working Group that will review global and European
plans and establish UK interests and opportunities. A Report, which will
also include a review of the case for human space exploration in the global
context, will be submitted to the UK Space Board this summer".
The UK is already the second largest European contributor to ESA's Aurora
programme of planetary exploration and is currently involved in developing
an ambitious Mars Rover project that will fly onboard Europe's ExoMars
mission to the Red Planet slated for launch in 2013.
Dr David Parker, Director of Space Science at PPARC clarified the worldwide
view, "Stimulated by NASA, the past year has seen a remarkable effort by
fourteen worldwide space agencies to begin to discuss how to work together
in this new age of space exploration, to create a so-called Global
Exploration Strategy, and the UK is a key player."
Dr Parker added, "The UK has already completed a feasibility study of two
robotic mission options to the surface of the Moon focused on exploiting the
UK's leadership in small satellites and miniaturised science instruments."
MoonRaker, a small propulsive Lander to provide in-situ geological dating,
and MoonLITE equipped with missile-shaped penetrators carrying seismometers
to investigate the lunar interior and a telecommunications capability to
demonstrate high data rate telecoms at the Moon. These mission options
exemplify the UK's expertise in small satellites, robotics and miniaturised
instruments and MoonLITE's telecoms capability could provide a vital
contribution to NASA's ambition of establishing a Moon base by 2020".
Notes for Editors:
Images and movies:
* PPARC images
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/exploration.asp
* ESA images
http://www.esa.int/esa-mmg/mmg.pl?b=b&mission=Aurora&start=1
Related information on UK Lunar Penetrator Consortium,
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Nw/UK_Lunar_Penetrator_Consortium.asp
Workshop background information
ESA Exploration workshop Edinburgh 8th and 9th January 2007 Reviewing the
European Exploration Scenarios
Overview
ESA has been working on a framework for European space exploration for
several years. During the last two years broad stakeholder consultations
were conducted addressing the four identified major groups of stakeholders:
political institutions, scientific community, industry and the general
public. Based on the stakeholder groups' interest and needs in space
exploration, ESA will build the basis for the development of a
comprehensive, inspirational long-term strategy for European space
exploration.
Between 2005 and today ESA set up a multidisciplinary scenario team, which
in particular analysed the potential European rationale and objectives for
space exploration. As a result of this work a number of future space
exploration scenarios have been developed responding to the requirements of
the stakeholder groups above. These scenario options now need to be reviewed
by representatives of the stakeholder groups as they will form the basis for
the further definition of the European implementation approach and
priorities for future space exploration.
In parallel to the scenario development, activities are implemented for the
preparation of detailed architecture studies. The main objective of these
preparatory activities is to define different architecture configurations
which enable the implementation of the emerging scenario.
Workshop Objectives
The major objectives of this workshop were to:
* Foster the development of a coherent European rationale for space
exploration by reviewing and evaluating European long-term space exploration
scenario options developed by ESA, but also by other European organisations;
* Progress on the European high-level requirements for the space exploration
architecture as a starting point for detailed architecture analysis;
* Identify opportunities for strategic international coordination on the
definition, build-up and operations of the space exploration architecture
through reviewing plans and architecture concepts of prospective
international partners.
Workshop Programme
Over the two days representatives from all four stakeholder groups gave
presentations on possible exploration programme scenarios. The workshop
participants were asked to identify areas of commonality and for each
stakeholder group to identify critical elements, which are necessary to
maintain the interest of that particular stakeholder group.
The analysis of the presented scenario options continued in
multi-disciplinary working groups. Furthermore, international space
exploration architecture configurations and related capabilities were
presented and reviewed.
The workshop programme was composed of a balanced mix of presentation and
working group sessions, providing each participant with the opportunity to
both gather information and share their point of view with the other
participants.
About PPARC,
http://www.pparc.ac.uk/Ap/intro.asp