GSI-Sonderkolloquium "Perspectives for Human Spaceflight and Operations in Europe"

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world. The European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, has successfully conducted operation since 1967. The centre has also conducted significant satellite recovery missions, and is a focal point for space debris, space weather and near-Earth object studies. Europe is present in the Solar System with a fleet of satellites covering astronomy, planetary science and fundamental physics. Together with Earth observation missions they enhance knowledge of the Universe, Solar System and our own planet Earth. Overall 15 European Satellites are currently controlled at ESOC. With the help of a versatile global network of ground stations – ESTRACK – we are capable of supporting almost all types of missions. Moreover, it offers spare ground-segment capacity for use by third-party customers, such as the two 35-metre deep-space antennas for interplanetary missions. A future station in Argentina will provide ESA with a fully global deep space communication capability. The human spaceflight programme’s aim is to implement Europe's participation in the development of space infrastructure, such as the International Space Station. Research on board the Station has resulted in significant progress in science and technology, as well as in innovative applications for the benefit of people on Earth. Europe has a substantial share in the International Space Station (ISS). ESA’s main hardware contributions are Columbus, a multipurpose science and technology laboratory, and the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV), a service vehicle essential for the supply of ISS. Thanks to its contributions to the ISS programme in general, Europe has positioned itself as a reliable and competitive space partner. For the fifth and last ATV mission, ATV-5, Europe will test new technologies which will play a key role in the coming years. ESA has an astronaut corps consisting of 11 Europeans, 3 of which are training for upcoming missions. They are supported by a team of ground support staff who work in the European training, control and user centres. ESA is currently working on a Lunar Lander mission with an intended launch in 2018 pending a decision at the next ESA Council at ministerial level at the end of 2012. The purpose of the mission is to develop key technologies and capabilities that establish Europe as a potential partner for future human exploration of the Moon and beyond.