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ESA/SPC(2006)36 Att.: ESA/SSAC(2006)6 ESA/SSAC(2006)7 ASTRO(2006)13 SOL(2006)20 FPAG(2006)5 Paris, 20 October 2006 (Original: English)

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

SCIENCE PROGRAMME COMMITTEE

Updated Strategy for the Implementation Plan

Summary

Delegations will find attached an updated strategy for the mid to long term planning of the scientific programme which would allow to fulfil the Science Programme Review Team (SPRT) recommendation presented at the informal SPC meeting held at ESAC on 6-7 September 2006 on the overheating of the programme.

It also addresses decision milestones on and LISA and proposes a revised timing for the Cosmic Vision Call including any necessary constraints.

Action required

The SPC is invited to take note of this document and comment on the proposed course of action.

Legal basis

SPC Terms of Reference, section (b).

2006-1527 ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 2

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1. INTRODUCTION

At the informal SPC meeting held at ESAC on 6-7 September 2006, the Science Programme Review Team (SPRT) presented a preliminary report on its assessment of the situation of the Science Programme with emphasis given to near-term decisions concerning the future, in particular, the planned Call for new Cosmic Vision mission proposals. The SPRT considers that the Science Programme has reached an overheating situation requiring that at least 200 M€ (2006 e.c.) be removed from the current planning in order to make room for future Cosmic Vision missions to be implemented in a suitable time frame.

The Executive has analysed the situation both in light of the preliminary recommendations of the SPRT and taking into account the positions expressed by many delegations at the informal SPC meeting on September 6-7th 2006 and subsequently in communications sent to the Director of Science following the ESAC meeting. As indicated by the Director of Science in his letter to SPC dated 15 September 2006, the release of the Call has been postponed to allow the Executive to propose measures to fulfil the recommendation of the SPRT. To achieve this goal the Executive has worked to develop possible approaches for solving the overheating issue through the removal of some 200 M€ from the current programme planning assumptions.

Based on the strategy document (ESA/SPC(2006)16, rev.1) tabled at the May 2006 SPC meeting, the present paper outlines the revised financial and programmatic context for an updated strategy for the mid to long term planning of the programme which would allow to fulfil the SPRT recommendation.

It also addresses decision milestones on Solar Orbiter and LISA and proposes a revised timing for the Cosmic Vision Call including any necessary constraints.

2. THE CURRENT FINANCIAL AND PROGRAMMATIC CONTEXT

2.1 Current income assumptions

The Level of Resources (LoR) for the period 2006-2010 was approved at the Council Meeting at Ministerial Level in Berlin on 5-6 December 2005 at 395.7 M€ at current economic conditions (2006 e.c.), i.e. with no update made for change in economic conditions but with an annual increase of 2.5%. From 2010 onwards, a continuation of this income scheme is assumed. In addition, the rescheduling of the reimbursement of the loan granted to the Science Programme in 2003 (ESA/AF/CCXXVIII/Res.1) amounts to 60.588 M€ to be paid before the end of the formally approved LoR period (2006-2008). These are the financial constraints from the income side.

2.2 Expenditure assumptions in the current implementation plan

The financial constraints from the expenditure side are formed by the financial needs for the following elements in the current implementation plan: the projects under development and formally adopted in the programme (Herschel/Plank, LISA Pathfinder (LPF), JWST instrumentation and ), the approved cooperative activities with other agencies (COROT, ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 4 Microscope, Chandrayaan-1, Proba-2, Chang E), the missions in operation (HST, XMM- Newton, INTEGRAL, Astro-F (), , SOHO, , , Solar-B (), , MEX, VEX), the basic activities, the missions selected in the implementation plan but not yet adopted by SPC (BepiColombo, Solar Orbiter, LISA, JWST launcher), future planned activities (further mission extensions, JWST operations support and ISSI extension) and future Cosmic Vision missions.

In order to be effective in balancing the long term programme, the financial needs included in the implementation plan are “best financial predictions” for projects selected in the plan but not yet adopted. For projects with an approved CaC, but where the increase in the CaC has not been consolidated and submitted to SPC (i.e. JWST Instrumentation and LISA Pathfinder), the updated best financial predictions have been taken into consideration. The details of these financial needs and related schedule considerations are given in the document on the Financial Situation and Projections (cf. ESA/SPC(2006)35) to be presented at this meeting.

2.3 Basis of the current implementation plan

As indicated in the introduction, the aim of the updated strategy is to identify a line of actions in order to save at least 200 M€ (2006 e.c.) in the period 2007-2015 whilst retaining as much as possible of the current implementation plan. The current plan was developed on the basis of the programmatic decisions taken by the SPC in the framework of the reconstruction of the Science programme in 2003.

Indeed, at its 105th meeting held on 5-6 November 2003 in Paris, the SPC decided by a 2/3 majority (cf. ESA/SPC/MIN/105, Annex 2) that together with the missions already approved at that time, the long term space science plan would include; LISA Pathfinder, LISA, GAIA and BepiColombo without the lander element. Based on the financial context and a ROM cost of 300 Meuro at that time (cf. ESA/SPC(2003)35, rev.1), the SPC also decided to keep Solar Orbiter into the plan, albeit outside of the 2013 planning window set by the SSAC and “that Solar Orbiter would not be put in competition in the context of possible future announcements of ”. It should be reminded that the SPC also decided to remove from the implementation plan due to lack of funding in the programme and that “no mission shall be considered finally approved until confirmed by the SPC on the basis of an affordable CaC and formally secured payload funding”. The SPC also requested the Executive to make all efforts to maintain an equal partnership with NASA regarding the LISA-PF/LISA missions within the allocated resources.

Since its reconstruction in 2003, a number of changes have been introduced in the plan. At its 107th meeting of 7-8 June 2004, the SPC followed the recommendation of the SSWG/SSAC and reinstated Solar Orbiter as an element in the plan “ with the objective of a launch in October 2013 and no later than May 2015” (cf. ESA/SPC/MIN/107). At the same meeting, the SPC approved the financial envelope for the LPF mission to an amount of 160 M€ (CaC.at mixed-2004 e.c.). In November 2004, following the critical design review (CDR) of the Herschel- project, the Executive announced that there was a serious overrun on the planned allocation for the project (the SPC had not approved a CaC for the project yet). The sum required was 178M€, a sum large enough that the SPC decided to investigate thoroughly the basis of the problem and its impact on the programme. A small team, chaired by the SPC chair, R. Pellinen, was set up and reported in May 2005 with a series of recommendations which were adopted by the SPC. Amongst their conclusions was that the planned programme could not be completed to schedule and that no new missions could be flown before 2018. ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 5 In 2005, following the Herschel-Planck review and the extraordinary SPC meeting held in mid-September, a complete reassessment of the programme was carried out. It was recognised that critical decisions needed an overview of likely run-out costs of missions rather than using formal CaC’s. The notion of best financial predictions as a planning figure for projects was introduced not only for projects not yet adopted but also for expected increases in the CaC of already adopted projects. The conclusion from the new more realistic way of looking at the cost implication was, as had been suggested by the Pellinen committee, that the programme was not feasible once the best financial predictions had been taken into account.

Subsequently, a slightly more optimistic outcome than expected from the December 2005 Council of Ministers was to be welcomed. However, even with the positive outcome of the Berlin decision on the LoR, the programme remains severely overheated.

Subsequently, in the Spring of 2006, the SPC took decisions to implement two cornerstone missions, GAIA and BepiColombo.

In the Spring of 2006, the DG acting on a resolution of the Council, established a review team (Science Programme Review Team, SPRT) to review all aspects of the management of the programme. The review commenced with a thorough self analysis by the Executive which included the foreseen financial evolution of the programme. Based on their immediate assessment of the financial perspective for the programme the SPRT concluded not only that the programme was severely overheated but also intervened to ask that the Director General not issue a Call for New Missions for implementation beyond 2015. The initial displacement was until the second meeting of the SPRT in June. Subsequently, the delay has been extended. In September 2006, the extraordinary SPC meeting received presentations from members of SPRT and held discussions with the chairman, Professor Van Duinen. Here it was made clear that the SPRT recommended that the overheating of the programme was a very serious issue and that their investigations some 200M€ had to be removed from the already adopted plan up to 2015 if the issuance of a Call for new missions was to make sense.

3. PROPOSED LINE OF ACTION FOR A REVISED FINANCIAL CONTEXT

Basic assumptions

For the purpose of developing a strategy updated with respect to that proposed at the last SPC meeting (cf. ESA/SPC(2006)16, rev.1) to satisfy the SPRT recommendation, it is assumed that the projects under development and those selected in the implementation plan but not formally adopted (as listed in section 2.2 above), will be launched as currently scheduled and within their approved CaCs or best financial predictions where necessary. It should be noted that cancellation of already adopted or selected missions has not been considered at this stage as a potential line of action to alleviate the overheating situation.

The case of BepiColombo

Since the CaC for BepiColombo is not yet available, the mission will be submitted for adoption by the SPC at the February 2007 meeting. Therefore for the purpose of the present exercise the best financial prediction as given in ESA/SPC(2006)35 is used.

ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 6

The case of LISA

LISA Pathfinder (LPF) is a high risk technology mission presently foreseen to be launched by the end of 2009, whose currently estimated CaC is 190 M€ (2006 e.c.). It should be emphasised that the descoping of the NASA provided DRS payload for LPF has shifted the lead of the technology development for LISA towards ESA. Moreover, the LPF launch date drives the LISA development schedule.

Regarding the status of LISA within the US, the NASA Associate Administrator for Science has requested the Space Studies Board (SSB) of the National Science Foundation to recommend by September 2007, which of the 5 missions that belong to the “Beyond Einstein” programme should be selected as the first project to be implemented. The SSB has also been requested to provide a potential order of priority for the remaining missions in the suite. This means that by the time of the November 2007 SPC meeting, ESA will have a better understanding of the possible schedule for the LISA mission.

Therefore, the future decision to adopt LISA will require to fulfil all the following prerequisites; a) successful completion of LPF including in-orbit demonstration, b) the state of maturity of the LISA dedicated technologies (other than those developed for LPF), c) confirmation of the NASA undertakings with respect to the current working agreement of August 2004 and their readiness to go ahead with their part of the mission, and d) a Cost at Completion (CaC) compatible with the Level of Resources. Taken together and assuming a positive outcome of the decision by NASA in the fall of next year, this means that the decision will not come before the 2010 time frame at the earliest. . It should be noted that the best financial estimate used in the plan for the ESA contribution to LISA, based on the current working understanding on the share of undertakings between ESA and NASA is estimated at 370 M€ (2006 e.c.).

The case of JWST

The ESA contribution to JWST consists of the JWST instrumentation (NIRSPEC and ESA participation in MIRI), the JWST launch services and the ESA support to science operations. The recent best financial estimate for the revised CaC for JWST instrumentation, still to be approved by SPC, amounts to 165 M€ (mixed 2006 e.c.) compared to the approved 133 M€ (mixed 2006 e.c.) The best financial prediction for the launch services in 2014 is 150 M€ also still to be approved by SPC. However, when the JWST MoU will have been signed between ESA and NASA, it will de facto carry an ESA commitment for the provision of the launch services. However the related financial commitment need not be made before 3 years from the agreed launch date. Regarding the support to operations, the working document ESA/SPC(2006)44 to be tabled at this meeting, shows a preliminary cost estimate comparable with the yearly amount presently devoted to support HST operations. This runs at a level of 5M€/year and is also included in the present implementation plan.

Solar Orbiter

At its last meeting in May 2006, the SPC extensively discussed the Solar Orbiter case. It was noted that based on the present best financial prediction for the cost of the mission (420 M€ 2006 e.c.), it was not possible to consider a launch of Solar Orbiter before 2017. Nonetheless the level of support within the SPC for the earliest possible implementation of Solar Orbiter ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 7 was such that a line of actions was proposed by the SPC Chair whereby the Executive would proceed with a Call for Letters of Intent for the payload complement and maintain the possibility for a launch in 2015. In parallel, optimisation of the mission in terms of science requirements and industrial implementation, as well as international cooperation would be sought in order to bring the mission CaC within a 300 M€ (2006 e.c.) cost envelope to ESA. The chair further proposed that the Executive appoint in parallel a team of experts to help achieve these goals while preserving the scientific value of the mission. It was agreed that the outcome of this activity would be reviewed at the end of 2007 when the SPC should be asked to decide on how and whether to proceed with the mission.

Since then, discussions have been initiated with NASA to explore the possibility of launching Solar Orbiter in the frame of their Sentinel mission. Indications of whether this is a viable option should be available by the time of the February 2007 SPC. Beyond the option of the launcher, mission operations control and science operations are two other domains for potential cooperation which will also be investigated. On the other hand, the Call for Letters of Intent for the payload complement has resulted in 23 proposals presently under evaluation. A Science Study Team is being set up to support the Heat Shield industrial studies about to be started. Furthermore, the Heat Shield studies will be geared towards bringing appropriate simplifications of specific spacecraft technologies in order to decrease the mission’s industrial development costs. A standing group of external experts has not yet been appointed to operate throughout the full period up to end 2007. However a small group of independent scientists has been requested to investigate the specific immediate issue of the consequences on the scientific potential of the mission of a launch delayed to 2017. Their findings will be reported at the meeting.

As extensively discussed at the last SPC meeting, the Executive considers that independently from a launch in 2015 or 2017, the mission needs to be constrained to within a strict cost ceiling to ESA of 300 M€ in order to maintain Solar Orbiter in the plan. It remains that the work plan agreed at the May SPC meeting is being implemented with a target launch date in 2015 but it must be realised that at the present stage there is no firm guarantee that this will be fulfilled. However, satisfying the 300M€ requirement would provide a significant contribution of 120 M€ towards the 200 M€ savings recommended by SPRT.

Mission operations

At present, the total spending for mission and science operations of in orbit runs at a level of around 60M€/year.

Newton operations are approved until the end of March 2010 and those of Integral operations until the end of December 2010. In addition, a further extension of 4 years for Newton (for 70.3 M€) and a further extension of 2 years for Integral (for 17.4 M€) are included in the present planning assumptions.

Currently, operations are approved until the end of October 2007 and Express operations until the end of September 2007. In the long term plan, allocations are included for an extension of both until the end of 2009, for MEX for an amount of 15.3 M€ and for for an amount of 8.2 M€.

ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 8 This brings the planned extensions to an amount of 111 M€. The Executive proposes to reduce this spending by a total of 60M€ in the time frame 2007-2015. This will require seeking synergies in mission operations control at ESOC and in science operations at ESAC as well as critically reviewing the scientific rationale for extension, the technical capabilities of the spacecraft and the potential savings of removing or shortening mission extensions beyond their currently approved operations schedule. It should be emphasised, however, that the removal or shortening of mission extensions may have a significant impact on the workload in ESOC and ESAC. This will have to be assessed. In addition, as an alternative measure, it could be offered to Member States to continue the operations without Science Programme funding.

Basic activities

At present, an amount of around 35 M€/year is spent on basic activities (Science Management, Research and Scientific support, Advanced Studies, CTP and ISSI). In the time frame 2007-2015 the objective is set to save a total of 20M€ by seeking synergies and efficiencies in these activities.

4. CALL FOR NEW MISSIONS WITHIN COSMIC VISION 2015-2025

Provided SPC support the approach of the Executive for finding the 200 M€ savings, the call should be released in a time frame that preserves the possibility for ESA to propose a portfolio of new missions at the next ministerial meeting presently scheduled for the end of 2008. A timely call is also needed not only to identify new missions to be launched after Solar Orbiter or LISA but also as an alternative if either of them do not appear to fulfil the financial and programmatic requirements mentioned above and cannot be launched in time. . The structure of the call remains generally as described in ESA/SPC(2006)16, rev.1., with the exception of the fast track missions that have been removed as requested by the SPC and the schedules that need to be readjusted. All SPRT recommendations on the call are being implemented. They regard essentially the handling and the schedule of activities related to the L missions.

4.1 Schedule of the call

The schedule for the issue of the Call and the proposal evaluation process is as follows:

Activity Date Release of 1st Call for mission proposals of Cosmic February 2007 Vision 2015-2025 Letters of Intent due March 2007 Briefing to proposers at ESTEC End March 2007 Mission Proposals due End June 2007 Proposal evaluation process by ESA and Peer Review July to end September 2007 Teams Working group/SSAC evaluation and selection of: October 2007 3 Class M mission proposals and 3 Class L concept proposals

ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 9 4.2 Class M mission Schedule

The specific activities and schedule related to Class M missions is shown in the following table.

Activity Date ESA Internal Assessment Phase November 2007 to end of May 2008 Industrial Assessment Phase June 2008 to August 2009 Mission Workshop, & Working Group down selection September to October 2009 2 Missions recommended by SSAC for Definition Phase October 2009 2 missions selected by SPC for entering competitive November 2009 Definition Phase 2 competitive Missions in Definition Phase April 2010 to September 2011 Working group/SSAC evaluation and selection September 2011 to October 2011 Selection of one mission by SPC for ITT release * November 2011 SPC mission adoption (CaC and Payload Formal July 2012 Agreement) Mission enters Implementation Phase September 2012 Mission Launch End 2017

* Two missions may continue into the implementation phase subject to size, cost and complexity.

The mission which fails to be selected by SPC to enter the implementation phase will be automatically removed from the plan. However it may be re-proposed in response to the next call for missions of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 plan.

4.3 Schedule for Class L Mission concepts

The specific activities and schedule related to Class L mission concepts is shown in the following table. It should be noted that the proposals are expected to be made on mission concepts rather than fully defined missions. The translation of the mission concepts into well defined missions is expected to be made during the Formulation Phase

Activity Date ESA internal and Industrial Assessment Phase, focused on November 2007 to identification of key technology areas and definition of a December 2010 Technology Development Plan Working group evaluation January 2011 - March 2011

Recommendation by SSAC of 2 mission concepts for Industrial April 2011 Formulation Phase Start of Technology Development specific to the 2 missions June 2011 2 missions pre-selected by SPC for entering Definition Phase * February 2013

2 Missions in Definition Phase April 2013 - November 2014

Working group/SSAC evaluation and prioritisation November 2014 – January 2015 ESA/SPC(2006)36 Page 10 Activity Date Selection by SPC of first mission for ITT release February 2015

SPC mission adoption (CaC and Payload Formal Agreement) November 2015 Mission enters Implementation Phase January 2016 Mission Launch After 2020

*The decision to proceed with the recommended Class L missions into the next phase will depend on the financial situation of the programme as well as on the results of the selection process from the Call for the second Cosmic Vision selection cycle.

The above schedule is tentative as it will be driven by the evolution of the level of technological maturity of the missions under study. Moreover, the schedule of missions to be performed in collaboration with an international partner will be adjusted in coordination with the partner agency.

5. CONCLUSIONS

Based on the present LoR and the current planning assumptions discussed above, the programme is heavily overcommitted until 2015. This results mainly but not only from the overlapping of the Gaia and BepiColombo spending profiles dictated by their development schedules and launch dates, but also from the schedule of the JWST launcher and the planned extensions of the ongoing missions. Considering that cancellation of already adopted or selected missions is not an option at this stage to alleviate the overheating situation of the programme, it appears that neither Solar Orbiter nor LISA could be launched before 2017 and there is no possibility to select new missions for launch before 2020.

Together with the readjustment of some spending profiles, at least 200 M€ (2006 e.c.) savings as recommended by the Science Programme Review Team, are needed to put the programme back onto an affordable track. This would permit to proceed with the implementation of the remaining missions of the current plan (Solar Orbiter and LISA) and the release of a call for new mission proposals leading to a launch at the end of 2017. The call is needed either to identify missions to be launched after Solar Orbiter and LISA as well as to prepare alternative competitive missions if Solar Orbiter and /or LISA turn out not to be implemented in time.

The Executive has identified the main areas as addressed above, to be investigated to fulfil the SPRT recommendations. All other avenues will be looked at, thus the list is not exclusive. Moreover although the order of magnitude of the cost identified is of the right order there is no guarantee at the present time that limiting to the areas reported will meet the 200M€ figure. Thus much further work is needed in order for the Executive to substantiate the potential savings and prepare a proposal for the next SPC meeting. The release of the call thus cannot be made before the next SPC in February 2007. This date, as indicated in the schedule in section 4, still allows the launch of the first cosmic vision mission 2015-2025 by the end of 2017. The proposed approach has been intensively discussed by SSAC at its meeting of 18-19 October 2006 at ISSI (Bern) and has resulted in the two resolutions (ESA/SSAC(2006)6 and ESA/SSAC(2006)7) herewith attached.

The SPC is invited to take note of this document and comment on the proposed course of action.

ESA/SSAC(2006)6 Bern, 19th October 2006

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

SPACE SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Resolution on the First Call for Cosmic Vision 2015-2025

SSAC received the three working group resolutions, which unanimously point to the need felt by the community for the immediate issue of the first Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 call for mission proposals. The SSAC fully endorses and supports these resolutions.

On the other hand the SSAC is full aware and profoundly appreciative of the work in progress by the SPRT. Such work points obviously to the need for credible savings to be implemented in the Science Program, currently overheated.

On specific savings measures, the SSAC accepts the need for such proposals as are beginning to emerge from the SPRT, such as the necessity to put a cap on mission costs, a review of ESA payload support, and caps to mission extensions (see separate resolution).

The SSAC commends the executive for having already started work in this direction, but realizes that more time will be needed before the required savings can be guaranteed. The SSAC wishes to express its full confidence that the Executive has already shown that concrete roadmaps exist to achieve such a commitment. Moreover it urges the need for the Executive to remain in close contact with the SSAC as the savings scenarios are developed.

On the other hand, in view of the expectations in the community, reflected in the working group resolutions, the SSAC recommends that, while the Executive works on the details of such a commitment, the chance be given to the community to also go to work on concrete mission proposals that satisfy the financial constraints that will be included in the call.

Therefore the SSAC recommends that the first Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 call be issued as soon as possible, maintaining however the March 31 2007 date for the submission of Letters of Intent. This was felt to respect the timetable needed by the Executive while at the same time giving the community the confidence it deserves in the Science Program of ESA, and also providing ample time for preparing proposals that can deliver the best possible science.

Finally, the SSAC reiterates its wish that this call be explicitly identified as the First of a series to cover the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 period.

ESA/SSAC(2006)7 Bern, 19th October 2006

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

SPACE SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Resolution on Mission Extensions

At its 117th meeting held on 18-19 October 2006 at ISSI, Bern, the SSAC discussed the issue of mission operations addressed in the updated strategy prepared by the Executive. The SSAC once again notes the high expenditure on operations for science missions, which puts mission science at risk in the current dire financial situation. We welcome the fact that the SPRT is now scrutinizing this area.

The committee also regrets that the of the Pinkau Report, limiting overhead charging to the science program, seems to be diluted in the current situation.

However, realizing the importance of a continuing opportunity for new science to enrich the Science Programme, the SSAC asks the Executive to evaluate possible operation cost savings attainable under different mission duration scenarios. We also ask the Executive to study the possibility of either creating an Optional Programme to support the continuation of a mission or offering to Member States the opportunity to take over operations, on conditions to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

Once concrete saving scenarios are in hand, the SSAC proposes to ask the three Working Groups for their considered opinions on these measures, in order to ensure that the views of the scientific community are fairly presented to the Executive and the SPC.

Mindful of similar potential problems for future missions, the SSAC recommends that all efforts be made to limit the cost to ESA for mission operations, including the possibility of “outsourcing” to the community part of the necessary operations/data analysis work, as in the interesting Integral precedent.

ASTRO(2006)13 Paris, 6 October 2006

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

ASTRONOMY WORKING GROUP

Recommendation on the status of the CV2015 programme implementation

At its 126th meeting held on 28-29 September 2006 at the Observatoire de Paris (FR), the Working Group (AWG) was presented with the current status of the Science Programme and an update on the status of the Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 (CV2015) Call for Mission Proposals. The AWG was informed that the release of the Call for Proposals has been delayed, following a preliminary report by the Science Programme Review Team (SPRT) to the informal SPC meeting held in ESAC on 6-7 September 2006.

The AWG was informed that the SPRT does not consider the current financial situation of the programme compatible with the launch of a new mission prior to 2020, and has concluded that the existing commitments have to be reduced by approximately 200M€ prior to the release for a Call for new missions to be launched in the 2015-2020 time frame. The AWG was further informed that the decision relative to the release of the CV2015 Call for Mission Proposals has been postponed until after the SPC meeting in November 2006.

The AWG notes that the scientific community has developed considerable momentum in the preparation for the Call for Mission Proposals, with projects and proposals that are in an advanced stage of preparation. A delay will have a significant impact on this activity and on European space science and astronomy as a whole.

The AWG urges ESA to explore near term solutions to avoid any further delay in the implementation of the CV2015 programme.

SOL(2006)20 Paris, 5th October 2006

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

SOLAR SYSTEM WORKING GROUP

Statement on Cosmic Vision

At the 122nd meeting of the Working Group (SSWG) held on 5 October 2006 at ESA Headquarters, Paris, the SSWG was informed of the present status of the scientific programme. This included a question and answer session with the Director of Science.

The SSWG remains strongly convinced of the scientific case for Solar Orbiter and continues to support the implementation of the existing programme.

Furthermore, the SSWG regrets the decision to delay the Announcement of Opportunity for Cosmic Vision and strongly feels that this is wasting time needed to develop new technologies required by the ambitions of the European scientific community.

FPAG(2006)5 Paris, 12 October 2006

EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

FUNDAMENTAL ADVISORY GROUP

Resolution on the Cosmic Vision Announcement of Opportunity

At its 33rd meeting held on 4th October 2006 at ESA Headquarters, Paris, the Fundamental Physics Advisory Group (FPAG) discussed the scientific priority issues that result from the very tight financial profile of the Science Programme budget.

The fundamental physics community in Europe is enthusiastically looking forward to an early Call for the implementation of the Cosmic Vision programme. At the same time, it sees the existing LISA Pathfinder and LISA missions as key first steps. In particular, the drag-free technology developed for these missions will be an important component of a large fraction of the expected Cosmic Vision proposals.

The FPAG therefore resolved that it wishes to see the earliest possible Call for Mission Proposals for Cosmic Vision, if possible before the end of 2006. The FPAG however advocates for such terms in the Call that the programme results in damage neither to LISA Pathfinder nor in further delays to LISA.