MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 34 Strategy AuroraAurora – The European Space Exploration Programme 34 esa bulletin 115 - august 2003 www.esa.int MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 35 The Aurora Programme Pierro Messina & Franco Ongaro Directorate of Strategy and External Relations, ESA, Paris Introduction A manned mission to Mars is bound to become a reality over the next decades. It is very likely to be an international mission carried out by those players who have developed the technologies and expertise needed to master the challenges of landing humans on Mars and returning them safely to the Earth. Europe has been at the forefront of space endeavours for more than 30 years, with many successful missions and key contributions to international programmes. Its participation in the International Space Station, the experience acquired with the European astronauts, with leading-edge scientific missions and notably with the recently launched Mars Express and its Beagle 2 Lander, are all good examples of the degree of maturity that Europe, through ESA and its Members States, has gained as a result of its investment in space activities and the expertise developed within its work force and the scientific community. Exploring Mars is still a risky business, however, as the low success rate of the robotic missions conducted to date is a constant reminder. Less than a third of the unmanned missions so far launched to the Red Planet have fulfilled their goal. Consequently, there is still much to be done before we can feel sufficiently confident to commit to sending humans to explore the more distant bodies in the Universe and to land on Mars. www.esa.int esa bulletin 115 - august 2003 35 MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 36 Strategy The Aurora Programme is intended to The Aurora Programme was approved, Having set a clearly defined goal – to prepare Europe to meet this challenge in as an ESA’s Optional Programme, at the safely land humans on Mars by 2030 – a framework of international collabora- Edinburgh Council at Ministerial Level in Aurora will provide the roadmap of how to tion.This it to be achieved first through the November 2001. The major ESA Member get there, as well the technologies that formulation, and then the implementation States have subscribed to the Programme need to be developed and the knowledge of a European long-term plan for robotic and its Preparatory Period, which began in that needs to be gathered in the meantime. and human exploration of the Solar System January 2002 and is due to end in A series of space missions, technology bodies, particularly those holding promise December 2004. At the conclusion of the developments and other scientific work for finding traces of life. Preparatory Period, we will have an will provide the answers and lay the updated Programme Proposal and a foundations for a European manned comprehensive long-term plan, the mission to the Red Planet, or for Europe’s The Aurora Programme European Framework for Exploration participation in an international endeavour (EFE). This will build on different with the same goal. In order to give the Programme a sound European activities, at national and ESA The Aurora Programme is structured scientific basis and appealing objectives, a level, in order to identify interests and into consecutive 5-year ‘Periods’, the first Call for Ideas for Planetary Exploration priorities and come up with a set of goals. of which is due to start in 2005, subject to was published in 2001 addressing scientists It will be a living document that will be the results of the Preparatory Period and to in Europe and Canada. Some 300 proposals updated as the Aurora Programme and the a positive decision by the Participating were received and were subsequently activities connected with it move forward. States. Each ‘Period’ will include a assessed by a high-level panel of scientists. Like all other ESA programmes, Aurora Definition Component as well as a The results were presented at a special has its own Programme Board (the Aurora Development Component. The former workshop at ESTEC in Noordwijk (NL) in Board of Participants) and an Exploration represents the programmatic and forward- April 2001. The responses demonstrated Programme Advisory Committee (EPAC), looking part of the Programme, while great interest in the further exploration of which brings together a balanced group of the latter covers the actual develop- Mars, Europa, the Moon and the Asteroids European experts in the various scientific ment of the technologies identified and and came from scientists in almost all ESA and technological fields associated with their demonstration through space Member States and Canada. the Aurora objectives. missions. Robotic missions and new technologies wll pave the way for safe human missions to Mars 36 esa bulletin 115 - august 2003 www.esa.int MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 37 The Aurora Programme The Aurora Programme timeline The Preparatory Period includes only a with a series of parametric studies to Technologies and Instrument Development Definition Component. The Development assess the requirements and constraints of and Demonstration Components of all subsequent Periods will various scenarios. Many different cover the Phases-B/C/D/E of technology parameters are currently being studied, Within the Development Component, the development and missions. including: mission philosophy (surface mission-specific technologies will have to outpost, multiple landing sites, orbital be developed and brought to a degree of base), crew size (3, 6 or 12), duration of maturity that will allow a Phase-B/C/D Preparing for Human Missions stay (30, 100 or 600 days), mass in low programme to be started with an Earth orbit (LEO), etc. Working acceptable level of risk. A ‘Technology The primary goal of the missions detailed meetings are held regularly with a number Dossier for Robotic and Human below, and the further robotic missions to of European experts to monitor the Exploration’ has been produced, which come, is to gather knowledge about the progress of the industrial studies and also takes into account the outcome of a Martian environment and the risks that are prepare inputs for the European dedicated Workshop held at ESTEC associated with it and with the long Framework for Exploration. These inputs in spring 2001. A roadmap for interplanetary journey to and from the generate further questions and comments enabling technologies has been worked planet, as well as to develop and validate that are injected into the subsequent out, with a series of key milestones. the key enabling technologies. reflections. This iterative process will be All such technological development In parallel, the preparation of human consolidated in a series of scenario trade- work will be conducted taking into exploration scenarios has started, always offs that will eventually lead to a baseline account the existing ESA and national within the Definition Component of the human-exploration scenario that will be a technology programmes (e.g. TRP, GSTP), Aurora Preparatory Period. While several key element of the Aurora Programme to avoid duplication of effort and to years ago NASA developed its own strategy and the European position in maximise the return on investment for ‘Reference Mission’, ESA has followed upcoming negotiations with international Europe. the path of entrusting European industry partners. www.esa.int esa bulletin 115 - august 2003 37 MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 38 Strategy Robotic Missions period of operations. The payload funding Artist’s impression of the ExoMars mission mechanism will be decided by the These Robotic Missions are intended to Participants during the Preparatory Period. pave the way for human exploration and The mission’s payload will be selected by for the establishment of a manned outpost the Aurora Board of Participants, taking on Mars. On 7 October 2002, the Aurora into account the EPAC’s recommendations. Board of Participants approved the start of Those elements identified so far are: assessment studies for the first four Mars Exobiology, Mars Sample Return, Robotic Missions in the Programme. These In-Situ Resource Utilisation, a Lunar missions were selected by the EPAC from Mission, and an Advanced Mars Sample the 300 proposals mentioned earlier, and Return Mission. The first two selected for then recommended to the Member States industrial Phase-A studies are ExoMars for endorsement. and Mars Sample Return. Flagship Missions ExoMars These Flagship Missions will enhance the This mission, to be launched in 2009, will European capability for undertaking study the Martian environment and search human planetary missions, whilst also for evidence of life, past or present, on the providing significant scientific return in planet’s cold and arid surface. The large their own right. Within the agreed cost of a spacecraft will take advantage of the Flagship Mission, the Aurora Programme planet’s thin atmosphere to aerobrake it will nominally fund the development of the into Mars orbit. A descent module will complete spacecraft, the ground-segment then deliver a large rover to the Martian development (spacecraft operations and surface using an inflatable braking device data processing), the launch, and a nominal or a parachute system. 38 esa bulletin 115 - august 2003 www.esa.int MESSINA 9/2/03 2:04 PM Page 39 The Aurora Programme The autonomous roving vehicle, to upcoming opportunities, in the form of: is applied to larger, more ambitious Flag- powered by conventional solar arrays, will – small exploration missions ship, and eventually human, expeditions. spend many months exploring the hostile – technology demonstration missions, to terrain. The 40 kg payload, called demonstrate new technologies and mission ‘Pasteur’, will include a drill and a techniques Conclusion sampling and handling device that will – participation in another programme, for enable it to analyse soil from sites that may instance another international programme, Just as the image of the first man to stand on be hospitable to primitive Martian life a European national programme or the Moon remains an icon of the 20th forms.