Human exploration of the Moon and Mars: implications for Aurora

Abstract

In the near future, Europe will have to decide how to respond to the new US plans for human space exploration, and how far its existing Aurora programme is consistent with them. The UK will shortly have to make a decision on whether, and to what extent, to participate in these exciting developments. Here I argue that there is a strong scientific case for the human exploration of planetary surfaces, and that the robotic exploration of Mars, as currently envisaged by Aurora, should be pursued in parallel with the development of a human spaceflight infrastructure on the Moon. Such a strategy would pave the way for eventual human missions to Mars by the middle of the century. ESA (and within ESA, the UK) should aspire to be a major participant in such a programme.