The European Space Agency Exploration Programme Aurora

Abstract

Since 2001 the European Space Agency has been working on the preparation of a long-term program for the human and robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars, the Aurora Program. This was unanimously endorsed by ESA Member States gathered at the ESA Council at Ministerial level in Edinburgh. After two years of intense work together with the European and Canadian industrial, scientific and academic communities as well as with representatives of Participating States Aurora had defined a roadmap to the exploration of Mars and a European Framework for Exploration. The international and internal contexts have however evolved almost simultaneously. The former through President Bush's announcement of a new US Vision for Exploration, the latter as a result of internal changes at ESA and an ever increasing role of the European Commission in space-related matters. This led to a re-assessment of the Aurora Program's scope and to newly defined Preparatory Phase. Building on the achievements, results and on-going work of the original Aurora Program the ESA Participating States in the Exploration Program endorsed a new set of activities as well as the continuation of the on-going ones over the next 18 months.