European Space Agency (ESA) is embarking on an ambitious endeavor to develop its own crew transportation vehicle. This significant step was announced by ESA’s director general, Josef Aschbacher, following the unanimous agreement of 22 European countries, including the UK, at the recent ESA space summit in Seville, Spain.
The primary objective of this new vehicle is to transport humans to and from the International Space Station (ISS) by 2028. However, Aschbacher emphasized that the design of the spacecraft would be such that it could evolve in the future to become a crew vehicle for other destinations beyond low Earth orbit. In other words, Europe may eventually have the capability to land its own astronauts on the moon.
This move by ESA marks a major shift in Europe’s space program and could potentially strengthen partnerships with the United States and other countries. Frank De Winne, head of ESA’s European Astronaut Centre, believes that developing these capabilities will make Europe a better partner for collaborative space missions. With the retirement of the US space shuttle program and the strained relations between Russia and the West, Europe has an opportunity to fill the void and establish its independent capability to launch astronauts.
The urgency to chart its own direction in human space transportation arose from a report published by ESA in February titled “Revolution Space: Europe’s Mission for Space Exploration.” The report highlights the revolution occurring in space, comparable to the growth of the internet, and emphasizes the need for Europe to have a strong, independent means of launching payloads and humans into space to ensure its future prosperity.
To achieve this goal, ESA has adopted a unique approach. Instead of designing and building the spacecraft themselves, ESA will buy the service from a company. This “service procurement” model, pioneered by NASA with Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has proven successful in reducing the cost of space launches and accelerating lunar exploration.
Interest in lunar exploration is surging worldwide, with governments and companies eager to be part of the future of space exploration. International Moon Day, observed on July 20th, reflects the global zest for lunar exploration and settlement. Many new players, beyond traditional space powers, are stepping into the arena.
With ESA’s bold move towards developing a crew transportation vehicle, Europe is poised to become an even more prominent player in space exploration, forging stronger partnerships and potentially paving the way for a future where Europe’s own astronauts walk on the moon.
FAQ
1. What is ESA’s plan for developing a crew transportation vehicle?
ESA plans to open a competition for industry to propose a cargo spacecraft to fly to and from the ISS by 2028. This spacecraft will be designed in a way that it can evolve into a crew vehicle if member states decide to do so.
2. What is the significance of Europe developing its own crew transportation vehicle?
This would be the first time that Europe has developed a crew transportation vehicle, potentially leading to Europe landing its own astronauts on the moon in the future. It also strengthens collaborations and partnerships with other space-faring nations.
3. How does Europe plan to achieve independent space launches?
Instead of designing and building the spacecraft itself, ESA will buy the service from a company following the service procurement model. This approach has been successful in reducing costs and accelerating lunar exploration.
4. What is the motivation behind Europe’s push for an independent human space transportation system?
European countries recognize the importance of having a strong, independent means of launching payloads and humans into space to ensure future prosperity. Without it, Europe would be in the role of a customer to other space-faring nations.
5. What opportunities does Europe have now due to strained relations between Russia and the West?
The strained relations between Russia and the West have opened up opportunities for Europe to establish its independent capability to launch astronauts, filling the void left by the retirement of the US space shuttle program and strained collaboration with Russia.
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
