What’s happening?

Despite the difficult context, the European Space Agency (ESA) Member States have agreed upon a budget of €16.9 billion for the next 3 years.

Why this is important?

  • This agreement reinforces the position that space is more relevant than ever, that Europe has no choice but to assume its role as a forward-looking global space power and supports the interest for the return of humankind to the Moon. 
  • The agreed upon budget is an increase by 17% v. 1018-2022 (€1.5 billion less than what ESA requested. It enables to address all major priorities such as work on a lunar cargo lander, funding a share of IRIS, revamp the ExoMars rover mission and extend ESA’s participation on the ISS to 2030); nothing has been curtailed, only reduce in scope. 
  • The objective of “continuing to secure a guaranteed autonomous access to space for Europe”, to maintain development and support for Ariane 6 and Vega C and ESA common infrastructure have been secured; privately developed, operational European micro- and mini-launch systems can however compete for ESA satellite launch service procurements. 
  • ESA has been reaffirmed in its role as a trustworthy central intergovernmental organization, of quality and competence, with its existing governance process and implementation framework, but which needs to adopt a zero-debris approach for its missions, reduce its carbon footprint by 46% by 2030 and better capitalize on its potential.   

What is in it for you?

The following has been decided as falling within the scope of the budgeted Agency’s programs and activities:

Science & Exploration 

  • PRODEX  
  • Terrae Novae/E3P 
  • Orion European Service Module
  • I-HAB 
  • ESPRIT

Earth Observation 

  • Earth Explorer mission
  • NGGM/MAGIC mission
  • Copernicus (CSC-4)
  • EarthWatch Programme
  • TRUTHS
  • CLIMATE-SPACE
  • InCubed-2
  • Digital Twin Earth
  • Aeolus-2 programme

Telecommunications & Applications 

  • ARTES 4.0
  • EU Secure Connectivity Initiative
  • Moonlight programme (enabling a European cislunar communications and navigation capability)
  • New Civil Security from Space programme

Navigation 

  • NAVISP Phase 3
  • new FutureNAV programme

Space Safety 

  • Space Safety Programme (S2P)
  • Vigil
  • Hera 
  • ADRIOS/ClearSpace-1 cornerstone missions
  • Small and nanosat missions
  • projects (Aurora, Space Weather nanosats, NEOMIR, Apophis mission,VISDOMS, DRACO, Deorbiting Kit, Laser technology and NEO Survey system)

Space Transportation 

  • Vega C
  • Ariane 6 
  • Programme for adaptations of Ariane 6, Vega and P120C
  • Launchers Exploitation Accompaniment Programme
  • New elements to support the commercial space transportation services 
  • Co-funding of space transportation services to be procured on a competitive basis
  • Technology disruptors
  • Space logistics
  • Rapid demonstrators 
  • Building blocks (under the Future LaunchersPreparatory Programme – FLPP)
  • Space Rider programme

Technology And Operations 

  • Discovery, Preparation and Technology Development(DPTD)
  • PRODEX
  • GSTP
  • EEE
  • ENDURE
  • software EGOS-CC
  • ground station network improvements
  • optical communication
  • study for fifth deep-space ground station Malargüe 

Commercialisation 

New ScaleUp programme (through its INNOVATE and INVEST Element)

Next steps?

Follow-up discussions and implementation measures will be needed so that what has been agreed upon at Ministerial level will become reality. A Space Summit will take place in 2023 (in cooperation) and a new Ministerial level meeting in 2025.