ROOM
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Astronautics
About the author
Bernhard Hufenbach is head of ESA’s Strategic Planning and Outreach
Office for Space Exploration, responsible for supporting ESA-wide
strategic plans for space exploration and enlarging the stakeholder
community engaged in space exploration. He is involved in the
definition of future ESA space exploration missions, the development
of strategic partnerships, and the stimulation of commercial activities
related to space exploration.
and repair. The primary objective of a
European version of Dream Chaser would
be to provide affordable, reliable and flexible
space services for autonomous European
access to LEO. The US company Sierra Nevada
Corporation leads the project, supported in
Europe by OHB System AG, Germany, and
Telespazio, Italy.
• Lunar Communications Pathfinder: this
proposal would deliver customer payloads
to lunar orbit and provide them with
communications services. It would become
the first commercial deep-space data relay
mission, using commercial ground stations to
provide communications to cis-lunar space. The
system would connect with the far side of the
Moon, its southern hemisphere and the South
Pole. Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL)
is developing this idea in cooperation with
Goonhilly Earth Station.
• European Private Lunar Surface Mission:
PTScientists, Germany, in partnership with
Audi AG, propose a European privately-
funded Moon surface mission. This Moon
mission is a promising opportunity to
establish a commercial lunar transport service
in Europe. Such capability would enable the
testing of new technologies and the delivery
of scientific payloads to the Moon, leading
the way for a future of prolonged space
exploration. The private spacecraft would be
able to deliver up to 100 kg payload to the
lunar surface with each flight.
ESA is open to continue receiving ideas from
the European space or non-space private sector
for additional partnerships. Proposals can be
submitted to
.
Further information is also available at the ESA
Partners for Space Exploration website.
ESA is
promoting
brainstorming
activities with
space and non-
space actors in
order to agree
on potential
ways forward
The Audi lunar quattro
soon to land on the Moon.
Equipped with a
4-wheeled electrical drive
chain, tiltable solar
panels, rechargeable
batteries and science-
grade high-definition
cameras, the rover will
deploy and operate a
series of technological
payloads.
