Space Safety/Space Traffic Management Programmes
Space Situational Awareness (SSA) Programme
Goal
A European capability to monitor the space environment for hazards, both natural and human-made that could impact assets in orbit or populations and infrastructure on the ground.
Outcome
Establishment of a space weather (SWE) forecasting service based on existing and to-be-developed assets, including new SWE instruments; a SWE mission to a Lagrange point (L1 or L5); hosted payload missions for SWE instruments; a network of Near Earth Object (NEO) survey telescopes; small satellites for SSA payloads less than 100 kg and Participating States’ subscriptions for 2017–20.
 |
 |
 |
 |
Asteroid Impact Mission
Goal
Provide a companion observatory and microlander mission for the NASA DART impactor, which will strike the small moon orbiting the Didymos binary asteroid.
Outcome
Launch in 2020 and encounter with Didymos in 2022.
| |
|
|
|
Impact
The mission provides a first essay of planetary defence, an international cooperation, science and education return and a test for advanced planetary exploration technologies.
e.Deorbit/Tug Maturation Phase
Goal
Remove a single large ESA-owned debris from orbit, which will be the first-ever active debris removal mission.
Outcome
Completion of Phase-B2 definition, ready for implementation by 2019.
| |
|
|
Impact
A high-profile mission providing large visibility on the global stage for all actors involved. It will place European industry at the forefront of the world’s active removal efforts and space tug applications, providing a competitive advantage for all industry involved.
