INSIGHT | ASK MAGA ZINE | 9

Space Exploration in the 21st Century:

Forty years after the first landing on the moon by two American astronauts, the significance of that
historical step of human exploration is very different from what it was at that time. Then, it was a
clear demonstration of the supremacy of U.S. technology over the world, and a symbol of the U.S.
identity. Forty years later, it is not anymore a matter of the moon and the United States, but rather of
planet Earth and humankind; twenty-seven astronauts have seen planet Earth as a small and fragile
golf ball floating in the universe and, as a result, helped develop the understanding that our future
can only be global.
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Thanks to that first landing on the moon, we have witnessed be it for science, for technologies, or for new partnerships. As I
two paradigm shifts. The first is about the objective, which said to the Augustine Committee, we shall not build exploration
has shifted from space to planet Earth. The compelling urge of on the failure of the ISS. So our first priority shall be to ensure
man to explore and discover is not enough to justify engaging the success of ISS.
in long-term exploration. There is a need, at least in Europe— These next ten years will provide time and perspective to
it may be different in other societies—to identify benefits of improve the ISS and make it a concrete step toward exploration. The
space exploration able to generate a resilient political and decision not only represents five additional years of exploitation,
public support, which is a condition for space exploration to it also provides a perspective long enough for all partners to think
be sustainable over the years. The benefits must be measurable about new ideas, new approaches, and new hardware. The two
on Earth: economic growth, technological innovation, scientific questions we should now ask ourselves are how to increase the
information, international cooperation, education, all of which benefits of the ISS, and how to decrease the costs of using it.
can contribute to solving problems here. Exploration addresses How can we increase the benefits of the ISS? These are
the future of planet Earth. some of the possibilities:
The second paradigm shift is about the process, which
has moved from competition to cooperation. We have started • Increasing capabilities, not by adding new labs, but by
with one flag on the moon, then two flags for the Apollo Soyuz reducing bottlenecks such as storage, communications, or
mission, then four with Space Station Freedom, and now five download;
flags for the International Space Station (ISS). The cooperative • Extending the range of scientific utilization toward new
process may be much slower than the competitive race, but it is fields such as Earth observation, monitoring of natural
also much more robust and sustainable. disasters, climate change;
Future space exploration can indeed only be global, and it will • Improving operations, for instance through a common
require us to assemble the nations that explored individually in the transportation policy or a common operations policy—
past to explore collectively in the future. This is not easy. It will be that is, defining common interfaces between each
the most difficult part of exploration, much more difficult than htpartner’s elements;
any required technological development, but it is necessary. There • Testing new systems and technologies, for instance in the
is no alternative. We shall have to invent the future together. fields of life support or resources recycling;
Because it will not be easy, we will have to go there in steps. • E xtending the partnership to other partners, on
I see three major steps: make the utilization of the ISS a success conditions to be defined. To be sustainable, the space
for exploration, develop robotic exploration plans, and define a station partnership cannot be closed.
human exploration scenario.
How can we decrease the costs of ISS utilization?
Make ISS Utilization a Success The objective is to decrease the costs of production and
The recent decision taken by President Obama to extend the operations in order to rebalance development and production
operation of ISS to 2020 and beyond is very good news for all activities. The use of commercial services is one interesting
partners. As NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden has said, we track—not the only one, but a track that requires the space
were waiting for that decision and even asking for that decision. agencies to think and to adapt.
These next ten years are necessary to make ISS utilization a My biggest fear as the director general of the European Space
success, to demonstrate to the public and governments that they Agency (ESA) is that ESA could become a dinosaur, no longer
were right to invest in it. Also, we need time to reap the benefits, adapted to its environment. We have to change, continuously.
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Future space exploration can indeed only be global, and it will require us
to assemble the nations that explored individually in the past to explore
collectively in the future.

This is not easy, in particular because we are a successful agency, A major interest of robotic investigation is to involve
and it is easy to keep doing what has made us successful. But the industrial expertise outside the traditional space industry and,
future will not be made with the recipes of the past. therefore, to widen the base of stakeholders and increase the
Commercial services may indeed be one way. We have synergy between space-bound and Earth-bound interests.
already experienced that in Europe, by creating the commercial
operator Arianespace for launch services, but that was thirty Define a Human Space Exploration Scenario
years ago. Reflections are ongoing to see how we can adapt this As Administrator Bolden has noted, there is no common vision
scenario for the future. among international partners about a human space-exploration
We should not forget, however, that the customer for scenario beyond the exploitation of the ISS. The U.S.
the ISS and exploration is and will remain governments, not Constellation program is being terminated, though the United
private organizations. I refuse the much too simple statement States remains committed to explore beyond low-Earth orbit.
that agencies are expensive and industry is cheap. The reality is In Europe we are currently reflecting on our future human-
as usual much more complex: agencies work under substantial exploration plans. Other partners may have plans, but they are
constraints imposed by their governments, such as distribution individual plans rather than a contribution to a global scenario.
of activities, but agencies can also be cheaper, and we in ESA shall A global exploration strategy has been developed by fourteen
work together with the other agencies to reduce significantly space agencies, including ESA. But this global exploration
utilization costs. Agencies cannot do without industry, but strategy has not been addressed at a political level and does not
industry also cannot do without agencies. represent a political strategy shared by an enlarged community
Any progress made for the utilization of the ISS will be a of international partners.
progress made for exploration. The ISS will be valued also by its A high-level political forum, including current partners as
capacity to support exploration. well as potential new partners of the ISS, should be set up with
The space station is the first step in human exploration the objectives of developing a common vision for exploration. At
beyond low-Earth orbit! the space-agency level, we can develop a common architecture
for human space exploration. But we can’t develop the political
Develop Robotic Exploration Plans vision. We are waiting for someone to take the initiative.
Last year, ESA and NASA made a significant step by taking a Which partner in the world has the willingness and credibility
joint initiative for a systematic robotic exploration of Mars; we to propose such a political forum? I am convinced that the United
have decided to use every opportunity to go to Mars together, States is the best suited to take such an initiative … but when?
and we have already defined joint missions that will be launched As the French author and aviator Saint-Exupéry said,
in 2016 and 2018. The ultimate goal is a joint Mars sample “… the question about the future is not to predict it, but to
return in the mid-2020s. There, also, the partnership is not make it possible.” So let us work together to make it possible. ●
closed and must be open to other partners.
Beyond this Mars robotic exploration plan, other robotic
missions should be planned as precursors to human exploration,
around or on the surface of other destinations such as the moon
or asteroids. Such missions should provide detailed information
on the topography and geochemical properties of the surface
of these destinations, and allow the testing of possibilities and Jean-Jacques Dordain is the director general of the
techniques for “living off the land.” European Space Agency.