ANNUAL REPORT

2023
ANNUAL REPORT 2023 covers a year of ESA activities, images and events, from 1 November 2022 to 31 October 2023.

Scan for more ESA publications

 CONTENTS

02 Foreword

04 ESA’s organisational change: shaping excellence

06 The new political heart of ESA

08 We are the European Space Agency

10 Inside ESA

12 Highlights: November 2022 to January 2023

24 The backbone of all space activities

30 Highlights: February to April 2023

42 ESA’s icy moons mission

48 Highlights: May to July 2023

60 The quest for a sustainable use of space

66 Highlights: August to October 2023

78 Pioneering secure communication and beyond

84 Annual Report

Image credits
 ESA Director General
Josef Aschbacher
at the new ESA
Headquarters in Paris,
France, in May 2023.

02
 → THE EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

The year 2023 was marked by numerous achievements for the European Space Agency.
ESA carried out its activities with remarkable competence, commitment and efficiency –
throughout its wide range of programmes and projects.

The list of Agency successes in 2023 is long but I would like to mention just a few that
generated a particularly high degree of visibility:

• April saw the launch of JUICE, a mission targeting Jupiter, its icy moons and the
oceans below their surface. It will bring insights into our Solar System and its origins,
down to the question of whether the icy moons could be habitable for simple forms
of life.

• In July Euclid was launched on a mission to explore the composition and evolution
of the dark Universe, observing billions of galaxies out to 10 billion light years.

• ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen began his Huginn mission in August, becoming
the first European pilot of Crew Dragon and also serving as Commander of the
International Space Station.

• In parallel, the next generation of space explorers has now arrived. Basic training for
ESA’s new astronaut class began in April, ensuring a sufficient supply of spacefarers
for the future.

The year culminated with the Space Summit in Seville where decisions were taken that
will harness space for a greener future, result in decisive steps in exploration, and ensure
autonomous access to space while preparing a paradigm shift towards a more competitive
next generation of launchers. The Summit made clear the strong political support that
exists for ESA and its activities.

In all of this, ESA’s Agenda 2025 remains the Agency’s strategic compass. In line with
its priorities, links between ESA and the European Union and other stakeholders have
been strengthened, while work has begun on the ESA Transformation, aiming to make
the Agency more modern, more efficient and more agile.

The 2023 ESA Annual Report gives many more details about the Agency’s unique
accomplishments, while demonstrating that investments in ESA yield substantial societal
returns. ESA remains a pivotal entity within the European space community. Its activities
not only contribute to the strategic capabilities of Europe in space but also enhance the
overall welfare of its citizens by bringing the vast potential of space closer to Earth.

Josef Aschbacher
ESA Director General
@AschbacherJosef
03
 “
As a priority of Agenda 2025, ESA must start
its own internal transformation to become faster,
more efficient, more dynamic. I want everyone
in the agency to not only feel informed about
this transformation, but to take ownership of it.
To be a part of the process.
Josef Aschbacher
ESA Director General “

Snapshots from ESA’s

Transformation Town Hall at
the European Space Research
and Technology Centre (ESTEC),
in February. Attendees included
DG Josef Aschbacher, ESA directors,
and many employees.

404
 ESA’S ORGANISATIONAL
CHANGE: SHAPING EXCELLENCE
ESA’s Transformation is one of the five priorities outlined
in Agenda 2025. Boosting ESA’s effectiveness and
competitiveness in a rapidly changing world is essential if
ESA is to remain a modern and attractive workplace that
guarantees world-class excellence.

Space activities worldwide are witnessing a rapid

revolution thanks to new players, game-changing
technologies and increased competition. To meet our
ambitions for a green, digital, safe and inclusive Europe,
ESA needs to step up its game in space. ESA must
become faster, more responsive and more dynamic to
implement this vision, and must do this in a way that
includes all sectors of society and respects the resources
of our planet.

An internal transformation covering all sectors of ESA

started in 2023 and will implement concrete changes in
the way ESA operates internally and engages with its
broader environment from 2024.

055
 THE NEW
POLITICAL
HEART
OF ESA

In May 2023, ESA officially inaugurated its newly renovated headquarters in the heart of
Paris. More than a building, this space stands as a testament to the profound transformation
reshaping the very essence of how ESA operates.

Nestled on rue Mario Nikis in the 15th arrondissement, the historic building has been ESA’s
home since 1976. In 2018, a remarkable five-year transformation commenced.

This revamped headquarters isn’t just about bricks and mortar; it signifies a paradigm shift.
Beyond its imposing facade lies a space meticulously crafted with the latest in design,
technology, environmental sustainability, and innovative work environments. Within these
walls, ESA’s workforce finds itself in a dynamic ecosystem, fostering collaboration through
shared areas and open spaces, all aimed at shaping the future of the European space sector.

The building’s structure mirrors ESA’s intimate connection with astronomy. This celestial spirit
permeates the portion now open to the public – the Astrolabe visitor centre and the ESA
Space Shop. Here, ESA’s mission extends beyond the political and scientific realm; it becomes
about sharing the marvels of space with the public, inviting everyone to partake in the grand
adventure ESA represents. Welcome to a new era, where the wonders of space are not just
explored but experienced.

Featuring over 100 meeting

rooms and three cutting-edge
Council chambers, this is where
ideas converge, decisions are
made, and ESA’s future is shaped
in collaboration with delegates
from ESA Member States.

Open to everyone, the Astrolabe

visitor centre and the ESA
Space Shop offer an immersive
experience of the wonders of
European space activities.

06
The original 'Eurostore' Welcome to the new ESA HQ!
building on the site of the
proposed ESA Headquarters
on rue Mario Nikis, Paris. This
photo is dated early 1976.

With a total surface area

of 12 000 m², HQ Mario Nikis
offers a vibrant space for 400
employees to innovate
and collaborate.

07
 WE ARE THE
EUROPEAN SPACE AGENCY

FR ESA HQ NL ESA ESTEC

ESA’s Headquarters is located in The European Space Research
Paris, France, and is where ESA’s and Technology Centre in Noordwijk,
space strategy and policy are the Netherlands, is the technical
developed. It is also where the heart of ESA. Its vast site includes
agency’s administrative function facilities for testing satellites and
is based. space technologies.

IT ESA ESRIN DE ESA ESOC

The European Space Research The European Space Operations
Institute in Frascati, Italy, is Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, is
ESA’s centre for Earth observation where we control our missions and
and home to the Vega space build the systems on the ground
transportation programme. that manage our fleet of spacecraft
in orbit.

DE ESA EAC BE ESA ESEC

The European Astronaut Centre in The European Space Security and
Cologne, Germany, is home to ESA’s Education Centre, at Redu, Belgium,
astronauts. This is where European is a centre for space cybersecurity
astronauts receive their training for services and education. It hosts part
space missions. of ESA’s satellite tracking network,
as well as the Space Weather
Data Centre.

ES ESA ESAC UK ESA ECSAT

The European Space Astronomy The European Centre for Space
Centre near Madrid, Spain, is home Applications and Telecommunications
to ESA’s astronomy, fundamental in Harwell, UK, focuses on
physics, solar science and planetary telecommunications and business
missions, as well as extensive applications, as well as climate
data archives. change, technology and science.

FR EUROPE’S SPACEPORT
Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French
Guiana, is the European gateway to
space. At 5° north of the equator, it is
ideally placed for launching spacecraft
to any required orbit.

808
More than 5000 people work across ESA, including engineers, scientists
and support staff. Together we embody a spirit of international cooperation
and have contributed to Europe’s proudest achievements in space exploration,
maximising the value space brings to our daily lives.

ESTEC
• Technical support
ESEC • Engineering support
• Cybersecurity • Testing
• Education • Laboratories

HQ
• Director General
• Administration EAC
• Communication • Astronaut training
• Launcher development

ECSAT
ESOC
• Satellite communication
• Mission operations
• Integrated applications
• Ground systems
engineering and innovation
• Flight dynamics and
ESAC deep-space communication
• Science support • Space Safety Centre
• Data management

ESRIN
• Earth observation
• Launcher development
EUROPE’S • IT
SPACEPORT

WHERE SPACE
TAKES PLACE
099
 INSIDE ESA
Four pillars. One ESA.

SCIENCE SPACE TRANSPORTATION

STS
SCI

Space science addresses Accessing space through our

humanity’s big questions own space transportation
and pushes the frontiers is vital, as this enables
of our knowledge. It also independent decision-making,
drives innovation and leads unrestricted by foreign
to scientific progress as well intervention. ESA’s strategic
as economic development, space transportation roadmap
inspiring future generations includes long-term investment
of scientists and engineers. in European solutions.

HUMAN & ROBOTIC OPERATIONS

HRE

OPS

EXPLORATION
ESA’s Operations teams
Exploration is at the core control spacecraft in orbit,
of human aspirations for manage the agency’s
knowledge and discovery. ESA’s independent global tracking
Human and Robotic Exploration station network and design
programme, known as Terrae and build the systems on the
Novae, has ambitious objectives ground that support missions
that include landing the first in space. They fly the risky,
European astronaut on the first-of-a-kind missions that
lunar surface by 2030. no one else in Europe can.

10
 ESA’s directorates work together to realise Europe’s ambitions for space. We develop launch systems and
new generations of satellites for Earth observation, communication and navigation. We devise science
and exploration programmes that inspire, while here on the ground we operate space missions and protect
our planet from space hazards.

We ensure Europe’s space industry gets the support it needs and, of course, we develop the technology
needed to do all of this. Whatever we do, whichever part we play, we work together as One ESA.

EARTH OBSERVATION NAVIGATION COMMERCIALISATION,

EOP

NAV

CIC
INDUSTRY &
Space gives us an unparalleled Satellite navigation services,
COMPETITIVENESS
view of our home planet and provided through ESA’s position,
environment. Satellite insights navigation and timing technology, To make Europe a hub for
are vital to understanding how are used by citizens, businesses space commercialisation,
our planet’s climate is changing. and scientists. ESA’s expertise in we must scale up the most
These data feed into European this sector gives Europe a leading innovative ideas and foster
priorities such as the Green role in the global market for commercial success. ESA
Deal and decarbonisation. satellite navigation services. supports and shares its
expertise with industry,
businesses and start-ups.

TECHNOLOGY CONNECTIVITY SPACE SAFETY

TEC

S2P
CSC

& SECURE
New technology is the The Space Safety Programme
COMMUNICATIONS
starting point for everything protects our planet, human
ESA does. The directorate of Satellite communication society, and our vital
technology, engineering and underpins everyday life, enabling infrastructure in space and
quality drives the ongoing faster connectivity, as well on the ground from hazards
innovation and technical as more efficient transport, originating in space.
excellence needed to achieve healthcare, safety and security It contributes to the safety,
ESA’s future goals. measures, environmental services resilience and autonomy of
and much more. This directorate Europe and its economies.
supports innovative technologies
that boost European business.

11
12
ESA’s European Service
Module powered NASA’s
first Orion spacecraft to
the Moon and back. The
ESM provided propulsion,

SELECTED
temperature control,
fuel, water, and air. The
mission was uncrewed,
testing spacecraft
performance and

HIGHLIGHTS
operations in preparation
for sending astronauts
to the Moon. This image
was taken on day 13 of
the 25-day mission, at
nearly maximum distance
from Earth.

November 2022 to January 2023

The year concluded The year 2022 bid farewell with the completion
of the Artemis I mission, and a stellar performance
with a crucial by ESA’s European Service Module (ESM). NASA’s
Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean
inaugural step in on 11 December, after travelling around the Moon
and farther than any spacecraft designed to carry
the mission to humans. The next ESMs are already in production.
return humans Shortly after, another important mission
to the Moon. commenced, with the first Meteosat Third
Generation Imager (MTG-I1) satellite lifting off
on an Ariane 5 rocket from Europe’s Spaceport in
French Guiana. Once fully operational, this advanced
weather satellite will revolutionise weather
forecasting, providing cutting-edge observations of
Earth’s atmosphere and real-time monitoring
of lightning events.

The onset of 2023 presented an exciting

opportunity for the ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter
spacecraft. On 3 January, the inner planet Mercury
passed through the spacecraft’s field of view,
creating a striking transit event where Mercury
appeared as a perfectly black circle moving across
the face of the Sun.

13
 EUROPEAN SERVICE MODULE

Building Artemis V
The structure for the fifth European Service
Module is seen here at the integration halls
in Bremen, Germany. The module, which will
power the Orion spacecraft for the Artemis V
mission, will include 12 km of cables connecting
20 000 parts. In addition to taking astronauts to
the Moon, Artemis V will transport the second
European module to the lunar Gateway:
the ESPRIT refuelling module.

14
‘MARS’ FOR METHANE

UN announces global emissions initiative

Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas and the
second biggest driver of global warming. At COP27,
the United Nations announced a new satellite-
based system to detect methane emissions,
the Methane Alert and Response System (MARS)
initiative. Copernicus Sentinel-5P will be crucial
in implementing this ambitious initiative.
This Sentinel-5P image shows global methane
concentration in Earth’s atmosphere in 2020.
15
 FIRST MTG LAUNCH

Keeping an eye out for lightning

The first of six Meteosat Third Generation weather
satellites is placed within Ariane 5’s fairing for
protection during launch. From 36 000 km above
the equator, it will observe Earth’s atmosphere
in improved detail. Its novel Lightning Imager
will monitor lightning events, even in daylight,
allowing severe storms to be detected early and
warnings issued.

16
WEBB VIEWS CREATION

Composite image reveals exquisite new detail

The Pillars of Creation in the Eagle Nebula blaze

in this composite from two of Webb’s cameras.
Mid-infrared shows the pillars’ layers of dust,
while near-infrared reveals thousands of new
stars (in orange). Gas and dust form knots in
the pillars, collapsing under their own gravity
to eventually form new stars.

17
 SAFER SPACE

Sailing into the sunset

This metallic sail was unfurled in late 2022 by the

ION Satellite Carrier, a satellite platform operated
by D-ORBIT and used to deliver miniature CubeSats
into their individual orbits. Seen by the onboard
camera, the Drag Augmentation Deorbiting System
Nano (ADEO-N), a 3.6 sq m aluminium-coated
polyamide membrane, will increase air drag upon
the satellite and speed up its atmospheric re-entry.

18
MERCURY TRANSIT

Solar Orbiter captures planetary pass

In January, the planet Mercury passed between
ESA’s Solar Orbiter spacecraft and the Sun.
This resulted in a great photo opportunity and
Solar Orbiter’s Polarimetric and Helioseismic
Imager (PHI) instrument captured the transit of
Mercury’s silhouette across the Sun’s disc. In this
image, Mercury appears as a black circle in the
lower right and is distinct from the sunspots at
the top of the image.

19
 A PREDICTABLE ASTEROID

Only the sixth one we saw coming

Small asteroids strike Earth every couple
of weeks, and our ability to predict them
is increasing. Asteroid 2022 WJ1 was first
spotted by the Catalina Sky Survey. Within
minutes, ESA’s monitoring software reported
a 20% chance of impact, and within half
an hour the precise impact was detailed.
The fireball appeared at exactly the
predicted time and location.

20
ATOM-SCALE SCAN

Studying materials for space

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies
materials right down to their atomic scale. This
image shows internal research fellow Johanna
Wessing at ESA’s Materials and Electrical
Components Laboratory at ESA ESTEC in the
Netherlands. She is studying the topmost skin
of a candidate material for space. This powerful
technique enables the analysis of surface
structures and composition to a depth of just
a few dozen individual atoms.

21
 HERA’S TINY RADAR

Mini-radar destined for Dimorphos

This 10-cm radar instrument will make history
on board Hera’s Juventas CubeSat as the smallest
such instrument in space and the very first radar to
probe inside an asteroid. The asteroid in question is
Dimorphos, the destination of ESA’s Hera spacecraft,
which will carry the Juventas CubeSat. Hera will fly
to Dimorphos to survey the aftermath of NASA’s
DART impact.

22
WARMER WINTERS

Disruption for Europe’s skiers

At the beginning of January, warm winter
temperatures and a lack of snowfall in the Alps
and the Pyrenees left some European ski resorts
with little or no snow. This Copernicus Sentinel-2
image shows the Flims, Laax and Falera ski
resorts in Switzerland in January 2023.

23
 THE BACKBONE
OF ALL SPACE
ACTIVITIES
ESA’s tracking station network
is evolving and adapting to the
revolution in space activities.

T
he rapid growth of space activities would not be possible without the constant
evolution of ground stations. Without them, there is no way of controlling a
satellite or retrieving data from it. ESA’s tracking station network – Estrack –
demonstrates remarkable adaptability to meet the ever-evolving demands of
modern space missions and the emergence of new commercial space ventures. Both
are a source of inspiration but they also pose specific challenges for the network.

Estrack is a global system of ground stations providing links between spacecraft and
the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), located in Darmstadt, Germany. The
core Estrack network is composed of seven sites, three of which are equipped with
deep space antennas that play a vital role in interplanetary missions. These antennas,
distinguished by their 35 m-diameter dish structures, are strategically positioned at
approximately 120 degrees apart in longitude: in Spain, Australia and Argentina.
This placement enables them to ensure uninterrupted coverage as the Earth rotates.

The key task of all ground stations is to communicate with spacecraft, transmitting
commands and receiving scientific data and spacecraft status information, during both
critical and routine mission phases. They need to do this even for spacecraft hundreds
of millions of kilometres away from us. These ground stations possess the remarkable
capability to track spacecraft in nearly any location, be it in Earth orbit, observing the
Sun, positioned at scientifically crucial Sun-Earth Lagrange points, or journeying into
the outer Solar System past the gas giants Jupiter (for the Juice mission) and Saturn
(Cassini-Huygens).

24
Inaugurated in March 2003, the
New Norcia Deep Space Station
is ESA's first tracking station
dedicated to communications
with deep space missions. The key
component of the ground station is
its massive antenna, which weighs
more than 600 tonnes and is over
40 metres high. The 35 m dish is
counterbalanced by 540 tonnes
of ballast to maintain the highly
accurate pointing of its beam.
25
 Perpetual enhancement These developments are crucial as the number of
supported missions continues to increase. As Guillermo
The Estrack network has been continuously evolving since highlights, “Estrack now routinely supports approximately
its establishment in 1975. It undergoes regular upgrades, 30 missions, providing around 5500 tracking hours per
leveraging available technologies in collaboration with month with a remarkable 99.7% high availability.”
European industry. These advancements have reached an This figure of 30 missions should be compared to the
impressive milestone, where Estrack’s remote operations approximately 16 missions supported in 2015 and the
are centralised at ESOC. “Fulfilling the requirements of all projected 37 missions planned for the beginning of
missions, those operations are efficiently managed by a the next decade. In addition to the growing number
team of two people during routine phases, relying on a of missions, there is also a demand for advanced
high degree of automation,” says Guillermo Lorenzo Ten, communication capabilities, including new frequency
Head of the Estrack Stations & Infrastructure Section. bands and enhanced performances. This is especially the
The network also shares its capacities with other space case for ESA’s new generation of science and exploration
agencies (NASA, JAXA, CNES, DLR, etc.), who in return missions such as the recently launched Juice (Jupiter Icy
provide tracking services to ESA missions under a number Moons Explorer) and Euclid.
of resource-sharing agreements.

elevation

h
ut
a zi m

ESA stations play a vital role in supporting not only ESA stations enable highly precise pointing in both elevation
the Agency’s missions but also those of other space agencies (rotation up and down) and azimuth (rotation left and right).
like NASA, JAXA, ISRO, and private space companies.

ESA’s deep-space stations are among the world’s most advanced Most Estrack stations operate as ‘giant robots’ remotely
for interplanetary communication, capable of capturing signals controlled from ESA’S ESOC mission control centre in Germany.
from as far away as Mars, at a distance of 225 million km,
or even Saturn, which is a staggering 1400 million km away.
26
Furthermore, there is a pressing desire for enhanced THE CORE ESTRACK NETWORK COMPRISES
performance, particularly in terms of increased data
throughput, as it holds immense scientific value and SEVEN STATIONS IN SEVEN COUNTRIES
fulfils our yearning for ever more detailed imagery.
A prime example of this was the recent mosaic created
with the help of ESA’s Mars Express spacecraft, which
unveiled the Red Planet’s colour and composition in
breathtaking detail. Kiruna

ESA’s network is facing congestion – a problem also

faced by NASA’s ground stations. This is not only due
to the increasing number of new missions in the Redu
space industry globally but also because of the
Cebreros
presence of what are referred to as legacy missions,
such as Aeolus (the satellite to acquire profiles of Santa Maria
Earth’s wind outlived its predicted lifetime of three
years by over 18 months).

According to Lucy Santana, who oversees ESA’s

ground facility services for deep space missions,
these missions that significantly surpass their Kourou
originally planned operational duration are
obviously an opportunity, but at the same time they New Norcia
pose a challenge for network workload planning.

The recent upgrades, which incorporated higher Malargüe

frequency bands or cooled the ‘antenna feed’ to just
10 degrees above the lowest temperature possible in
the Universe, have notably enhanced the data download
capacity, by up to 80%. However, there are inherent
limitations to the extent of improvements that can
be squeezed out of pre-existing dishes. Consequently,
ESA not only prioritises upgrades and collaboration
agreements but also allocates resources to the a commercial Moon landing service provider. “Our Estrack
development of Estrack’s own strategic components. station network was the optimal choice for such a
mission, and we signed a commercial contract as the
In fact, a new deep space antenna – Estrack’s fourth – is
exclusive provider of the crucial communication link
already under construction at Australia’s New Norcia site.
between Earth and the spacecraft.”
Guillermo explains, “The infrastructure works have been
completed, and we are currently finalising the foundations
This achievement is noteworthy as it marks a momentous
and installing the antenna tower. Our objective is to
occasion for two reasons: it was the first time ESA
achieve operational deployment by the end of 2025.”
offered sole ground station support for a commercial
There is a concern that, even with these enhancements, space mission, and was also intended to be the first
the network may still not fully meet the growing commercial lunar landing in history.
demands. Guillermo cautions, “Based on our projections
The mission was launched into a low-energy transfer
using the current mission model, we anticipate that the
orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 in December 2022. The
capacity requirements will surpass our current network
connection between the spacecraft and the prime mission
capabilities by approximately 60% around 2029.” To
control centre in Tokyo was assured by ESA’s deep space
address this challenge, a project for the construction of
antennas and two smaller ones located in Kourou, French
another deep space antenna, this time in South America
Guiana, and New Norcia, Australia. The Goonhilly Earth
at the already existing Malargüe site, is currently under
Station Ltd in the UK, the world’s only commercial deep
study. The decision to proceed with the construction will
space ground station, was also involved as part of the
ultimately rest with ESA’s Council of Ministers in 2025.
‘Estrack extended network’.

The Estrack and Goonhilly stations followed the lander

A different way of working as it ventured out into deep space (as far as 1.5 million
km from Earth) and back again on a sweeping trajectory
“That was definitely a first,” reflects Gerhard Billig, designed to reduce the amount of fuel the spacecraft
a ground operations engineer at ESOC and service needed to carry. After having reached lunar orbit, the
manager for Estrack’s support for the inaugural mission satellite began the descent sequence at the end of April
of the HAKUTO-R lunar exploration program by ispace, 2023, but failed to land safely on the Moon.
27
 HOW NOT TO LOSE A SPACECRAFT
ESA’s ultra-precise deep-space navigation technique tells us where spacecraft are to within a few hundred metres even at a
distance of 100 million km. Navigating a spacecraft around our Solar System requires knowing how far away it is, how fast it is
travelling and in what direction.

COMING OR GOING?
Frequency shifts in sent signals
indicate whether the spacecraft
is approaching (higher frequency) direction of travel
or moving away
HOW FAR IS IT?
(lower frequency). Quasars are some of the brightest
Using a single ground
objects in our Universe; their colossal
station, spacecraft distance Doppler shift energy comes from matter falling into
is determined through radio
a black hole. They are very, very far
signal travel time.
away, but their positions are known
very accurately, so they serve as
‘beacons’ for this technique.

Quasar
slightly 10 0
longer
path
direction of travel

LEFT OR RIGHT? BRIGHTEST BEACONS!

Two of ESA’s three widely separated To mitigate signal delays caused by Earth’s
deep-space ground stations capture atmosphere and ground station electronics, signals
signals to determine spacecraft from a nearby quasar are used to subtract its known
movement left or right. location from spacecraft measurements.

28
Nevertheless, ispace is already planning new attempts accommodated within the network’s available spare time,
in 2024, relying again on the support of Estrack, which, making it akin to an additional bonus or a “cherry on
along with the NASA network, is the only one able to the cake,” as Gerhard notes. This collaboration
offer quasi 24-hour coverage for such a mission. exemplifies ESA’s active involvement in emerging
commercial space activities, highlighting its willingness
For ESA’s ground station teams, this mission has provided to engage and contribute to the evolving landscape of
valuable experience. “What was different working with the space industry.
that kind of young commercial company is that things
went fast with them,” says Gerhard. “They have proven The support to international and commercial partners
to be very agile in terms of their ability to adapt their follows well-established standards in terms of
plan and setup.” communication and interfaces. Nonetheless, Estrack’s
teams occasionally face the need to think outside the box.
The company made a significant decision to alter the Companies like ispace, for instance, have demonstrated an
satellite’s trajectory, prompted by a weight issue, ability to “push procedures to the limit, even in the way
opting for a trajectory that would take it much farther they operate a satellite,” remarks Lucy. It is sometimes
from Earth, and take much longer. This presented a “a different working culture, which pushes us to find
considerable challenge for Estrack, as it necessitated creative solutions.”
rapid adaptation to a nearly complete redefinition of the
mission within a limited timeframe. As one result, Estrack Consequently, Guillermo acknowledges that collaborating
was reaching out to the Goonhilly station to request with such entities offers a uniquely enriching experience.
additional support in order to meet the demands of the It presents valuable cross-fertilisation opportunities,
revised mission parameters. allowing for mutual learning and insights into diverse
operational and spacecraft engineering practices. For
Gerhard, “We do not work with an external entity to
make a profit, because we are just covering our cost at
A rewarding challenge the end. We do it because this kind of activity keeps
The primary focus of the network remains dedicated to the European space industry at the forefront of space
providing connections with satellites for ESA missions. exploration and, in the case of the HAKUTO-R mission-1,
Assistance for third parties is granted on a case-by-case provides valuable experience that will benefit upcoming
basis, typically for specific mission phases. The support ESA and partner missions destined for the Moon.”
extended by Estrack to companies such as ispace is

ESA’s mission control

at ESOC in Darmstadt,
Germany, is home to the
engineering teams that
control spacecraft in
orbit, manage the tracking
station network, and design
and build the systems on
the ground that support
missions in space.
29
30
This interferogram of the

SELECTED
area near Gaziantep in
Türkiye shows ground
displacement caused
by the 7.8 magnitude
earthquake on 6 February.

HIGHLIGHTS
The image was generated
using multiple Copernicus
Sentinel-1 scans from
before and after
the earthquake.

February to April 2023

Juice embarked On 6 February, a devastating 7.8-magnitude

earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye
on an eight-year and northern and western Syria, causing
widespread destruction, and claiming tens of
mission to explore thousands of lives. In response, the International
Charter 'Space and Major Disasters' was activated,
Jupiter and its utilising satellite imagery from Copernicus
three ocean-bearing Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 missions to support
local rescue operations.
moons: Ganymede, In early April, ESA welcomed its newest astronaut
Callisto, and Europa. candidates to the European Astronaut Centre in
Cologne, Germany, where they commenced their
intensive 12-month basic training. Chosen from a
competitive pool of 22 500 applicants across ESA
Member States in November 2022, this group of
five candidates is part of the 17-member astronaut
class of 2022.

During the same month, awe-inspiring images

were received, including a ground-breaking,
detailed view of Earth from the first Meteosat
Third Generation Imager (MTG-I1), promising a
revolution in weather forecasting. Additionally, the
33rd launch anniversary of the NASA/ESA Hubble
Space Telescope was celebrated with a vibrant
image of a nebula.

Lastly, on 14 April, humanity’s next bold mission

to the outer Solar System, ESA’s Juice mission
(JUpiter ICy moons Explorer), embarked on its
eight-year journey to Jupiter.

31
 BACK TO SCHOOL

ESA astronaut candidates start basic training

ESA’s newly selected astronaut candidates of the
class of 2022 arrived at the European Astronaut
Centre in Cologne, Germany, on 3 April to begin
their 12-month basic training. Clockwise from the
back row: Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Sophie Adenot,
Marco Sieber, Raphaël Liégeois, Rosemary Coogan
and the Australian Space Agency astronaut candidate
Katherine Bennell-Pegg.

32
A REVOLUTION IN WEATHER FORECASTING

ESA’s satellite provides spectacular images

This first image from Europe’s latest weather satellite,
the Meteosat Third Generation Imager, reveals a level
of detail about the weather over Europe and Africa not
previously possible from 36 000 km above Earth. When
fully operational, the system will provide critical data for
short-term and early detection of potential extreme
weather events over the next 20 years.

33
 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUBBLE

A colourful image of newly forming stars

On 24 April, astronomers celebrated the NASA/ESA
Hubble Space Telescope’s 33rd launch anniversary
with an ethereal photo of a nearby star-forming
region, NGC 1333. The nebula is in the Perseus
molecular cloud and is approximately 960 light-
years away. Hubble’s colourful view unveils glowing
gases and pitch-black dust blown around by several
hundred newly forming stars embedded within the
dark cloud.

34
TESTING ‘ZERO GRAVITY’

John McFall’s first parabolic flight

John McFall, the first-ever member of the ESA astronaut
reserve with a disability, is seen here floating on board a
parabolic flight in April. John was selected to take part in a
feasibility project to improve our understanding of, and to
help overcome, the barriers that space flight presents for
astronauts with a physical disability.

35
 ESA’S TECHNICAL HEART EXPANDS

Two simultaneous construction projects

Orange cranes highlight the two current construction
projects at ESA-ESTEC, in the Netherlands. On the
dune side, the new Hertz 2.0 radio frequency test
facility is taking shape, intended to accommodate
the largest future space antennas and satellites.
At the lower left, we see the site of the International
Meeting Facility, which will become a focal point for
the entire establishment.

36
PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

An ESA astronaut prepares for the next mission

Here we can see ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen
at the European Astronaut Centre training for his
Huginn mission to the International Space Station.
He is examining ESA’s Advanced Closed Loop System,
which filters the air on the Space Station for CO2, and
through further processing, creates clean oxygen for
the astronauts to breathe and water to be reused in
the life-support system.

37
 SPACE HOPPING

Human health on the Moon

A team of ESA’s space medicine experts
is investigating how bouncing on the
Moon could help maintain human
health and even grow healthy bones
and muscles. As part of the Movement
in Low gravity environments (MoLo)
programme, human movement is tested
in simulated reduced gravity on Earth.

38
HERA GETS TESTED

Antenna for asteroid mission

Hera is ESA’s contribution to an international planetary
defence experiment to study asteroid deflection. Its High
Gain Antenna is seen here in an acoustic reverberation
chamber, where it will be blasted with launcher-level
noise through the speakers seen in the wall. The 1.13-m
diameter antenna will play a crucial role in the mission
by transmitting high-volume data back to Earth.

39
 WORLD CEREAL

New ESA contribution to global food security

On 20 April, ESA launched WorldCereal – the world’s
first dynamic system capable of providing seasonally
updated crop information to help monitor agricultural
production across the globe. An example of the high
precision of the system is this Copernicus Sentinel-2
image that shows the Al Wahat al Dakhla Desert
centre-pivot irrigation systems, where equipment
rotates around a central pivot and crops are watered
with sprinklers.

40
JUPITER MISSION LEAVES EARTH

Ariane 5 lifts Juice into orbit

ESA’s latest interplanetary mission, Juice (Jupiter
Icy Moons Explorer), began its journey to Jupiter,
where it will study in detail the gas giant planet’s
three large ocean-bearing moons: Ganymede, Callisto
and Europa. The estimated date of arrival is July 2031
with the aid of momentum and direction gained from
four gravity-assist flybys of the Earth-Moon system,
Venus and, twice, Earth.

41
 ESA’S ICY
MOONS MISSION
How is this mission to Jupiter
bringing together world-class
capabilities from across ESA?

W
ith its launch in April 2023, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons
Explorer (Juice) mission took one big step towards its
destination. Ahead lies a journey to Jupiter that will take
eight years, followed by four years exploring the Jovian
system, during which the mission’s 10 science instruments will study
Jupiter and its moons.

The science instruments were developed by institutions from all

over Europe, together with contributions from the US, Japanese and
Israeli space agencies. Collaboration and planning have been key to
coordinating the 80 companies and more than 2000 people involved in
the mission’s development. As ESA’s Director General, Josef Aschbacher,
described it during the launch broadcast on 14 April: “It is really a
mission of major magnitude.”

42
Juice was placed inside the nose
cone, or fairing, of an Ariane 5
launcher on 1 April. Shortly after
launch on 14 April, the fairing
opened and Juice separated from
the rocket.
43
 Juicy science Juice’s radar sounder instrument (RIME) will probe the
subsurface of the icy moons to a depth of 9 km, giving
Juice will study Jupiter’s atmosphere and environment, us data about their inner layers. And the spacecraft’s
including its magnetic field, and will look in depth at cameras will take images of Ganymede and Callisto at a
three of the gas planet’s moons – Ganymede, Callisto and resolution of less than 10 m per pixel. These will be the
Europa – which are thought to hold liquid water beneath highest-resolution images ever taken of those objects.
their icy crusts. “In the end we will have a detailed map of Ganymede,
including its thin atmosphere and magnetic field. It will
Ganymede, the only moon in the Solar System to be like discovering and exploring an entirely new world,”
generate its own magnetic field, will be one of the main says Olivier.
scientific focuses. Olivier Witasse, ESA project scientist
for the mission, says: “For me the main question I would The data sent back to Earth by the Juice spacecraft will
like to see answered by Juice is the story of the liquid enable scientists to gain a better understanding of the
ocean on Ganymede. This is quite fascinating. We should conditions necessary to host life and the formation of
be able to understand its location, depth beneath the planetary systems, including our own Solar System (two
surface, quantity of water and composition.” of the core themes of ESA’s Cosmic Vision programme).

Juice will make detailed observations

of Jupiter’s three large icy moons,
including the planet’s biggest
satellite, Ganymede. It will be the
first spacecraft ever to orbit a moon
other than our own.
44
UNDERSTANDING GANYMEDE
Juice will explore Jupiter’s large icy moons. Ganymede is the prime target. As well as its magnetic field and complex core, Juice
will investigate the underground ocean. The presence of liquid water is a vital indicator of habitability.

GANYMEDE:
Juice flybys: 12

Juice’s closest approach: 200 km

The only moon in our Solar System

known to generate its own
magnetic field

Thought to hold six times

Crust more water than Earth

Liquid water ocean Has an icy crust thought to be

150 km thick and an underground
saltwater ocean, 100 km deep
Mantle
Diameter is 5260 km (less than
half the size of Earth but bigger
than Mercury)
Iron core

A long journey moment down to the second), the flight trajectory team
will be holding their collective breath as Juice performs
Before reaching its destination in the outer Solar System a flyby of Ganymede, before entering, less than half
and beginning its scientific investigation, Juice will have a day later, into orbit around Jupiter. The sequence is
travelled 6 billion km. Its trajectory to and around Jupiter automated and, again, there is no time to correct possible
is incredibly complex and influences all aspects of the errors. Arnaud says: “If this sequence doesn’t work
mission, including the science, communications with correctly, the spacecraft will travel away from Jupiter into
mission control and ground stations, as well as deep space and the mission will be over.”
fuel usage.
Once in orbit around the gas giant, Juice will complete
To travel this kind of mind-boggling distance using 35 unprecedented flybys of Jupiter’s icy moons,
fuel alone would involve an inordinate quantity of fuel, comparable to a gymnast performing an Olympic routine
as much as 370 000 kg, according to ESA’s Arnaud on horizontal bars (if the bars themselves are also
Boutonnet, a mission analyst who worked on designing constantly in motion). At such a distance from Earth,
Juice’s innovative trajectory. In fact, Juice will only carry it is possible for the spacecraft’s position to be out by
3650 kg of fuel. many tens of kilometres. To reduce this error risk, which
could cause collision or excessive fuel consumption,
He explains that the four gravity assists on the way the team introduced optical measurements to improve
to Jupiter will help the spacecraft to gain momentum positional accuracy.
while saving fuel. One of the most complex manoeuvres
during this initial part of the trajectory is the lunar-Earth The trajectory also had to avoid exposing the spacecraft
gravity assist, which will take place in August 2024. to excessive radiation, while keeping Juice in direct
“An exceptional degree of navigational accuracy is required sunlight most of the time. Any more than five hours in
for this double flyby because, with just one day between a solar eclipse and the batteries would stop providing
the flyby of the Moon and then Earth, there is no time to power and the spacecraft would be dead. Arnaud says:
correct any navigational errors,” says Arnaud. “The trajectory design team had to design an innovative
orbit to avoid the long eclipses, which will occur during
The real complexity, however, comes when Juice arrives the Jupiter spring equinox in March 2033. We started to
at Jupiter. On 17 July 2031 (the team can pinpoint the design with a white sheet of paper and had to research
45
 and invent our methods – and we are now converting our our colleagues at ESOC – in particular with the mission
research into reality.” director, and with flight dynamics and flight analysis
colleagues.” The team also collaborated closely with
ESA’s trajectory design team for Juice collaborated closely industrial partners, including Arianespace and Airbus, with
with Yves Langevin from Juice’s science working team, as whom they shared long hours in the control rooms.
well as with colleagues at NASA working on the US space
agency’s spacecraft also destined for Jupiter, the Europa In parallel, the team considered how to recycle equipment
Clipper mission, which is planned to launch in 2024. after launch, with a strong push to repurpose industrial
components. Manuela says: “If we can reuse the leftover
hardware, such as a spacecraft container or ground support
equipment, this can amount to several million euros saved
Preparing for launch for future projects, for laboratories or R&D activities.
While the trajectory design for Juice began more than a This benefits the agency and the taxpayer, as well as
decade before launch and logistics were planned as soon the environment.”
as the Ariane 5 flight was secured, ground preparations
Juice generated a huge amount of media interest before
at the launch site could only begin with the arrival of
launch, so communication was also an important part of
the Juice team at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana,
Manuela’s job. “I was involved in presentations to external
just 10 weeks before liftoff. During the launch campaign,
parties, media interviews and social media. For me it was
Manuela Baroni was the ESA launcher interface engineer,
also important to give a female face to this campaign, to
who supported the assembly, integration, and testing
show the work done by women in STEM,” she says.
(AIT) of the spacecraft. Her role included overseeing the
preparation of the spacecraft, including technical checks,
fuelling and ensuring magnetic cleanliness, before
the final encapsulation inside the Ariane 5 rocket Simulations at mission control
ready for launch.
While the launch campaign was in full flow in Kourou,
Collaboration across ESA was extremely important at the spacecraft operations teams at ESOC, in Darmstadt,
this point. Manuela explains: “The preparation of Germany, were also focused on preparation, including
the final chronology is done in very tight coordination with simulations for the mission’s launch and early orbit

JUICE’S JOURNEY TO JUPITER

Juice is due to arrive at the Jupiter system by July 2031. It will already have travelled 6 billion km before even starting its
complex tour and study of Jupiter and its moons.

VENUS
+250OC
Earth flyby I
JUPITER
Lunar-Earth flyby -230OC
Venus flyby
IO EUROPA CALLISTO

Earth flyby II

GANYMEDE
Launch

Arrival at Jupiter
July 2031

Journey to Jupiter: 6 billion km

Journey around the Jupiter planet-moon system: 1 billion km

Jupiter has 95 moons but Juice will focus on four of them: Ganymede, Callisto, Europa and Io

35 flybys of Ganymede, Callisto and Europa

46
 This is the team at ESA’s mission
control that will fly Juice to
Jupiter with four planetary flybys
of Earth and Venus. The mission’s
tour of the icy, complex Jovian
system includes 35 lunar flybys.

These images were taken

shortly after launch on 14 April
2023, by the Juice monitoring
camera 2 (JMC2). They show
Juice as it leaves Earth. In the
right-hand image, RIME is seen
in its stowed configuration
before being fully released.

phase (LEOP). Spacecraft operations engineer Angela Juice is go!

Dietz, who led one of the launch teams, says: “The
simulations help us to work as a team and to learn to As soon as Juice lifted off from Kourou, the flight
react to contingencies. We test the flight procedures, data operations team began to put their meticulously planned
systems, ground systems and interfaces. The spacecraft operations into practice. But even the best-laid plans can
and all its instruments are controlled by commands, go awry and, in this case, a tiny pin – just 3.7 mm long –
which have to be tested and validated.” failed to release one of the antenna booms that holds the
RIME radar instrument. Without a fully extended boom,
As Juice gets further away from Earth, these commands, the radar experiment would be far less effective. After
sent by radio signal, will take longer to reach the several weeks and attempts to dislodge the stubborn
spacecraft and eventually it will take up to 53 minutes pin, it was eventually agreed to try knocking it loose
to send a command through ESA’s Estrack deep-space by activating one of RIME’s other booms. With Juice
antennas. Angela says: “That’s when you lose the travelling at orbital speed at a distance of more than
interactivity with the spacecraft and everything has to be 8.7 million km away from Earth, the tiny metal pin moved
pre-programmed. If there’s a problem, you can’t intervene just enough to release the boom. With RIME and the
quickly, so we ensure the spacecraft has a high level of other nine instruments on board all fully deployed and
autonomy to troubleshoot its own issues.” commissioned, Juice was ready to make its eight-year
journey to Jupiter.
47
48
To mark 20 years of ESA’s

SELECTED
first mission to the Red
Planet (Mars Express),
the High Resolution
Stereo Camera (HRSC)
team has produced a

HIGHLIGHTS
new global mosaic, which
reveals a far richer colour
view of Mars than has
been seen before. Darker
grey-toned areas of Mars
represent grey-black
basaltic sands of volcanic
origin; lighter patches
show clay and sulphate
minerals; and the large
scar across the planet’s
May to July 2023
face is the colossal Valles
Marineris canyon system.

The launch of ESA’s June ushered in scorching temperatures and

sparking the warmest summer on record by a
latest astrophysics large margin. The Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission’s
radiometer provided crucial data, showing once
mission, Euclid, again how measurements of the temperature of
Earth’s surface taken from space are essential to
provides a new tool track the impact of climate change.
to delve into the In mid-June, ESA formally handed over the
cosmic mysteries European Service Module-2 to NASA. Integrated
with the Orion crew capsule, it’s set for liftoff to
of dark energy and the Moon in 2024. During the Artemis II mission,
the ESM-2 will have a crucial role, providing water
dark matter. and air to the four astronauts, in addition to
supplying electricity, propulsion, and temperature
control for the spacecraft.

ESA’s Euclid mission lifted off on a SpaceX

Falcon 9 on 1 July and started its month-long
journey to Sun-Earth Lagrange point L2, located
1.5 million km from Earth. By observing billions of
galaxies out to 10 billion light-years, it will create
the most extensive 3D map of the Universe, with
the third dimension representing time.

This period concluded with two remarkable events.

ESA demonstrated its commitment to sustainable
spaceflight and responsible operations with the
first-of-its-kind assisted reentry of a satellite.
Additionally, we bid farewell to Ariane 5, which,
after 117 flights, has rightfully earned
its retirement.

49
 REVOLUTIONISING STORM PREDICTION

European satellite strikes lightning

ESA along with the European Organisation for the
Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (Eumetsat) have
released the first animations from the Lightning Imager
onboard the Meteosat Third Generation satellite, which
launched on 13 December 2022. It is the first ever
satellite instrument capable of continuously detecting
lightning across Europe and Africa. Its capabilities
promise to revolutionise the detection and prediction
of severe storms.

50
CHEOPS DISCOVERY

The shiniest exoplanet ever found

Data from ESA’s exoplanet mission Cheops has led to
the surprising revelation that an ultra-hot exoplanet
that orbits its host star in less than a day is covered
by reflective clouds of metal, making it the shiniest
exoplanet ever found. The planet is around the size
of Neptune and reflects 80% of the light shone on it.
The image here is an artist’s impression of what is
known as LTT9779b.

51
 THE POWERFUL CYCLONE MOCHA

Sentinel-3 mission helps civil protection authorities

The Copernicus Sentinel-3 mission captured this
image of the powerful Cyclone Mocha on 13 May as
it made its way across the Bay of Bengal heading
northeast towards Bangladesh and Myanmar. The
storm was estimated to be more than 1000 km across.
Winds topped 280 km per hour, making it one of the
strongest storms on record in the North Indian Ocean.

52
WATER-POWERED INNOVATION

A tiny new space thruster chip

Designed to manoeuvre the smallest classes of
satellites, this space thruster chip, no larger than
a fingernail, relies on electrolysis for its operation.
Developed in partnership with Imperial College in the
UK, the Iridium Catalysed Electrolysis CubeSat Thruster
(ICE-Cube Thruster) underwent rigorous testing as part
of an ESA General Support Technology Programme de-
risk activity. These tests aimed to validate the thruster’s
feasibility in a controlled laboratory environment.

53
 READY FOR ASSEMBLY

European Service Module-2 on the move

On 22 May, the European Service Module-2 and
the Orion crew module adapter for the Artemis II
spacecraft were transported into the Final Assembly
and System Testing (FAST) cell within NASA’s
Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space
Center in Florida, USA. Subsequently, the spacecraft
modules underwent integration with the crew module
before being transferred to NASA’s Exploration Ground
Systems for fuelling.

54
THE HOTTEST SUMMER

Colouring heat records with Sentinel-3 mission

This summer set new records for high temperatures.
The image above uses data from the Copernicus
Sentinel-3 mission’s radiometer instrument and shows
the land surface temperature across Europe and parts
of northern Africa on the morning of 10 July. Land
surface temperatures hit 46°C in Rome, while Madrid
and Seville reached 46 and 47°C, respectively.

55
 OUT OF THE SHADOW

BepiColombo’s third Mercury flyby

The ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission has made
its third of six gravity assist flybys at Mercury,
snapping images of a newly named impact
crater (Manley) as well as tectonic and volcanic
curiosities as it adjusts its trajectory for entering
Mercury orbit in 2025. The smallest planet in
the Solar System starts appearing from the
night side at the top right of this image taken
on 19 June.

56
THE FINAL MISSION

Ariane 5 bows out in style

Europe’s Ariane 5 rocket completed its final flight
on 6 July, placing two communications satellites into
their planned geostationary transfer orbits. The mission
marked the 117th flight for Ariane 5, a series that began
in 1996 and subsequently carried numerous commercial
and European institutional missions into space.

57
 GOOD LUCK, EUCLID

From launch to destination orbit

ESA’s latest astrophysics mission, Euclid, lifted off
on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Cape Canaveral in Florida,
USA, on 1 July. In the month that followed, the
space telescope travelled approximately 1.5 million
kilometres towards the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point L2,
meaning it has arrived at its destination orbit. Euclid
is designed to explore the dark Universe, shedding
light on dark matter and dark energy.

58
FAREWELL AEOLUS!

A trailblazing mission comes to an end

On 30 April, Aeolus, the first mission to observe
Earth’s wind profiles on a global scale, concluded
its nominal operations. The mission surpassed
its expected three-year lifespan by over 18 months.
In a remarkable achievement, ESA’s spacecraft
operators guided Aeolus in a first-of-its-kind assisted
reentry, leading to the spacecraft’s demise over
Antarctica on 28 July.

59
 THE QUEST FOR
A SUSTAINABLE
USE OF SPACE
By introducing a new approach to space
debris and successfully executing an assisted
satellite reentry, ESA aims to be a pioneer
in advancing space sustainability.

U
pon receiving a collision warning, ESA’s teams responsible for
satellites in orbit swiftly engage in analysing the potential threats.
These threats might include an object as small as a few centimetres
wide or another spacecraft, whose trajectory indicates a collision
risk. Upon confirmation of the threat, an avoidance manoeuvre becomes
imperative, as even small space junk can seriously damage satellites that
provide us with essential communication, navigation, or monitoring services.

The frequency of these warnings has been steadily increasing in recent

times. For 10 of the ESA satellites, they nearly quadrupled from 2020 to
2022. This trend underscores a concerning scenario around Earth that
experts deem nothing short of catastrophic. If no action is taken, given the
escalating pace of space activity and the proliferation of space debris (any
uncontrolled human-made equipment, spacecraft, upper stage of a rocket or
fragments thereof), an ominous cascade of collision incidents looms above
our heads.

In light of this, ESA has embraced a new strategy for space sustainability:
the Zero Debris approach. The agency’s aim is to make sure that no new
debris is generated in orbit by 2030, which implies implementing measures
that exceed current international guidelines and recommendations. An
example of ESA’s commitment to establishing Europe as a pioneer in the
sustainable use of space is the first-of-its-kind assisted reentry of one
of its satellites.
60
Since the dawn of the space
age, there has consistently been
more space debris in orbit than
operational satellites. Given
the global scale of the problem
posed by space debris
in the near-Earth environment,
only a globally supported
solution can be the answer.
61
 Aeolus: A remarkable farewell Aeolus’s orbit from around 280 km to a mere 120 km,
targeting its descent and eventual disintegration over
Exceeding both scientific expectations and its planned uninhabited regions. Aeolus reentered over Antarctica
orbital lifespan, the Aeolus mission stands as one of ESA’s on 28 July.
most successful Earth observation missions. It was the first
satellite to acquire profiles of Earth’s wind on a global scale. The task was monumental, as highlighted by the mission’s
Yet, its conclusion proved to be just as innovative as its time members. For Libe Jauregui, Aeolus Flight Dynamics
spent in orbit. In a bold move, ESA conducted an assisted Manager, the descent through the atmosphere presented
reentry of the 1360 kg satellite at the end of July 2023, a heightened intricacies, given that the satellite’s original
decision diverging from the mission’s original design. design did not encompass manoeuvres at such low
altitudes. Likewise, assuring communication and command
“The goal of this first-of-its-kind assisted reentry was transmission for the “extremely significant manoeuvres”
to guide Aeolus on a final safe path, where it would during reentry was a taxing endeavour for the ground
disintegrate in Earth’s atmosphere as far as possible stations, adds Giulio Baldo, Aeolus Ground Operations
from inhabited regions,” says Mission Manager Tommaso Manager. For the whole team, meticulous preparation and
Parrinello. “Although we could have opted for an pre-execution simulations were indispensable.
uncontrolled reentry, we acknowledged a moral duty to
set a precedent and demonstrate that we can go beyond Isabel Rojo Escude-Cofiner, Aeolus Flight Operations Director,
mere legal requirements. We wanted to convey a significant says the objective was clear and straightforward:
message: at ESA, we take care of our satellites, from their “We wanted to reduce the risk of potential fragments
launch to the mission’s conclusion.” impacting inhabited regions. How? By attempting a set of
precise manoeuvres in previously unexplored territory. The
After months of detailed planning and analysis, ESA together pressure and stakes were high, but our cohesive teamwork
with industrial partners designed a complex and never- got us through.”
before-performed set of manoeuvres to control, as much
as possible, Aeolus’s fall. With this objective in mind, the “Our endeavour with Aeolus was to set a precedent by
team of spacecraft engineers, flight dynamics experts, and showcasing the standards we aspire for all to embrace
space debris specialists at ESOC mission control centre in moving forward,” concludes Libe. Tommaso adds, “Through
Germany meticulously pushed the satellite to its operational Aeolus’s end, our aim was to heighten awareness about
boundaries. During a week of intense and critical operations, the urgency of preserving the space environment, which is
they executed a sequence of intricate manoeuvres, reducing progressively becoming more polluted.”

SPACE DEBRIS BY NUMBERS

130 million objects from
36 500 objects greater 1 mm to 1 cm
than 10 cm

Not all objects in orbit are tracked and

catalogued. The numbers provided
represent estimates of debris objects
based on statistical models.

1 million objects
from 1 cm to 10 cm
62
 AEOLUS REENTRY KEY STAGES

320 km
Normal orbit altitude

Aeolus descends naturally

to a lower orbit of 280 km.

280 km
Initial manoeuvre

80 km
The satellite burns up
A series of manoeuvres in the in the atmosphere
week preceding reentry brings
Aeolus down to 150 km above
Earth’s surface.

150 km
Final commands
Aeolus was in orbit around Earth for four years, eleven months
and six days. For three hours at the very end, it was space debris.
Those are the last eight images ever taken of ESA’s wind-profiling
mission, showing it beginning to tumble as it was buffeted by
Earth’s atmosphere, during its very brief ‘junk’ phase.

© Fraunhofer FHR

Navigating the orbital minefield generates additional debris, as fragments are released
upon impact.
Out of the roughly 15 880 satellites launched since the
start of the space age in 1957, approximately 10 590 ESA teams overseeing satellites in Earth orbits, including
persist in orbit, with 8700 currently operational. They the three-satellite Swarm mission and the Sentinel
coexist with an estimated excess of 130 million debris satellite family, have observed a surge in collision alert
fragments, ranging from 1 mm to 1 cm, as well as occurrences. In 2020, 28 warnings were issued, leading
1 million fragments spanning 1 cm to 10 cm, along with to 10 necessary collision avoidance manoeuvres. In
over 36 500 fragments surpassing 10 cm. Collectively, 2021, there have been 48 warnings with 7 executed
these elements have a mass of more than 11 000 tons. manoeuvres. The subsequent year recorded 99 warnings,
prompting 27 satellite trajectory adjustments to avoid a
Ranging from expired satellites to launcher upper stages possible collision.
and adapters or fragmented remnants, those debris, not all
of which can be detected and tracked, far exceed bullet-like “Each manoeuvre involves a great deal of work,” observes
velocities. While a collision with an active satellite could Libe, who works on ESA’s Earth observation satellites.
jeopardise or even destroy the spacecraft and its vital “We need to analyse and predict the trajectory of debris,
terrestrial services, a serious impact on a crewed mission calculating the risk of collision, planning the manoeuvre,
would be catastrophic. Simultaneously, each collision sending commands to the satellite to change orbit and
63
 checking to see that the results were as expected.” It Pioneering new standards
holds the potential “to influence the operational capabilities
of the satellites, disrupt scientific measurements and The growing consensus that stricter space debris
entails extra fuel consumption.” mitigation practices need to be implemented globally
is founded on many simulated scenarios of long-term
The increasing number of avoidance manoeuvres doesn't evolution of the space environment conducted by ESA
stem from a sudden debris spike, but rather from the and other space agencies, like those presented by ESA’s
nearly exponential rise in orbital activities, says Tim Space Debris Office in their most recent annual Space
Flohrer, Head of ESA’s Space Debris Office. He underscores, Environment Report (June 2023). These simulations show
“We are witnessing a surge in traffic, especially in some that even if no more rockets are launched, the amount
areas, which comes from the emergence of new operators, of space debris in orbit will continue to increase due to
advancements in miniaturisation, and the widespread collisions between objects already in orbit.
establishment of large commercial constellations in low
Earth orbits, notably below 600 km of altitude.” In the In the absence of universally binding regulations, and
previous year, over 2400 satellites were launched, a stark because the current regulations are not sufficient to
contrast to merely 15 years ago, when approximately 100 tackle the full scale of the space debris problem, ESA has
satellites were launched annually. committed to develop and implement more ambitious
measures for space debris mitigation and remediation

FALLING TO EARTH TAKES A LONG TIME

36 000 KM
GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT
Satellites this high are barely
impacted by Earth's atmosphere,
and could stay in orbit
indefinitely – they should be
moved up to the 'graveyard orbit'
(300 km above GEO).
1200 KM
Satellites this high take about
2000 years to fall to Earth –
they should be deorbited to
quickly burn up in the atmosphere.

800 KM
Satellites here take 100-150 years
to fall to Earth – they should be
deorbited to quickly burn up
in the atmosphere.

500 KM
Satellites below this altitude
usually fall back to Earth
in less 25 years.

64
 THE COST OF AVOIDING COLLISIONS

Fuel spent moving

out of the way
Satellite avoids collision
with debris object

Hours spent monitoring skies,

calculating collision risks and
planning manoeuvres

Science instruments
switched off, data
not gathered

by 2030: the Zero Debris approach. The aim is to curtail the post-mission disposal phase is too high.”
debris generation in critical orbits.
In early November, at the Space Summit 2023 in Seville,
This strategy is a central component of both ESA’s Agenda Spain, ESA unveiled the Zero Debris Charter, a pioneering
2025 and the PROTECT accelerator. It encompasses initiative uniting proactive entities to set ambitious,
key actions, including evolving Space Debris Mitigation measurable space debris mitigation and remediation
standards and policies, enhancing spacecraft platforms, targets for 2030. This collaborative effort is accomplishing
demonstrating reliable removal services, and improving two vital goals: building a diverse community of actors
space operations and traffic coordination. Its execution in Europe and beyond committed to further advancing
relies on a roadmap of pivotal technical advancements, space safety and sustainability; developing a precise and
demanding close collaboration with all stakeholders, common vision of space sustainability for 2030 on which
particularly the European industry, says Luisa Innocenti, to build an ambitious European roadmap.
Head of ESA’s Clean Space Office.
“The Zero Debris approach will significantly affect how we
Luisa adds that the key focus is preventing future procure, build, and operate missions at ESA,” says Tim.
satellites from becoming debris, while simultaneously “The goal is both ambitious and crucial.” He points out
enhancing technology for actively removing large objects. that “our modern society is more dependent on orbital
“We need to drive the development of technologies that resources than ever before, so it's imperative that we
hasten reentries and ensure more efficient atmospheric shift our perspective on the space environment.” This
decay,” she says. “Currently set at a 25-year timeframe, “finite resource” might presently be endangered due
we are actively working to shorten this window for post- to “over-exploitation,” he says. “This underscores the
mission disposal in protected regions to five years, or need for all of us to embrace a new approach to all our
even shorter if the risk of collision of the satellite during space activities.”

Evolution of number of objects in Low Earth Orbit Payload Launch Traffic into 200 ≤ hp ≤ 1750 km
over 200 years for different scenarios
2500
400000 Current level of compliance with SDM reqs. Launch traffic by sector
Full compliance current SDM reqs. AMATEUR
Number of satellites launched

350000 No further launch / Zero Debris approach

2000 CIVIL
10c in LEO

300000 DEFENSE
COMMERCIAL
250000 1500
Objects >10cm

200000
1000
150000

100000
500
50000

0 0
2025 2050 2075 2100 2125 2050 2075 2200 2225 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Year Launch Year
65
66
On 27 August, the

SELECTED
SpaceX Crew Dragon
Endurance docked with
the International Space
Station, marking the
official beginning of

HIGHLIGHTS
the Huginn mission.
ESA astronaut Andreas
Mogensen played a
pivotal role as the pilot
of Crew-7. By the end
of September, Andreas
became commander of
the Space Station.

August to October 2023

In September, ESA Hera is complete. ESA’s asteroid mission for

planetary defence was built and prepared in two
astronaut Andreas halves, but in August, they were brought together
to make a single spacecraft, ready for full-scale
Mogensen became testing of its readiness for space. Hera is scheduled
for launch in October 2024, to rendezvous with the
commander of Didymos and Dimorphos asteroid system about
the International two years later.

Space Station, Following the devastating earthquake that struck

Morocco on 8 September, radar measurements from
the sixth European Europe’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite mission
proved instrumental in assessing ground shifts
to take on this role. resulting from the quake. These measurements
not only facilitated post-disaster reconstruction
planning but also advanced scientific research.

In September, notable events unfolded in the realm

of launchers. Vega, in its 23rd launch, deployed
two Earth observation satellites and a number of
CubeSats into orbit. Meanwhile, a critical phase in
Ariane 6’s testing occurred with a complete launch
sequence on the launch pad at Europe’s spaceport
in French Guiana.

Concluding this 2023 overview, a captivating

image from ESA’s Euclid mission was unveiled
at the Space Summit 2023 in Seville, Spain.
The image showed a dazzling display of the
Perseus galaxy cluster adorned with thousands
of faraway galaxies twinkling like holiday lights
in the vast cosmic expanse.

67
 HERA IS COMPLETE

ESA’s asteroid mission ready to be tested

Hera’s Core Module can be thought of as the brains of the
mission, hosting its onboard computer, mission systems
and instruments. Enclosed in a cage, it is seen here being
lowered onto the spacecraft’s Propulsion Module at OHB
Bremen to complete the spacecraft.

68
ARIANE 6 DRESS REHEARSAL

A key step in the test campaign

At Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana, on 5
September, ESA’s new Ariane 6 launch vehicle was
fuelled up and its core stage engine fired. With
the rocket standing on its launch pad, the Vulcain
2.1 engine was ignited, fired for four seconds as
planned and switched off before its liquid oxygen
and liquid hydrogen fuels were drained to their
separate underground tanks.

69
 MOROCCO EARTHQUAKE FRINGES

Satellite imagery aids emergency response

Following the devastating earthquake that struck Morocco
on 8 September, satellite data were made available through
the International Charter ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to
help emergency response teams on the ground. Radar
measurements from Europe’s Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite
mission were used to analyse how the ground shifted as a
result of the quake. Sentinel-1 acquisitions from 30 August and
11 September were combined to produce this interferogram,
the coloured fringe pattern shows surface displacement.
70
A GOLDMINE OF KNOWLEDGE

New Gaia image of Omega Centauri

ESA’s Gaia mission has unveiled a wealth of new
data, including this stunning view of Omega Centauri,
showcasing ten times more stars within the cluster.
This expanded dataset will empower researchers to
study the cluster’s structure, how the constituent stars
are distributed, how they’re moving, and more.

71
 23RD VEGA FLIGHT

Two new satellites put in orbit

On 8 October, Vega’s 23rd flight
deployed two satellites and a number
of CubeSats into Earth orbit. The
rocket’s main passengers were two
Earth observation satellites: THEOS-2,
offering crucial data on water resources,
weather, and land use for Thailand’s
Ministry of Agriculture, and Triton, a
Taiwan Space Agency satellite designed
to collect signals that bounce off the
sea surface to help scientists calculate
wind patterns over our oceans.

72
GALILEO’S LATEST ASSET

New station goes on duty

The Galileo project’s ground segment
recently welcomed a brand-new
asset: the Telemetry, Tracking, and
Control (TT&C) facility. Featuring a
13.5-metre diameter parabola dish
mounted on top of a 10-metre-
high steel and concrete structure,
this facility, located within the
premises of Europe’s launch site in
Kourou, French Guiana, enhances
communication with Galileo’s
expanding satellite constellation.

73
 THE LUNAR CAMERA

A new tool to document scientific discoveries

When astronauts return to the Moon, they will take more
pictures of the lunar surface than any previous human
visitors. To develop the best camera for the job, European
astronauts and scientists are lending a helping hand
to NASA’s Artemis imagery team. We can see here ESA
astronaut Thomas Pesquet documenting field exploration
in the lunar-like landscapes of Lanzarote, Spain.
74
PHOEBUS TESTING

The next generation of rocket fuel tanks

ESA’s Phoebus project is looking to carbon fibre-
reinforced plastic for the next generation of rocket
fuel tanks. A key element of the Phoebus project
passed its test-readiness review in October and
was given the go-ahead to proceed for testing,
where a 2-m-diameter model oxygen tank will be
tested as if it were really flying.

75
 A REVOLUTION FOR ASTRONOMY

Euclid’s view of the Perseus cluster of galaxies

ESA’s Euclid mission began its exploration of the
dark Universe with a spectacular view of the
Perseus Cluster. This snapshot, showing 1000
galaxies belonging to Perseus and more than
100 000 additional galaxies further away in
the background, is a revolution for astronomy.
Many of these faint galaxies were previously
unseen, some of them so distant that their light
has taken 10 billion years to reach us.

76
SPACE SUMMIT 2023

Europe’s sustainable and competitive space ambitions

At the ESA Space Summit held in Seville, Spain,
on 6 November, government ministers representing
ESA’s Member States, Associate States and Cooperating
States resolved together to strengthen Europe’s space
ambitions to better serve European citizens. Europe will
harness space for a greener future, take decisive steps
in exploration, and ensure autonomous access to space
while preparing a paradigm shift towards a more
competitive next generation of launchers.

77
 PIONEERING SECURE
COMMUNICATION
AND BEYOND
ESA is leveraging quantum technologies
to shape the future of communication
systems, enhancing security and efficiency
with the aid of satellites.

W
ill we soon be able to measure the thickness of a raindrop
from space? The significance of this question lies not merely
in the answer, but in the very act of posing it realistically. It
mirrors the promises and aspirations initiated by the advent
of a new era of quantum technology.

Having dismantled the conceptual certainties of classical physics and

reshaped our understanding of reality, quantum mechanics now holds the
potential to revolutionise our information processing and communication
systems. It could offer unparalleled computing power along with the
attendant opportunities and risks.

ESA occupies a pivotal role in this emerging era. On one front, it assumes
the role of a potential beneficiary, with immense requirements for cutting-
edge sensors and data management – especially given its Earth
observation activities.

However, ESA is not just an end user; it is currently a key enabler

collaborating with the EU on numerous programmes and projects. These
initiatives lay the groundwork for the communication systems of tomorrow,
in which satellites are poised to play a central and transformative role.

78
Our communication landscape
is undergoing a transformative
shift, envisioning networks that
provide seamless connectivity
between optical terrestrial and
non-terrestrial assets. These
networks promise high security,
low latency, and enhanced
bandwidth, revolutionising our
connectivity experience.
79
 Navigating quantum realities occurs without regard to distance, defying classical notions
of space and time.
If we encounter the terms ‘superposition’ and
‘entanglement’, it’s likely to be within the realm of Significant uncertainties persist regarding the practical
quantum mechanics, where these concepts describe the applications of quantum mechanics. But a wave of
special properties of individual particles. While these innovations are on the horizon, with real-world applications
phenomena have been observed and measured, they already in play. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
remain the subject of intense debate, showcasing a reality recognised this progress, awarding the 2022 Nobel Prize
often deemed counter-intuitive. They provide a fresh in Physics to three researchers for their groundbreaking
perspective on the workings of nature and unveil promising experiments showcasing the potential to investigate and
technological horizons. control particles that are in entangled states.

In the quantum realm, ‘superposition’ implies that a The areas that could benefit from the use of quantum
particle can exist in two opposite states simultaneously; technologies, based on quantum properties of
its state is determined only upon measurement (at which particles, include computing, sensing technologies,
point it collapses to a singular state). ‘Entanglement’, and communication. Notably, the latter field assumes
on the other hand, means that particles, such as a pair paramount importance due to the development of quantum
of photons, can share a joint state, irrespective of their computers, which will pose a formidable challenge to
physical distance. Remarkably, when one entangled particle existing cryptographic methods safeguarding government
is measured, the state of the other instantaneously and civilian communications, as well as stored data.
correlates (thus, an entangled state). This phenomenon These supercomputers, distinguished by their unparalleled

A visible green laser pierces

the night sky, emanating from
ESA's Optical Ground Station
(OGS). Situated within the Teide
Observatory, perched 2400 metres
above sea level on the volcanic
island of Tenerife, the OGS serves
as a crucible for advancing optical
communication systems for
space and conducting cutting-
edge quantum communication
experiments. The laser looks
curved because this picture was
taken with a fisheye lens.

80
processing speed, could potentially unravel the predictable straightforward: it involves generating and distributing
mathematical algorithms that underpin traditional a stream of photons with random features to both the
cryptographic techniques. sender and recipient of an encrypted message. The
features of these photons are then used to create a
cryptographic key.
Unbreakable security? The unparalleled security provided by such a system
Establishing secure communication has always revolved is rooted in the instant detection triggered by any
around the challenge of distributing cryptographic keys eavesdropping. Eavesdropping acts as a measurement
safely to the legitimate communicating partners. A of the photon’s state, causing it to change, just like the
quantum key distribution (QKD) system, a pioneering entangled photon with which it is paired. Consequently,
application of quantum mechanics, addresses this any interference by an eavesdropper would be detectable
challenge in a new way by leveraging the properties of, by the users instantly, who could then just use another
usually, light (photons), which are used as signals between key that has not been tampered with to communicate.
two users to communicate. Additionally, the inherent unpredictability of quantum
properties makes it impossible for the eavesdropper to
Christopher Vasko, who works at ESA as an optical replicate the state of the photon, even with the advanced
and quantum innovation engineer, acknowledges that capabilities of a quantum computer.
“employing the laws of quantum physics to prevent
potential eavesdroppers may seem to amount to a kind Hence, the quest to establish a new era of secure and
of magic.” Nevertheless, the underlying principle is reliable communication through quantum properties is

At the back of the telescope,

the receiver station for
entangled photons is
prominently visible. This setup
was part of an experiment in
2019 in collaboration with
the Chinese Academy of
Sciences, aiming to test
intercontinental quantum
communication.
The telescope captured
incoming photons from
the Chinese Micius satellite,
which were then channelled
through glass fibres into
the detection setup.

81
 gaining substantial interest. This breakthrough holds and is a very mature technology,” says Christopher. Harald
promise for safeguarding sensitive information, with adds: “As the traditional satcom radio-frequency bands are
far-reaching implications for sectors like secure banking experiencing bottlenecks due to many users interfering
and government data processing. with one another, optical links are bringing unprecedented
transmission rates, in the Terabit per second regime, which
is supposed to be demonstrated in ESA’s HydRON (High
throughput optical network in space) project.” In addition,
Connecting Europe optical links provide the benefit of avoiding interference
The transmission of photons relies on proven technology, and detection, as laser communication is extremely difficult
optical fibre, which played a vital role in keeping us to intercept due to a much narrower beam. Adapting this
connected during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, there technology for quantum applications is one of the focuses of
are limits to how far photons can travel through optical ESA’s ScyLight program.
fibre without losing their quantum properties, which poses
The ongoing effort aims to establish fully optical connections
challenges for QKD using photons in those fibres.
between two users through a satellite across borders.
Harald Hauschildt, ESA’s Strategic Programme Line Manager This objective is at the heart of the partnership between
for optical and quantum communication (ScyLight), explains the EU and ESA, embodied in the European Quantum
that “while connecting cities within the Netherlands would Communication Infrastructure (EuroQCI) initiative. It
be possible, extending this technology cross-border via cable comprises a terrestrial segment using optical communication
over hundreds or thousands of kilometres is not feasible, networks to establish a QKD system to connect strategic
due to the degradation of the quantum signals.” national and cross-border sites and a space segment with
satellites developed under ESA’s Security And cryptoGraphic
The solution lies in integrating photons into satellites. mission (SAGA).
Satellites, in conjunction with specialised ground stations,
would enable the secure exchange and distribution of Yet, this is just the beginning. The broader vision extends
encryption keys throughout Europe via optical quantum far beyond secure communication, aiming to redefine the
space-to-ground links. future of the Internet. According to Harald, “The initial step
would be to establish a reliable infrastructure where both
“Optical communication between satellites has been proven terrestrial and space networks are integrated, ensuring

A quantum test setup was

integrated into the Air Zero-G
aircraft for experiments
conducted during an ESA
parabolic flight in 2023.
The results of this experiment
demonstrated that current
quantum communication
platforms are remarkably
robust – no effect due to the
changes of acceleration was
observed. This is especially
important for the development
of space-based applications.

82
 EAGLE-1: EUROPE'S FIRST SATELLITE QUANTUM KEY DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

00
00
11
00
11
10
01
10
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0
0
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
1
0

Quantum Key
1
0
1

0 1 0 1 0 1
0
1

Distribution
0
1

EU Secured
Communication

seamless connectivity between optical terrestrial and payload and the development and deployment of all
non-terrestrial assets.” Then, the superposition properties necessary ground elements for satellite control, photon
of photons could not only help securely transmit key reception and generation of cryptographic keys.”
material but also be used, in principle, as limitless
information carriers. The system will build on key technologies developed under
ESA’s ARTES programme. Initial testing involves two user
Recognising this potential, the EU and ESA have stations: one in Germany and another being developed by
strengthened their partnership, signing a 12-year agreement a Dutch company. The precise location for the latter station
in September. This partnership supports the development is yet to be determined. The in-orbit demonstration will
of the new EU space-based communication system, called span three years, extendable for an additional two years
IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, if needed. The satellite will orbit at an altitude
and Security by Satellite). It aims to establish a network of approximately 500 kilometres.
that combines high security, low latency, and enhanced
bandwidth. The first satellites and ground stations are set
to be operational by the end of 2027.
The challenges ahead
The challenges faced in the realm of quantum technology
are substantial. Quantum systems, intricate and delicate,
Quantum pioneer in orbit demand innovative protocols and specialised tools for their
The establishment of a European quantum network is effective operation. One notable limitation lies in the fact
supported by a crucial in-orbit demonstration mission: that the transmission of photons via satellite can only
Eagle-1. Expected to be launched in 2025/2026, take place at night. Furthermore, the scarcity of companies
the satellite is set to demonstrate a space-based QKD equipped with proven in-orbit technologies compounds the
system, based on the quantum properties of photons and challenges, exacerbated by difficulties in recruiting skilled
with technologies developed by European stakeholders. professionals in this field.
Eagle-1 is a Partnership Project involving ESA, the European
Commission, and over 20 European companies. The feasibility of a space-based QKD system has already
been demonstrated, notably by China. However, as Alberto
Alberto Rubio, Eagle-1 Project Manager, explains the points out, “Europe stands in a relatively strong position
mission “is about designing, developing and demonstrating in terms of technology development for quantum key
a comprehensive QKD end-to-end system. This entails distribution, and it is up to us to continue supporting
integrating the satellite with the quantum key distribution this development.”
83
 annual report

FOCUS ON PROGRAMMES
ACTIVITIES AND
DIRECTORATES

The Report is published in accordance with the terms of the Convention for the establishment of the European Space Agency, Article XII 1(b),
which require the Director General to make an annual report to the Council.

April 2024 - Copyright © 2024 European Space Agency

Images copyright ESA unless otherwise stated

Published under the responsibility of the Head of the Foresight, Strategy and Coordination Department of the European Space Agency.

www.esa.int

84
87 FOREWORD

90 SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION

98 APPLICATIONS

112 SPACE SAFETY AND SECURITY

122 ENABLING AND SUPPORT

136 RESOUCES MANAGEMENT,

CORPORATE ACTIVITIES AND
EXTERNAL RELATIONS

150 ANNEX
85
 Renato Krpoun, Chair
of the ESA Council

86
 FOREWORD

The ESA Annual Report is published every year, as laid down in the Convention.
It provides the opportunity to highlight our accomplishments and showcase our pride
in ESA. As Chair of the ESA Council, it is both a great honour and a pleasure to look
back on what has been achieved. 2023 was an outstanding year for ESA, despite the
ever changing, highly challenging environment that is today’s space sector.

Success, cooperation, and perseverance are the notions that best characterise the past
year for ESA. The success of the Agency is reflected in the scientific and technological
domains, alongside its internal transformation as an intergovernmental organisation.
The two science missions launched in 2023 – Juice and Euclid – are now seeking to
uncover the mysteries of our Solar System and Universe, while our newly selected
astronauts will, in time, set out to explore the vastness of the cosmos.

In the political and economic context of 2023, cooperation played a crucial role in the
achievements of ESA. Strong ties with the European Union continue to be upheld and
further reinforced. International partnerships with other space agencies such as NASA
and JAXA and with private actors such as SpaceX have been blooming and are helping
to unleash the full potential of space.

The space sector is undergoing a period of rapid change. Emerging private and public
actors, unprecedented innovation and intensified commercialisation are driving this
process, within a complex geopolitical context. The space industry as a whole is being
challenged, and our Agency is no exception. Nonetheless, ESA has persevered and
kept abreast of the challenges it is facing. Strong industry, scientific and technological
excellence and the brilliant minds of Europe have allowed ESA to aim for the stars and
maintain its position as a leader in the space domain.

To sum up, ESA is moving forward and evolving with immense ambition, revolutionary
innovation and a vision that will help to achieve a strong and independent Europe, in
space and beyond.

Renato Krpoun
Chair of the ESA Council

87
 MANAGEMENT
STRUCTURE

DG
Director General
Mr Josef Aschbacher
HQ

D/ELI
D/DG
Directorate of European, Legal
Director General's Services
and Internation Matters
Mr Josef Aschbacher
Mr Eric Morel de Westgaver
HQ
HQ

D/SCI
D/SCI
Directorate of Human and
Directorate of Science
Robotic Exploration Programmes
Ms Carole Mundell
Ms Daniel Neuenschwander
ESAC
EAC

D/EOP
D/NAV
Directorate of Earth
Directorate of Navigation
Observation Programmes
Mr Francisco-Javier Benedicto Ruiz
Ms Simonetta Cheli
ESTEC
ESRIN

D/TEC
D/OPS
Directorate of Tecnology,
Directorate of Operations
Engineering and Quality
Mr Rolf Densing
Mr Dietmar Pilz
ESOC
ESTEC

88
 D/STS
Directorate of Space Transportation
Mr Toni Tolker-Nielsen (Acting)
HQ

D/CSC
Directorate of Connectivity and
Secure Communications (*)
Mr Francisco-Javier Benedicto Ruiz
(Acting)
ESTEC

D/CIC
D/HIF
Directorate of Commercialisation,
Directorate of Internal Services (*)
Industry and Competitiveness
Mr Jean Max Puech
Ms Geraldine Naja
HQ
HQ

89
 SCIENCE AND
EXPLORATION

90
92 Science

96 Human spaceflight and robotic exploration

91
 SCIENCE
One new Director, two ESA science
missions launched, a steady stream
of remarkable and inspirational
discoveries, and plans taking shape
for a visionary future programme:
there has been much for the Science
Programme to celebrate in 2023.

Management launched in April and is now en route to Jupiter to arrive in

2031, after a cruise which includes dramatic fly-bys of Venus,
Professor Carole Mundell took up duty as Director of Science Earth, and the Moon.
on 1 March 2023. An internationally renowned scientist with
extensive experience in inclusive leadership, operational July saw the launch of Euclid, ESA’s “dark Universe detective”,
management, strategy, and international science policy a mission to investigate how dark energy and dark matter
development, she immediately injected new energy into the have shaped the Universe as it is today. Euclid’s exquisite first
Directorate, with a focus on reinvigorating engagement with images, revealed to the public in November, provide a thrilling
all stakeholders: Member States and the scientific community appetiser for what this mission will be capable of achieving
first and foremost. As part of her engagement initiative, she for our scientific community.
has visited almost all the Agency’s Member States (the final
Also launched in 2023 was JAXA's X-Ray Imaging and
visits will be completed in early 2024) to present the content
Spectroscopy Mission (XRISM). The mission aims to study gas
of ESA’s Science Programme and her strategic vision for the
in galaxy clusters, the chemical enrichment of the Universe,
future of ESA Science and, at the same time, to receive inputs
and extreme physics around accreting supermassive black
from national politicians, industrial entities, and scientific
holes. XRISM is classified a “mission of opportunity” within
communities. This valuable exchange of views and information
the Science Programme.
creates a strong foundation for the preparation of the Science
Programme for the 2040s and beyond. The successful launches of Juice and Euclid are a reminder of
how ambitious science missions proposed by the European
science community are brought to fruition under the umbrella
of the ESA Science Programme, which can rely on the
Launches continued excellence of European industry and the scientific
2023 has been a thrilling year in terms of launches of ESA community.
scientific missions: the Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE),
the first “Large” mission in the Cosmic Vision programme –

92
 LISA will be the first space-based
observatory dedicated to detecting
and studying gravitational waves.
This illustration depicts two
black holes merging and creating
gravitational waves. Some galaxies
are visible in the background.
In the foreground, the triangle
represents the position of the
three LISA spacecraft and the
shining red lines represent
the laser beams that will travel
between them.

Development and Studies Other missions currently in development – SMILE, PLATO,

Ariel and Comet Interceptor – are proceeding smoothly
In the meantime, scientists, engineers, and industrial towards their target launch dates, promising to make
partners have proceeded at pace towards constructing the 2025–2035 another exciting decade of Science Programme
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) and EnVision1. mission launches.

LISA, a European-led mission with a constellation of In 2023, thanks to the tremendous, combined efforts of
three spacecraft, will be a unique game changer for our scientists, ESA engineers, Member States, and industry, the
understanding of the evolution of the Universe: it will detect, NewAthena mission was demonstrated to be financially
across the entire Universe, gravitational waves not detectable affordable, technologically solid, and scientifically compelling,
from the ground. These ripples in spacetime are caused when having the potential to revolutionise X-ray astrophysics in the
huge black holes at the centres of galaxies collide. LISA’s 2030s timeframe.
detection of gravitational waves will enable scientists to trace
the origin of these powerful, mysterious objects, to chart how In the spirit of offering a diverse and agile Science
they grow to be millions of times more massive than the Sun Programme, the second Fast mission, ARRAKIHS, was
and to establish the role they play in the evolution of galaxies. selected in 2022 as a future mission to hunt for dark matter
and made significant progress in 2023 by successfully defining
EnVision will host an array of innovative instruments based the mission baseline concept.
on cutting-edge technologies (in partnership with NASA) to
study our sister planet, Venus from its inner core to its outer
atmosphere, giving new insight into the planet’s history, Operations and data
geological activity and climate, and providing a unique way
to reveal the evolutionary paths that have made Venus so Missions currently in development and under study will one
different from Earth. day join the fleet of operational Science Programme missions.

1
LISA is the second “Large” mission under the Cosmic Vision Programme and EnVision is the fifth “Medium” mission within that programme. Both missions were proposed for
adoption by the Science Programme Committee in January 2024.

93
 The commitment of Member States, scientists, engineers, Meanwhile, CHEOPS, a ”Small” mission, detected the shiniest
and industry has produced state-of-the-art spacecraft and exoplanet ever found: a surprising revelation that an ultra-hot
instruments that are now exploring uncharted regions of our exoplanet orbiting its host star in less than a day is covered
Solar System and providing deep insights into the cosmos. by reflective clouds of metal.

Solar Orbiter continues its dance around the Sun, probing All data provided by ESA science missions are used – with
uncharted regions in its vicinity and providing never-before- the support of the European Space Astronomy Centre’s
seen details and features of our parent star with its unique science data centre – by a constantly growing international
orbit above the ecliptic plane. This high-tech mission also community, as demonstrated by the steady increase in
followed in the footsteps of ancient astronomers when peer-reviewed scientific publications based on ESA mission
it captured a transit of the planet Mercury, taking the data. Gaia, which celebrated its tenth anniversary on 19
opportunity to calibrate its onboard instruments. December, continues to be the most prolific space observatory
in operations today, with over 10,000 refereed publications
On its way to a much closer encounter with Mercury is to date and enabling close to 130 PhD theses. Data from
BepiColombo, an ESA-JAXA joint endeavour to explore the the operational and legacy missions support a worldwide
innermost planet of our Solar System. The planetary (ESA) community of STEM enthusiasts, spanning school-age
and magnetospheric (JAXA) spacecraft, each carrying a suite students to established researchers, fostering creativity and
of advanced probes and still flying as a single body, will use discovery, and producing a wealth of knowledge and results
several gravity-assist manoeuvres in the coming years to for the benefit of society.
finally enter orbit around Mercury in 2025. Once there, the
spacecraft will separate to study this enigmatic planet and its
interaction with the energetic particles produced by the Sun.
Looking toward the future
The NASA-ESA-CSA2 James Webb telescope, the largest in
space, continues to deliver new insights in our quest to A vital and vibrant Science Programme cannot, and should
understand the Universe. Among the many stunning views of not, be content to focus solely on the short to medium term
the cosmos released in 2023 was a new detailed view of the but must offer Member States, scientific communities, and
Eagle Nebula, revealing (in mid-infrared) the pillars’ layers of industrial partners a vision of a future programme embracing
dust, and (in near-infrared) thousands of newly formed stars. new scientific ambitions and technological challenges. That

Solar Orbiter, launched in February 2020, carries a suite of ten advanced instruments to perform unprecedented close-up observations of the Sun,
providing the first images of the uncharted polar regions of our star, and investigating the Sun-Earth connection.

CSA: Canadian Space Agency

2

94
Euclid’s spectacularly panoramic and detailed view of the Horsehead Nebula was captured in about one hour, showcasing the mission's ability to rapidly
image an unprecedented area of the sky in great detail. Combining many observations of this quality covering large areas of the sky will be key to Euclid’s
core science of investigating the dark Universe.

is why, while working hard to complete the Cosmic Vision tremendous effort will be completed in 2024 and will lead on
programme, with the engagement of a wide scientific to more focused studies to explore concrete mission designs
community, ESA has set the scene for an ambitious future responding to scientific ambitions and delivering significant
programme, Voyage 2050. public engagement.

The first steps in preparing and implementing Voyage

The ESA Science Programme’s commitment to excellence
2050 were taken in 2023, with the down-selection of three
in space science continues to yield substantial results,
candidate missions – M-MATISSE, Plasma Observatory,
as evidenced by the highlights in 2023, some of which
and THESEUS – one of which will become the first “Medium”
are described above. Space science acts as a catalyst for
mission in the Voyage 2050 programme.
technological breakthroughs, pushing industrial boundaries,
Voyage 2050 is designed to meet new, extraordinary challenges building and consolidating industrial capability and capacity,
that see huge scientific communities in Europe mobilised to and yielding innovations with widespread benefits. Space
bring future Large missions to reality. The launch of these science missions help to answer the biggest scientific
missions is envisaged in the 2035–2050 timeframe and will questions of our time, such as revealing the fundamental
require investments in technologies in the near term to meet nature of our Universe, understanding how our Solar System
the scientific ambitions and technical challenges of the future. formed, and searching for habitable worlds or even life
elsewhere in the cosmos. The tremendously rich portfolio of
The scientific themes for the Voyage 2050 Large missions, operating missions in ESA’s Science Programme provides a
selected in consultation with Europe’s science community, broad range of exciting opportunities enabling the scientific
focus on the moons of the giant Solar System planets, community to deliver first-rate science. These scientific
temperate exoplanets or the galactic ecosystem, and new achievements contribute in an important way to asserting
physical probes of the early Universe. Already, the first steps European leadership in a key area of human endeavour.
are being taken with studies and key technology development In addition, space science missions contribute to a secure
under way. An expert team of scientists has been developing return on investment by consolidating European industrial
the “Moons of the Giant Planets” theme throughout 2023 policies and by allowing smaller Member States to assume
and ESA engineers have studied mission concepts using ESA’s leadership roles. ESA recognises that space science generates
Concurrent Design Facility to shape the boundaries of scientific stability and growth and is a tremendous instrument with
priorities and affordable mission scenarios, without precluding which to build a peaceful, sustainable, and inclusive future.
the possibility of pursuing ambitious and inspiring concepts Furthermore, space science plays a crucial role in inspiring
with landing systems on exciting destinations, such as some new generations, fostering expertise in STEM areas, and
of the most intriguing moons of Jupiter or Saturn. This building and reinforcing the capabilities of European countries.

95
 HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT
AND ROBOTIC
EXPLORATION

Terrae Novae – Expanding Europe's

Space Exploration horizons

ESA’s exploration Mogensen (Huginn mission) launched to the ISS in August,

becoming the first non-American to serve as pilot of the
programme is named SpaceX Dragon Crew vehicle. Subsequently, he became the
sixth European to command the ISS starting in September.
Terrae Novae. This Meanwhile, a broad range of European science, technology

is implemented and commercial utilisation activities were conducted on board

the ISS through the course of the year.
through the European The five newly selected career astronaut candidates (Sophie
Exploration Programme Adenot, Pablo Álvarez Fernández, Rosemary Coogan, Raphaël

(E3P) created in 2016.

Liégeois and Marco Sieber) began basic training at the
European Astronaut Centre in April, while the parastronaut
feasibility project got under way, with John McFall reporting
The third period of E3P was approved at the November 2022 to the EAC in June. Furthermore, from the astronaut reserve,
Council meeting at ministerial level (CM22), with Estonia and Marcus Wandt (SE) was assigned to the Axiom 3 mission,
Finland joining the programme, bringing to 24 the number of arriving at the EAC in June to begin training for his flight,
participating states in E3P. The increased financial envelope of which was launched in January 2024, while Sławosz
Period 3 compared to the previous period (36% larger than Uznanński (PL) began training at the EAC in September for a
Period 2) enabled the initiation of key new projects expanding future flight to the ISS.
Europe’s exploration capabilities, in particular the Argonaut
robotic lunar lander and the revised Rosalind Franklin mission The SciSpacE element of E3P supported a wide range of
and ensures the continuing implementation of ongoing science activities using the programme’s ground-based,
activities. sounding rocket and orbital (ISS) platforms. In the course
of 2023, a total of 241 science investigations were either in
2023 marked the 25th year of the International Space Station preparation, ongoing or completed, involving 1,611 scientists
(ISS) and 23 years of permanent crew presence. Andreas from 36 countries (both ESA Member States and international

96
partners). In terms of scientific output, a total of 148 peer- as well as acting as a data relay for the NASA Curiosity and
reviewed articles from SciSpacE research were published in Perseverance surface rovers. Results from TGO instrument
2023, while the information in the HRE Data Archive continues observations were the subject of two scientific journal special
to expand, enabling further exploitation of the datasets from issues in 2023, with over 50 peer-reviewed publications.
research studies. Expanding Europe’s Mars exploration to the surface, the
Rosalind Franklin mission will be the first spacecraft to sample
Europe’s human and robotic exploration of the Moon through
the sub-surface with the objective of searching for markers
this decade and the next will be enabled by a combination of
of past and present life. Following the renewed commitment
key and critical-path contributions to the Artemis architecture,
by programme Participating States at CM22 to implement
providing opportunities for European astronaut missions and
Rosalind Franklin, good progress has been made on the
research activities, along with direct robotic access to the
definition of the revised mission scenario in partnership
lunar surface in the near term on international partner or
with NASA aiming for a 2028 launch. The plan is to use the
commercial lunar missions until Argonaut provides a European
existing European hardware (primarily Rover and instruments)
capability in the early 2030s. Following the successful
in combination with a new European entry and descent
completion of the Artemis-I mission at the end of 2022,
landing module as well as to have NASA contribute launcher
production and delivery of subsequent European Service
and selected key systems.
Modules (ESMs) for future missions continued in 2023 with
ESM-2 being handed over to NASA in June and ongoing Finally, the Space Summit in Seville in November provided
development of the European contributions to the Gateway. the exploration programme with renewed political impetus,
Meanwhile, development and study work and mission studies recommending an updating of the European Space Exploration
for the Argonaut large logistics lander advanced, focusing Strategy as part of the overall ESA 2040 strategy enabling
on engine development and studies to support decisions on timely preparation of decisions for the next Council meeting
vehicle configuration and initial missions while tendering for at ministerial level. Furthermore, as a practical first step
subsequent development phases was initiated. towards ensuring European utilisation of low Earth Orbit
(LEO), development of a LEO cargo service was proposed and
At Mars, the Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) maintained science decided, with an invitation to tender for industry proposals for
operations mapping trace gases in the Martian atmosphere, the first phase of the service being issued in December.

97
 APPLICATIONS

98
100 Earth Observation

104 Connectivity and Secure Communications

108 Navigation

110 Focus on: Galileo Second Generation satellites take shape

99
 EARTH OBSERVATION
ESA’s world-class Earth observation
systems – developed together
with European and global partners
– continued in 2023 to address
scientific and societal challenges with
a fleet of 14 operational satellites.

Europe’s future Earth observation capacity will be secured by Also last year, a demonstration was carried out using three
means of the 24 missions under development and nine in Sentinels to help analyse and map methane emissions
preparation along with a robust R&I programme – FutureEO – from “super-emitters”. Sentinel-5P data were used to spot
ensuring the next generation of technology, ground processing plumes with high methane concentration while Sentinel- and
and operations and information products for new applications. Sentinel-3 data zoomed in to identify, quantify and monitor
the emission sources. Understanding and mitigating methane
2023 saw the 25th anniversary of Copernicus, which is now emissions are of paramount importance in the fight against
a programme delivering more than 30 terabytes of free and climate change.
open data every day from seven Sentinel satellites in orbit
and contributing missions. 2023 was also the first year that ESA’s five science missions in orbit – many operating well
all Sentinel data have been available on the cloud, serving beyond their expected lifetimes – continued to deliver
more than 700,000 registered users. excellent data in 2023 providing high-quality observations and
allowing scientifically significant results.
The data are used not only by the Copernicus Services of the
EU, but also by scientists and in ESA-funded R&I projects Examples included early detection of drought conditions at
and initiatives. 2023 was the hottest year on record, with the beginning of the year using data from the Soil Moisture
the Sentinel-3 mission’s radiometer measuring the land and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission to drive a drought anomaly
surface temperature across Europe with Rome reaching 46°C index comparing current measurements with those collected
and Seville 47°C on 10 July. 2023 was also exceptional in over a period of 13 years.
terms of wildfires such that ESA’s World Fire Atlas – also
CryoSat, along with other missions, played a role in moving
fed by Sentinel-3 data – was relaunched. The Atlas provides
to annual assessments in 2023 of the Ice Sheet Mass Balance
a detailed analysis of wildfires across the globe, bringing
Intercomparison Exercise (IMBIE) which looks at changes in
improved understanding of fire occurrences worldwide while
polar ice volume and flow. This information is widely used –
also allowing more effective strategies for fire prevention and
including by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
management to be devised.
– to understand and respond to climate change. The polar ice

100
 The EarthCARE satellite underwent
almost 12 months of testing to
ensure that it will withstand the
space environment once in orbit.
This image shows it in the anechoic
chamber at ESTEC to undergo
electromagnetic compatibility
tests. The mission will answer some
critical scientific questions related
to the role that clouds and aerosols
play in reflecting incident solar
radiation back out to space and in
trapping infrared radiation emitted
from Earth’s surface.

sheets have lost ice in every year of the satellite record, with Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European
the seven highest years of melting occurring in the Commission’s Directorates-General for Climate Action (DG
last decade. CLIMA) and International Partnerships (DG INTPA).
An increased presence of ESA at the IPCCC 28th Conference
Aeolus – the trailblazing wind mission – came to an end of the Parties (COP28) enabled the Agency to showcase the
with the controlled re-entry of the satellite in July. Data role of Earth observation in addressing climate change and
from Aeolus came to be used by major weather forecasting the activities of the ESA Climate Office, in particular.
services worldwide and was deemed so valuable – with
economic benefits estimated at over €3.5bn – that the 2023 saw ESA move more and more from measuring
decision was taken to move forward with an operational and monitoring to managing and mitigating global risks.
follow-up mission, Aeolus-2. WorldCereal, one of several results of this move, is a
worldwide platform to provide an accurate, seasonally
The Meteosat Third Generation Imager not only delivered updated crop and irrigation mapping system.
its first view of Earth this year, but also provided striking
animations of lightning – from the first-ever satellite Several initiatives supporting the Space for a Green Future
instrument capable of continuously detecting lightning Accelerator link new users and partners with new initiatives
across Europe and Africa – and its capabilities promise to in order to trial new modes of cooperation. One such pilot
revolutionise the detection and prediction of severe storms. is the “green transition information factory”, which is a
cloud-based platform, fed by Earth Observation and other
In addition to work on individual missions and their data, geospatial data, allowing users to explore the underlying
2023 saw great efforts by ESA to increase the use of Earth challenges and opportunities of transitioning to carbon
observation data by new users, for new applications, as well neutrality by 2050 utilising cloud-computing technologies
as piloting new modes of cooperation. and cutting-edge analytics.

In terms of new users, agreements to cooperate were

reached with significant partners such as the United

101
 World Fire Atlas 2016–2023: The map shows fires burning across the globe between May 2016 and June 2023, using data from the World Fire Atlas.
The Atlas provides a detailed analysis of wildfires across the globe and utilised nighttime data from the Sea and Land Surface Temperature Radiometer
(SLSTR) onboard the Sentinel-3A satellite. The data have been overlaid onto ESA’s World Cover map which uses data from the Sentinel-2 mission from
2021. Working like a thermometer in the sky, the sensor measures thermal infrared radiation to take the temperature of Earth’s land surfaces which is
then used to detect the fires.

Sentinel-3 played an important role in 2023 as part of a first-time combination of satellite data from three different Sentinel missions for the mapping
of methane super-emitters on a global scale. Typically, methane emissions are monitored by the Copernicus Sentinel-5P satellite. But this year, scientists
combined data from multiple satellites to monitor methane from space for the very first time. Researchers from the SRON Netherlands Institute for Space
Research spotted a continuous methane emission from a leaking facility using data from the TROPOMI instrument on Sentinel-5P. They then used a
Sentinel-2 image to zoom in on the plumes’ origins and pinpointed the exact location of the leak, while Sentinel-3 showed that the leak continued for six
days. Combining the data from these satellites allowed researchers to zoom in with precision, identifying, quantifying and monitoring methane sources
corresponding to plumes observed in Sentinel-5P’s global scans.

102
While 2023 brought record highs in global land temperature, according to the WMO (World Meteorological Organization) , record lows were recorded when
it came to the ice masses of Antarctica and Greenland. Scientists used data from satellites such as the Copernicus Sentinel-1 and ESA’s CryoSat Earth
Explorer to measure changes in ice volume and flow, as well as satellites that provide information on gravity, to calculate how much ice is being lost. The
latest Ice Sheet Mass Balance Intercomparison Exercise (IMBIE) reported that ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica has increased fivefold since the
1990s, and now accounts for a quarter of sea-level rise.

103
 CONNECTIVITY
AND SECURE
COMMUNICATIONS

Preparing the Future of Satcom and the ARTES is Partnering with Industry to Bring
Space Economy Innovative Solutions to Market Faster
Communications underpins everyday life and represents a ESA’s ARTES 4.0 Partnership Projects provide the satellite
substantial segment (38%3) of the space economy. The communication industry with the right environment to
satcom domain is as disruptive as it is significant, supporting introduce innovative space-based solutions to market. In the
the competitiveness of European space and technology firms. Novacom I and Novacom II partnerships, Airbus and Thales
In a world where secure, sustainable, effective and Alenia Space have sold nine OneSat and six Space Inspire
ubiquitous communications networks have never been more satellites respectively on the commercial market, with the first
critical, ESA is preparing the way through an inspiring and launches planned for 2025. ESA and SME SWISSto12 have
diverse portfolio and programmatic instruments. ESA hosted opened up a new market for small geostationary satellites
the Space2Connect conference in June 2023, resulting in calls through the HummingSat project with rapid and cost-effective
for action aimed at the entire space value chain. production and a fully European supply chain. Four satellites
have already been sold with a first launch due in 2025.
A Phase C/D/E contract was signed in November 2023.
ARTES Core Competitiveness is the Engine
of Competition
This programme line drives innovation by challenging the
status quo and enabling disruptive systems, services, and
technologies. It facilitates the growth of SMEs and New
Space initiatives and is highly appreciated by industry for
its high return on investment.

Sources: Euroconsult “Space Economy Report” 2022, Euroconsult “Satellites to be Built and Launched” Report 2022
3

104
 Javier Benedicto, Acting Director
of ESA’s Directorate of Connectivity
and Secure Communications, and
Emile de Rijk, CEO and founder of
Swissto12, sign the HummingSat
Contract in Paris on 16 November
2023

Space for 5G/6G and Secure Connectivity – generation of OneWeb systems. In May, the ‘’beam-hopping’’
NTN-TN Convergence satellite and fully digital payload demonstrator JoeySat was
launched and completed its in-orbit testing in July.
The next generation of mobile telecommunications will require
different technologies and products to ensure convergence of
5G/6G satellite (non-terrestrial) and terrestrial networks. In
2023, the 5G/6G Hub at ECSAT expanded to address hybrid
5G/6G satellite network use cases in digital healthcare and
planetary health. A 5G-6G hub also opened at ESTEC.

In the public-private Sunrise project, ESA is contributing

5G/6G is driving the future of connectivity. The JoeySat ‘’beam-hopping’’ satellite ready for launch, Sunrise
to the technology and product development of the next
Space Systems
Partnership Project. for Safety and Security

105
 ESA works with partners to translate space assets into Europe is a world leader in the fields of optical and quantum
resilient, secure applications on the ground, in the air, and technology for space, and ESA is supporting R&D development
at sea. To that end, the first commercial aircraft using Iris and providing flight opportunities ahead of the establishment
satellite technology have taken flight with the airline easyJet, of a commercial market. ESA’s strategic vision is to devise
following official certification of ESSP in July 2023 as the innovative high-throughput connectivity using cutting-edge
Iris service provider. Iris will digitalise and modernise air optical technologies (‘’internet beyond the cloud(s)’’). With
traffic management and reduce carbon emissions in European that aim in mind, the initial HydRON project demonstration
airspace. The next project phase, Iris Global, will expand system with multi-orbit constellation in LEO and GEO is under
Iris worldwide. consolidation.

The demand for secure and resilient communication is

higher than ever. The Eagle-1 mission, also co-funded by the
Moonlight Programme
ESA’s Moonlight initiative envisions a sustainable, permanent
link to the lunar surface. This programme will enable public
and private initiatives creating Cislunar Communication and
Navigation Services, facilitating opportunities in the lunar
market for European industry. The procurement process is
ongoing with contract signature planned for mid-2024. Here
on Earth, Moonlight is engaging in international partnerships
and inter-agency collaboration with NASA, JAXA and others.

EasyJet was the first airline to make an inaugural flight using the Iris Civil Security from Space Programme
satellite technology on its route from Amsterdam to Milan.
The frequency and intensity of global crisis events are
European Commission, passed its System PDR (preliminary growing. The Civil Security from Space (CCS) Programme
design review) in September. This mission will demonstrate proposes a federated solution to supporting European efforts
the feasibility and resilience of QKD (quantum key distribution) to monitor, mitigate and resolve civil security and crisis
technologies. The SAGA mission with parallel Phase B1 events utilising space assets. Four partnership projects
contracts ongoing is a first generation of the space-based were launched in 2023 and a Crisis Management Hub is in
component to demonstrate all the required technologies for preparation. The CSS programme is the primary seed for
the second-generation space segment and to validate space- ESA’s Rapid and Resilient Crisis Response Accelerator.
based QKD Services.
ESA Programme Related to EU Secure
Connectivity
European Leadership in Optical and Quantum
Communications

ICEYE CEO, Rafal Modrzewski, and ESA DG Josef Aschbacher at the signature event for the Civil Security from Space programme partnership agreement
on 11 October 2023.

106
ESA DG Josef Aschbacher and Director General for Defence, Industry and Space at the European Commission, Timo Pesonen sign the Secure Connectivity
Contribution Agreement on 21 September 2023.

ESA has launched its third flagship programme, following

Galileo and Copernicus, in close collaboration with the
European Union, known as IRIS². IRIS² is a highly secure
satellite constellation providing strategic governmental and
commercial services. In June 2023, the ESA-EU Contribution
Agreement was signed for a duration of 12 years, defining
ESA’s role as Qualification and Validation Authority. The
procurement process was very intense during 2023, with
the ESA partnership Request for Best and Final Offer issued
in December and a contract signature planned for end of
Q1 2024.

107
 NAVIGATION

In January, Galileo’s High Accuracy Service entered into Control (TT&C) facility. Featuring a 13.5-metre diameter
service, which allows specialised user communities to achieve parabola dish mounted on top of a 10-metre-high steel
unprecedented positioning accuracy of 20 cm. and concrete structure, this facility, located within the
premises of Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana,
As the European lead in global satellite navigation and enhances communication with Galileo’s expanding
Galileo’s and EGNOS’ system development prime, ESA is satellite constellation.
continuously working on the improvement of the systems
performance. In 2023, the Directorate of Navigation put in place the
procurements for the newly approved ESA optional
• In September, Galileo’s enhanced navigation message programmes from CM22 and was expecting the industrial kick-
was upgraded to all the Galileo operational satellites in off of the GENESIS and LEO-PNT programmes in early 2024,
service, which improves Galileo’s time to first position allowing ESA to continue to demonstrate the many additional
fix by a factor of two or three – depending on whether applications and benefits for both society and the economy
the receiver is in rural or more challenging urban of satellite navigation technologies and to further reinforce
environments. European leadership in navigation.
• In December 2023, the European Commission and ESA
agreed on an increase of more than €400m in funding,
reflecting the ambition of the Galileo Programme.

• Throughout 2023, Galileo’s Second Generation entered

its full development phase with the majority of the
industrial contracts signed by May and the first hardware
and unit deliveries to ESTEC. Over the summer, ESTEC’s
Test Centre received two structural models of the G2
satellites developed by Thales Alenia Space which were
subjected to various tests. In November, Airbus Defence
and Space delivered hardware models at its premises in
Friedrichshafen.

• In 2023, the Galileo project’s ground segment welcomed

a brand-new asset: the Telemetry, Tracking, and

108
Airbus Defence and Space
presented their Galileo Second
Generation satellite structure
manufactured by the Swiss branch
of Beyond Gravity to programme
stakeholders at their site in
Friedrichshafen, Germany.

109
 application

focus on

GALILEO SECOND
GENERATION
SATELLITES TAKE
SHAPE

Europe’s Galileo is the world’s most precise satellite Noordwijk, Netherlands. In parallel to Thales Alenia Space,
navigation system, providing metre-level accuracy to more Airbus Defence and Space is developing the other half of
than four billion smartphone users worldwide. It currently the constellation, which were tested for mechanical and
comprises 28 satellites in orbit with ten more due to be signal performance at the company’s facilities in Germany in
launched, after which a new generation of satellites, Galileo November.
Second Generation, will revolutionise the fleet with enhanced
capabilities. After all testing on the models is complete and the final
design details confirmed, the first flight models of both
Galileo Second Generation satellites will be much larger than families will be assembled and integrated before undergoing
those of the First Generation, use electric propulsion, host a functional and environmental verification, including for some
more powerful navigation antenna, carry more and even better satellites a radiated test campaign in the new test chamber
atomic clocks on board and have fully digital payloads. In for space antennas being built at ESTEC, Hertz 2.0.
addition, the modular architecture will offer a high degree of
flexibility to accommodate more equipment and inter-satellite This new generation of satellites will begin joining the
links will be enabled. existing constellation in the coming years. Galileo Second
Generation is designed to remain in orbit for at least 15
The Second Generation is in full development phase after years. ESA is overseeing the development to ensure the new
the main procurement batch was completed in the summer satellites enable our high-performance navigation system
of 2023. European industry is now building the satellites Galileo to go forward into the future with novel capabilities
and ultra-precise atomic clocks, and developing the system and additional robustness.
testbeds, ground mission and ground control segments.

Between July and September, two structural models of

the Thales Alenia Space satellite and an electrical model
of its navigation payload underwent mechanical and signal
performance assessment at ESA’s ESTEC Test Centre in

110
G2 satellites will be launched in
pairs, stacked and connected to
the launcher until separation. For
the test campaign, Thales Alenia
Space sent two structural models
from Italy and a launch adapter
and a separation mechanism from
Sweden to the Netherlands, to
recreate the complete dual launch
structure.

111
 SPACE SAFETY
AND SECURITY

112
114 Earth Observation

118 Security and Cyber Resilience

120 E SES- European Space Security

and Education Centre in Redu, Belgium

113
 SPACE SAFETY
ESA’s Space Safety Programme
is dedicated to the protection
of Europe and its economies
from disruption to critical space
infrastructure and fostering
new commercial opportunities
in the European space sector.

A total of €733m was subscribed to the programme at procurement will go through the two-stage tendering process
the last ESA Council meeting at ministerial level (CM22), required under TEB (Tender Evaluation Board) procurement rules.
representing an increment of 68%, and with Slovakia and
Canada joining the programme.

Through its Zero Debris approach, ESA’s Space Safety Enhancing Space Weather Services for more
Programme has set groundbreaking standards for space than 4,000 users in Europe and worldwide
exploration. This initiative entailed a thorough update to ESA’s
The Space Weather Service Portal was updated throughout
debris mitigation requirements and standards, influencing the
2023 to make new capabilities resulting from development
design, construction, operation, and disposal phases of the
activities available to users, whose community includes
Agency’s missions. Additionally, the world’s first Zero Debris
providers of critical infrastructure such as power and
Charter was introduced – a community-driven initiative that
telecommunications. The contract for Space Weather Service
established a global goal for responsible space practices and
Network pre-operational service and product provision was
fostered collaboration within the space community.
extended by two years in March.

Vigil advances, reaching key milestones, now

one step closer to providing operational space
weather services for Europe
The Vigil project has continued with two major procurement
activities under way, namely the Vigil Photospheric Magnetic
Field Imager (PMI) and the Vigil Mission Space Segment.
The PMI proposal was below the threshold to proceed to
negotiation (overall mark of below 60) and consequently the Future Vigil mission.

114
 A world first, the upcoming
ESA Vigil - ESA’s space weather
mission will ensure we are able to
monitor, 'nowcast' and forecast
potentially dangerous solar events,
giving us time to protect at risk
infrastructure on Earth, or life
in space.

Near-Earth Object detection: Progress on

more Flyeye sites providing European data:
The Flyeye-1 telescope, cameras and mount underwent
preparations for shipment to Matera in Italy, marking a
significant step towards its deployment and the anticipated
first light planned for 2024. A suitable location for the
installation of the Flyeye-2 telescope in the ESO site of La
Silla (Chile) has been identified and first discussions have
taken place. The arrangement is expected to be submitted
for approval by the respective Councils of both ESA and ESO
within the first half of 2024.

Hera achieves key milestones to stay on track

for 2024 launch Flyeye: ESA’s bug-eyed asteroid hunter.

The spacecraft underwent successful mechanical integration

and was transported to the testing facility in August.
Environmental tests, including vibration tests, were completed
successfully in September. On the CubeSats, integration its scheduled October 2024 launch. Following the successful
work progressed, and ground segment testing supported testing of asteroid deflection through NASA’s DART mission,
software refinement. Notably, remote access to testing ESA’s Hera will conduct an in-depth post-impact survey of the
facilities was established, providing ESA with direct control. target asteroid, transforming the experiment into a replicable
Despite challenges, the Hera mission remains on track for planetary defence technique.

115
 Hera asteroid mission on show.

2023 Space Environment Report released In fostering a global commitment to responsible space
practices, ESA played a crucial role in facilitating the
The 2023 Space Environment Report by ESA’s Space Debris development of the world’s first Zero Debris Charter. Unveiled
Office highlighted several key findings. It acknowledged at the Space Summit in November 2023, this charter, created
technological improvements in tracking smaller space collaboratively by industrial partners, organisations, and
debris fragments and a positive trend in behaviour in member states, has gathered over 100 registrations since
space. However, the report also raises concerns, including its sign-up process opened. The Zero Debris approach stands
the increasing number of satellite launches and insufficient as a testament to ESA’s dedication to shaping a sustainable
removal of larger satellites from congested low Earth orbits. and clutter-free space environment for the future.
It emphasises that even if no more objects are launched
into space, the debris population will continue to grow,
necessitating stricter debris mitigation guidelines and active
debris removal to achieve the goal of “zero debris”.

Zero Debris Charter launched: A Global Focus on:

Commitment for Sustainable Space Practices
THE BACKBONE OF ALL SPACE ACTIVITIES: page 24-29
ESA initiated the Zero Debris approach aiming to significantly THE QUEST FOR A SUSTAINABLE USE OF SPACE: page 60-65
reduce debris production in Earth and lunar orbits by 2030.
To achieve this, ESA updated the Space Debris Mitigation
Policy and Requirements applicable to all its missions.
Importantly, these regulations extend to any collaborating
company or institution engaged in ESA missions. Effective
since November 2023, the policy requires, among other things,
the disposal of all space systems operating within Low Earth
Orbit (LEO) within five years of mission completion, aligning
with the best international practices.

116
The latest figures related to space debris, provided by ESA's Space Debris Office at ESOC, Darmstadt, Germany.

117
 SECURITY AND
CYBER RESILIENCE

A malicious cyber-attack has the potential to disable, or • CyberCUBE – a cyber-CubeSat will assess threats and
take control of, satellites, electronics, communications, vulnerabilities in space;
and positioning systems and can lead to misinformation,
manipulation of data, or the obtaining of data through illicit • Harmonisation – the unification of these capabilities in
means. ESA’s Cyber Security Strategy has been designed a single platform available to ESA Member States and
to protect its Member States’ and partners’ interests and partners via the Cyber Portable Operational Platform
investments in space by strengthening the Agency’s cyber (C-POP).
resilience:

• The Cyber Security Operational Centre (C-SOC) and Security of Space Programmes
the Security Cyber Centre of Excellence (SCCoE) have
completed the design and development phase and are ESA’s Member States and international partners rely on
about to go into operation. the Agency to design, develop and deliver secure complex
space systems, safeguarding their investments and interests
• The next steps rolled out according to a coordinated in space, and ESA’s image and mission. Tasked with this
cross-directorate roadmap of activities running up to responsibility, the ESA Security Office (ESO) is committed
2027 will be: to providing security assurance across all ESA activities.
ESA programmes are designed and developed through a
• ESACERT and ESOC NOC evolution – reinforcing ESA’s
system of security risk management, security engineering
preventative/responsive capabilities;
and accreditation and certification, using the Agency’s cyber
• Quantum Security Verification Platform (QSVP) – security capabilities, and enabling the realisation of ambitious
establishing a unique capability in Europe; security-critical space programmes. Working side-by-side with
ESA’s programmes, the ESA Security Committee and ESA’s
• Cyber Security R&D Technologies – developing cutting- international partners, ESO ensures the Agency’s security
edge new cyber technologies; posture.

118
 ESA's Security and Cyber Security
Strategy is committed to providing
Security Assurance and increasing
Cyber Resilience in all activities,
reinforcing the overall Security
Posture of the Agency.

Security Agreements
ESA and the EU have together shaped the development of
Europe’s space capabilities, ensuring that joint security-critical
projects in space deliver benefits to Europe. This collaboration
is fundamental to ensuring that European citizens reap the
benefits from investments in the European space sector and
can only be achieved if the two entities can collaborate and
exchange on sensitive projects.

The Agreement between the European Space Agency and the

European Union on the security and exchange of classified
information (“ESA-EU SoI Agreement”) entered into force on
1 August 2008, and, over the past months, negotiation of a
revision of the Agreement has been successfully concluded,
incorporating new elements resulting from the signature of
the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement in Brussels
on 22 June 2021, and ensuring the extension of this
successful collaboration.

ESA is entering into agreements to foster enhanced

cooperation in cyber security with Italy, Belgium, Estonia
and Slovakia and is beginning talks in this domain with
the United States.

119
 ESEC - EUROPEAN
SPACE SECURITY
AND EDUCATION
CENTRE IN REDU,
BELGIUM

2023 was an important year for ESEC with it beginning the Discussions began on a new agreement between ESA,
service contracts under the responsibility of the selected new Belgium and Luxembourg aimed at enhancing the common
service providers. The phase-in/phase-out was smoothly vision on ESEC as with the agreement signed in 2014.
executed, maintaining the initial level of quality.
Committees with municipality, local police and national crisis
The procurement processes for the ESEC Cyber Security Centre centre representation have been successfully set up, thereby
building, C-SOC and SCCoE operations were launched in close ensuring compliance with the Host and Site Agreements.
collaboration with ITC services, ESO and Estates and Facilities
Management (EFM). In 2023, the number of visitors to ESEC increased
considerably.
Moreover, in close cooperation with EFM, several site
refurbishments (roads, Mars meeting room and water In May, the Minister-President of Wallonia Elio Di Rupo visited
drainage facility) have been carried out, increasing the safety the Centre and in the context of the Swedish Presidency of the
and further improving facilities on site. EU, ESEC hosted a meeting of the space attachés of the EU
Permanent Representation.
ESEC supports PV-CC (PROBA-V Companion CubeSat) as a
ground station using the PROBA antenna and radio frequency Hosted in a region concerned about nature, ESEC is proud of
chain infrastructure as of the critical LEOP (launch and its first honey harvest in 2023. Additional beehives will be
early orbit phase). PV-CC is a mission flying a scaled-down installed in 2024 to increase the next harvest. Finally, ESEC
version of the vegetation-monitoring instrument aboard the was closely associated with a special edition of Monopoly
Earth-observing PROBA-V. Aerospacelab (ASL) is the prime created by the local association “Redu village du livre et de
contractor (the PV-CC launch took place on 9 October 2023). l’Espace” to mark its 40-year anniversary that was gifted to
the village inhabitants.

120
The European Space Security and
Education Centre (ESEC) at Redu,
Belgium on 19 April 2024.

121
 ENABLING
AND SUPPORT

122
124 Space Transportation

128 Ground Systems Engineering and Operations

132 Technical and Quality Management

123
 SPACE
TRANSPORTATION

Launches and is currently being redefined, also in view of many similar

commercial developments ongoing worldwide.
The final two flights retiring Ariane 5 were successfully
conducted in April launching the ESA Juice mission (VA260),
and in July, launching the German Aerospace Center Heinrich
Vega-C
Hertz experimental communications satellite and the French Following the launch failure of Vega-C in 2022, the
communications satellite Syracuse 4b (VA261), followed by the recommendations of the Independent Enquiry Commission
last to final launch of Vega in October, successfully deploying to ensure a reliable return to flight and robust exploitation,
THEOS-2, FORMOSAT-7R and several passenger payloads (VV23). including (delta-)qualification of the nozzle with a new carbon-
carbon throat insert material on Zefiro 40, were implemented
in 2023. Vega-C underwent further design changes of the
Zefiro 40 nozzle following a failed Zefiro 40 engine static firing
Ariane 6 test in June and is expected to return to flight in the fourth
quarter of 2024.
Major progress towards the inaugural flight of Ariane 6 was
achieved with the conduct of the combined tests at Europe’s Under the Vega-C Competitiveness Improvement Programme,
Spaceport in French Guiana, the upper stage testing in developments were reviewed following the VV22 failure and
Lampoldshausen, Germany and by addressing open technical continued with regard to new avionic equipment, telemetry
issues. This has made it possible to eliminate the main transmitters and actuators.
technical risks and to be on track for the inaugural launch
between mid-June and the end of July 2024. The P120C solid rocket booster, successfully flown on
VV21 and VV22, is currently being evolved into P160C with
Under the Ariane 6 Competitiveness Improvement increased loading and length and will eventually replace
Programme, developments continued on various payload P120C on Ariane 6 and Vega-C in order to meet anticipated
adapters and structures. The ASTRIS kick-stage development future launch service requirements. The contract for the
was jeopardised by the loss of the original anchor mission development of P160C was signed in December.

124
 ESA’s new Ariane 6 rocket passed
a major full-scale rehearsal in
November in preparation for its
first flight: teams on the ground at
Europe’s Spaceport went through
a complete launch countdown
followed by a seven-minute full
firing of the core stage’s engine, as
it would fire on a launch into space.

Europe’s Spaceport
The renewed Agreement between the European Space
Agency and the Government of the French Republic on the
Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) and associated services for
the period 2023–2035 was signed on 22 March in Paris by
the CNES President and ESA Director General and entered into
force on this date retroactively with effect from 1 January
2023. Subsequently, the Rider 1 to the ESA/CNES CSG contract
(2023–2027) was signed at Le Bourget in June. In line with
this contract, Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana will be
maintained and modernised including through core launch
range renewal activities and activities supporting a more
flexible, more digital and more sustainable/carbon-neutral
Europe’s Spaceport.

Space Rider
The Space Rider Critical Design Review was successfully
The Prometheus engine, named after the Greek mythological figure
completed in mid-2023 and has entered, in turn, Phase D, who stole fire from the gods and brought it to humans, was fired for a
qualification, and production. A first successful Flight-to- 30-second burn with reignitions at ArianeGroup’s test facility in Vernon,
Ground System Validation Test campaign was completed France, to test the new rocket engine fuelled by methane and oxygen.
The Prometheus engine will feature in ESA’s Themis rocket prototype –
in December. a flagship European demonstrator for low-cost rocket recovery and reuse
technologies

125
 Future Preparation Themis, and ENLIGHTEN (European iNitiative for Low-cost,
Innovative & Green High Thrust ENgine), linked to FLPP
A series of new activities on space logistics and technology Prometheus.
developments were launched under the Future Launchers
Preparatory Programme (FLPP) and implemented
throughout 2023. ESA Council meeting in Seville

The Prometheus engine test campaign at Vernon in 2023 The ESA Council meeting in Seville in November 2023
culminated with a successful hot-firing test of 30 seconds and provided the basis for decisions of principle pertaining to the
a subsequent reignition. Preparations for Themis flight tests in stabilised exploitation of Ariane 6 and Vega-C, to the future
Kiruna have begun with final tank tests and assembly of the use of launch complexes at Europe’s Spaceport, to Vega
Themis T1H stage. Phoebus upper stage sub-scale tanks were commercialisation and exploitation, and to principles and a
successfully tested in December. stepped approach for decision and funding of the European
Launcher Challenge at the ESA Council meeting at ministerial
Boost! activities with commercial space transportation level in 2025 (CM25).
partners continued, with co-funding support contracts
completed and new ones signed in 2023. Co-funding contracts
with nine prime companies for new commercial space
transportation services were in force in 2023; under the
“Support to Participating States Element”, providing assistance
to Member States in the implementation of national
space transportation objectives in the field of spaceport
infrastructure and related services; and under the “European
Flight Ticket Initiative”, a new Boost! element approved and
subscribed at CM22 and initiated in 2023 in collaboration with
the European Commission, with the issuance of a call for IOD/
IOV satellites and for launch services to be co-funded under
Boost! following competitive procurement among European
launch services.

Collaboration with the European Commission also continued

under two Horizon Europe activities: SALTO (reuSable strAtegic
space Launcher Technologies & Operations), linked to FLPP

Signature of Rider 1 of the ESA/CNES CSG Contract (2023–2027) at Le Bourget on 1 June 2023.

126
Artist's view of the current European launcher family. Shown from left to right: Vega, Vega-C, the two booster Ariane 6 (A62) and the four booster Ariane 6
(A64) variants, as well as Space Rider.

127
 GROUND SYSTEMS
ENGINEERING
AND OPERATIONS

ESA’s Directorate of Operations and the European Space

Operations Centre (ESOC) are recognised internationally for
their excellence in E2E ground segment engineering, flight
dynamics and flight operations services.

The Directorate currently operates 27 flying satellites,

including astronomy, Earth observation, and interplanetary,
and is preparing for the launch of a dozen more, including
Europe’s flagship planetary defence mission Hera, launching in
2024. The independent capability to fly Europe’s institutional
missions is critical to Europe’s autonomy and resilience as a
space power.
BepiColombo’s third Mercury flyby.

Reliable and trusted provider of Launch

and Operation Support for cutting-edge Special operations for ESOC’s flying missions included
institutional missions BepiColombo’s third gravity-assist flyby of Mercury. A
correctional manoeuvre was executed weeks in advance,
In April, ESOC played a crucial role in the successful launch ensuring BepiColombo’s precise trajectory past Mercury.
and early operations of the Juice mission and ensured flawless These fly-bys are crucial to combatting the Sun’s gravitational
performance and key deployments. The Mission Control team force, gradually reducing energy for eventual capture into
successfully deployed the key Radar for Icy Moon Exploration Mercury’s orbit in 2025.
(RIME) antenna, which marked a major milestone with all
Juice deployments completed. The Flight Dynamics team also In July, the New Norcia Estrack ground station captured
calculated the optimal trajectory for Juice, guiding it through Euclid’s first signal, with ESOC overseeing its critical LEOP
gravity assists and a historic orbit around Ganymede. and commissioning operations, thereby marking the start

128
 Cosmic rays sometimes
unexpectedly caused ‘artefacts’ or
false signals to appear in Euclid's
observations. After a major
combined effort of industry and
ESA teams and in record time,
a new on-board software was
installed on Euclid during the
science performance phase.

of the six-year routine phase. Despite initial issues, Euclid’s Advancements in Ground Segment Systems
Fine Guidance Sensor advanced to its final testing phase and Infrastructure
for a crucial six-year survey mission. OPS teams provided
troubleshooting support to resolve the issues, and Euclid’s Estrack enabled cutting-edge interplanetary radioscience,
impressive initial images were released at ESOC on 7 supporting experiments on BepiColombo and Juice. This has
November. Euclid successfully joined the suite of 27 satellites prompted the evolution of ESA’s deep space antenna network,
operated by OPS, demonstrating the value of independent enhancing capabilities at the Deep Space Antenna (DSA-3) in
European ground segment operations. Malargüe, Argentina.

Each science mission comes with unique constraints and

requirements for its ground segment due to specific scientific
goals. Euclid’s instruments capture highly precise, detailed
images, resulting in gigabyte-sized files. The mission’s key
challenge is downlinking up to 100 GB of data daily within a
four-hour window. Euclid’s ground segment must efficiently
enable this large data flow between Euclid and Earth,
ensuring timely delivery to science project teams. Through
years of technological advancements, standardisation efforts
and the operational adoption of innovative engineering
solutions, OPS has successfully tackled the challenges for the
ground segment for this extraordinary mission.

This is the team at ESA’s mission control that will fly Juice to Jupiter with
four planetary flybys of Earth and Venus. The mission’s tour of the icy,
complex Jovian system includes 35 lunar flybys.

129
 Trusted International Partner Europe’s pioneering Martian exploration mission Mars Express
celebrated its 20th anniversary, far surpassing the planned
ESA’s Mars Express, flown from ESOC, set a record by one Martian year (687 Earth days). On top of the science data,
relaying data for seven international Mars surface missions. Mars Express has proved an essential tool in Mars data relay
Collaborating with India’s ISRO, ESA’s Kourou Estrack ground downlink.
station ensured the success of Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1
solar observatory launches. ESOC’s expertise also contributed ESA’s Deep Space ground stations in New Norcia and Malargüe
to precise orbit determination for Aditya-L1. Additionally, celebrated milestones, marking 20 years and ten years in
ESA ground stations played a crucial role in Japanese firm operation, respectively. These stations have been essential
ispace’s historic HAKUTO-R Mission1, the first commercial in order to meet the need for an ESA science data downlink.
Moon landing. ESA’s Mission Operations infrastructure and Their long lifetime can be credited to carefully planned
engineering capabilities constitute an extremely valuable and maintenance and sustaining, which is much more efficient
attractive tool for cooperation and collaboration. than investing in new replacement infrastructure.

These accomplishments highlight ESOC’s ability to maintain

mission functionality and longevity through innovative
ESOC experience maximising science data operational solutions and responsible long-term planning.
return
ESOC demonstrated operational excellence in response
to CryoSat’s fuel leak, the teams at ESOC mission control
performing an urgent reconfiguration, thereby successfully
extending the satellite’s life by up to ten years, aiming to
ensure mission continuity until CRISTAL’s 2028 launch.

The Integral Flight Control Team at ESOC also demonstrated

ingenuity by implementing a novel safe mode for the Integral
space observatory. Opting for reaction wheels over traditional
thrusters, they ensured spacecraft control and reorientation
towards the Sun, safeguarding the mission’s exploration of
energetic events in the Universe.

Last radar image of Aeolus acquired by the Tracking and Imaging Radar
(TIRA) at Fraunhofer FHR in Germany.

Commitment to ESA’s Zero Debris Charter with

assisted satellite re-entry
ESOC achieved a historic milestone with the first-ever assisted
re-entry of an ESA satellite, Aeolus. While it was never
designed for such challenging operations, a concerted effort
with industry and ESA expert teams (including flight control,
flight dynamics and space safety) resulted in its safe disposal
and removal from its congested orbit. This achievement
contributed valuable knowledge to future space debris
disposal and demonstrated strong commitment to ESA’s Zero
Debris Charter.

ESA's 35m deep space station, Malargüe, Argentina, used every day for
deep space missions.

130
In 2023 a mission-threatening leak of CryoSat’s smaller attitude thrusters was mitigateed, extending the life by up to 10 years.

The photo shows the team of ESA and industry experts who made this possible.

131
 TECHNICAL AND
QUALITY
MANAGEMENT
ESA continues to blaze a trail for
the future of Europe in space. The
missions it flies are groundbreaking
by definition, pushing forward the
technical state of the art.

This constant striving for uniqueness and innovation is Subsequent deployment tests of the sunshield solar array in
delivered in large part due to the Agency’s Directorate of Noordwijk and a micro-vibration test to be performed by IABG
Technology, Engineering and Quality. It is the essential at OHB Bremen will complete the test campaign.
counterpart to European industry and drives many of the
solutions they implement. EarthCARE (Cloud, Aerosol and Radiation Explorer) successfully
completed its environmental test campaign after the conduct
Based at ESA’s largest establishment, ESTEC (the European of the last test in ESA’s “Maxwell” EMC chamber. In this
Space Technology and Research Centre), the Directorate chamber, radiated emission and susceptibility tests were
operates a suite of technical labs and the ESTEC Test Centre carried out to ensure the system’s nominal performance and
for satellite testing. These key resources are being constantly verify compatibility with the launcher. The chamber also
developed and adapted to the future needs of ESA’s projects allowed the customer to safely operate the spacecraft in the
and the European space industry. In 2023, the three major electromagnetic environment that it will experience in flight.
adaptations to this technical infrastructure, namely Hertz-2
— an enlarged radio frequency test chamber for entire large In addition, construction continued of the International
satellites, the new ESTEC Cleanroom Extension and the update Meeting Facility (IMF) conference centre, which is the first
of the Optics and Optoelectronic laboratory facilities proceeded step in the ESTEC Site Renovation project, a major rehaul of
as planned. Hertz-2 will be available in time for the antenna the site for which funding was secured in 2023.
tests of the next-generation Galileo satellites planned for
2026. The new Test Centre Clean Room Extension will become
operational at the end of 2024 with the new connection Successful recovery of Juice RIME Antenna
to the present Test Centre and will improve the capacity of
the Test Centre significantly. Satellites undergoing testing Meanwhile, the everyday technical work of the Directorate
at the Test Centre in 2023 included the structural model of continued apace. A highlight in the project support provided
the PLATO spacecraft, consisting of the payload module, the by the Directorate was the recovery of Juice’s RIME antenna.
service module and a sunshield solar array. It completed the RIME is the 16m-long antenna on board the Juice spacecraft
major parts of the test campaign in ESA’s Test Centre in June. which suffered a critical in-orbit anomaly as it failed to

132
 ESA ESTEC, ESA logo formed by
People.

fully deploy on 17 April. Thanks to the detailed analysis of • Euclid’s cold gas micro-propulsion thrusters were
photographs captured by onboard cameras and the availability produced under a technology development contract (TDE).
of a representative model on the ground, it was possible Although the system was developed and already used
to identify the most probable root cause as jamming of the for Gaia and LISA Pathfinder, it is a key technology for
antenna at one of its HDRMs. It was assumed that the pin, the extreme pointing accuracy/stability of Euclid and
which should automatically retract after NEA actuator firing, is planned also for LISA, which has been very recently
was not fully retracted, thus preventing the antenna from adopted.
deploying.
• The engineering support provided by the Directorate
Under the lead of ESA expert teams, the root cause was was essential to help the team working on the national-
successfully identified. After several unsuccessful trials to funded instruments and save the schedule. The bake-out
release the antenna (e.g. with slew manoeuvres and thrusters of VIS instrument electronics was carried out at ESTEC
firing) the recovery plan focused on firing the remaining NEA under the responsibility of specialists on contamination.
actuator (which was still holding some remaining segments Other tests performed were the VIS Instrument EMC test
of the antenna). It finally led to the successful deployment and the thermal testing of the VIS shutter.
of RIME on 12 May, once again showcasing the need for
top-class technical competence to save missions which would • Detailed characterisation of ice scattering effect on
otherwise be lost. performances was carried out.

• Similarly, the commissioning investigation of the Fine

Guidance Sensor was conducted under the responsibility
Launch of Euclid of a specialised team. The FGS acquisition cycle was
Another demonstration of the importance of strong and initially unstable due to the “interpretation” by the
efficient technology management in the Agency was provided software of the cosmic rays. A software update solved
by the successful launch of Euclid on 1 July. The Directorate the issue.
managed important technical developments enabling this
Currently, the contamination specialists are participating
mission to take place:

133
 in the definition of the plan for the operation of water ice stakeholders and colleagues from across Europe were invited
decontamination heaters, an activity led by project scientists to join two days of presentations, lectures and discussions
and the Principal Investigators for the instruments included. about GSTP’s storied past and what the next 30 years
of development hold for ESA R&D. In the programme’s
In September 2023, a StarTiger initiative – a specialised lifetime, almost 2,000 contracts have been awarded to
activity within the TDE – paved the way forward in order to do just that. The event focused on a few key areas our
demonstrate the Space Factory concept, a precursor to the technology programmes must address. In addition, 30 years
construction of major components such as antenna reflectors, of success stories from GSTP ranging from robotics, power,
assembly of spacecraft components and satellite payload manufacturing, materials and structures to space safety were
replacements directly in space. The activity successfully presented.
developed a ground demonstration – under simulated micro-g
conditions – for the assembly of a very large structure. The event concluded with the annual Space R&D Showcase
Manufacturing directly in orbit will revolutionise the way (formerly the SET-FPDs) – where some of the Directorate’s
space systems are designed, built and operated, since it is most interesting technology achievements of the past
not constrained by launcher mass and volume limitations. The year were presented, including robotic drills for planetary
concept has now been pushed even closer to implementation. environments, orbital traffic management systems and 4D
printing.
Preparation for ESA’s Proba-3 double-satellite formation flying
mission continued with preparations for the launch in 2024. The Directorate had published an updated version of
Important milestones towards the final launch readiness its Technology Strategy in 2022, setting out its plan for
review were successfully accomplished and the innovative technology development in response to the Director General’s
mission is on track. The formation flying system testing and Agenda 2025, which itself underlined innovation as a crucial
operations preparation (last testing required) are ongoing. element in ESA’s future. Now, the implementation of this
The teams and resources are being put in place for the launch strategy has begun and a 2040 technology vision is being
campaign, LEOP and commissioning (industry and ESA). prepared.

In addition, as part of the Directorate’s In-Orbit Demonstration

Programme, Vega launch VV23 on 9 October comprised ten
CubeSats, nine of which were technology demonstration Hera asteroid mission coming together
missions either managed by ESA (GSTP, EC IOD/IOV) or with
Hera’s implementation is continuing on schedule. In 2023,
their launch services supported by ESA (EC IOD/IOD). Among
all elements of the mission came together at ESTEC for final
them, the following are particularly worthy of highlighting:
testing before being shipped to launch by Falcon 9.
• M-NLP is a Langmuir probe to measure in situ plasma
In terms of securing components at the heart of Europe’s
characteristics. This specific configuration is funded
space missions, in the area of high-density interconnect (HDI)
by Norway. M-N stands for multi-needle, a specific
printed circuit boards (PCBs), microvias have enabled increased
configuration of a Langmuir probe.
density and functionality for HDI PCBs across a wide range of
• PRETTY, funded by Austria, is a Passive REflecTometry sectors, but they remain subject to lingering reliability issues
and dosimeTrY mission. It receives signals from Global that have raised industry-wide concern. Now an ESA-led
Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) satellites visible consortium has achieved the first qualification of HDI PCBs for
just above it. Two patch antennas on its forward face space missions, representing a major step forward in quality
pick up the same signal from the same satellite – or control. Specific HDI PCB qualification has, so far, not been
rather one signal that has reached it through space available in line with the generic PCB guidelines issued under
and the equivalent signal that has reflected off Earth’s European Cooperation for Space Standardization, ECSS – the
cryosphere or oceans. It is an altimetry mission with a common European rulebook for undertaking space missions.
fully commissioned platform, and with performances that Instead, case-by-case project qualification is required for
meet the mission requirements. Both payloads (GNSS-R individual designs and batches, which remains a significant
and dosimeter) are producing scientific data. hurdle in space projects. But now, PCB manufacturer ACB in
For the GNSS-R, both interferometric and clean-code Dendermonde, Belgium, has received ESA qualification for HDI
replica approaches have been tested. PCBs, as the successful outcome of a recent GSTP contract led
for ESA by Belgian research institute IMEC, with Thales Alenia
Space Belgium as end user.

General Studies and Technology Programme

ZERO DEBRIS
ESA’s General Studies and Technology Programme hosted a
special edition of the Industry Working Days in September To make ESA a role model driving space sustainability beyond
to celebrate 30 years of innovation and groundbreaking today’s principles, ESA proposed, in September 2022, to
technologies. Together with the Polish Space Agency, prepare and implement by 2030 a Zero Debris approach for all

134
Agency missions. In that context, the current Agency policy Outreach: ESA Astrolabe
on space debris mitigation published in 2014 was updated in
2023 based on the work performed by a cross-directorate ESA Astrolabe is a unique, multi-purpose, modern knowledge
task force. The updated policy will initiate a step-by-step and visitor centre. Inaugurated in September on the ground
approach towards the implementation of the Zero Debris floor of the new ESA Headquarters site, ESA Astrolabe
approach by 2030. provides wide access to and a broad understanding of ESA
activities, achievements and plans for the future through
The revised ESA policy addresses, on top of the classical ESA state-of-the-art technologies and physical models. In
mission implementation: (a) cooperative missions carried out accordance with ESA’s knowledge management programmatic
together with international partners, (b) the procurement of aims, it aims to open a window on the Agency’s knowledge
launch services as well as (c) missions implemented under and know-how in driving Europe’s space capability and sharing
public-private partnership (PPP) schemes. with the public and its Member States the Agency’s more
than 50 years of experience and expertise in the exploration
The update of the policy led to the development of a new and use of space. Open to the public, the venue has a range
ESA technical standard, ESSB-U-ST-007, successfully issued of facilities to inform, engage, entertain and support learning
by the Agency, to be applied since July in ESA missions. in a state-of-the-art, space-inspired environment. It also
provides a smart area where ESA’s workforce can meet and
A third issue of the ESA Space Debris Mitigation Compliance
brainstorm, sharing and processing knowledge and data. It
Verification Guidelines is expected to be published in 2024.
can host knowledge-sharing talks, lectures and seminars for
The generation of both documents was only possible thanks
the public but also ESA-internal presentations. ESA Astrolabe
to the cooperation, motivation, and team spirit across
was developed by the ESA Knowledge Management team, in
ESA directorates, with both documents being published in
collaboration with other departments and directorates.
record time.

HERA prepared for acoustic tests in the Large European Acoustic Facility (LEAF) in the ESTEC Test Centre in Noordwijk

135
 RESOURCES
MANAGEMENT,
CORPORATE
ACTIVITIES
AND EXTERNAL
RELATIONS

136
138 Human Resources, Facility Management and
Digital Transformation

140 Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness

152 C orporate Social Responsibility, Communication,
Relations with Member States, External Relations,
Legal Services

137
 HUMAN RESOURCES,
FACILITY MANAGEMENT
AND DIGITAL
TRANSFORMATION

HUMAN RESOURCES Innovation and Transformation were launched to recognise

outstanding individual achievements. Two categories were
In 2023, an unprecedented number of job requisitions open for nominations: the DG Award for Innovation and
(JRs) were published, covering more than 400 positions Transformation in Science and Technology and the DG Award
– a significant increase of about 80 positions compared for Innovation and Transformation with ESA Organisational
to 2022. This upward trend aligns with previous years, in and/or Programmatic Impact, with one award presented in
which a substantial number of JRs were published due to each category.
a recruitment wave and to cover staffing requirements for
the new programmes adopted by the Council meeting at Following the adoption of the Policy on Reporting Unwanted
ministerial level in November 2022. These initiatives led to Conduct and Investigating Harassment at ESA in February, a
the publication of approximately 190 JRs resulting from what communication campaign was launched at the end of 2023 to
was decided at CM22, while the additional positions were provide information on mechanisms for resolving interpersonal
opened in order to replace ESA staff leaving the organisation. issues in the workplace. In-person information sessions
were held at ESA’s main establishments, along with a virtual
Careers at ESA are promoted both online and in person. In session accessible to all. An action plan is being rolled out to
2022 and 2023, ESA attended Gamescom, the world’s largest further increase staff awareness and to develop best practices
computer and video games fair, in Cologne, Germany, with so as to address issues relating to unwanted conduct and
320,000 participants in 2023. ESA Careers Day, an online harassment more effectively and to minimise escalation.
event showcasing the various facets of the Agency, took place
in 2023 with over 1,000 participants. For some years now,
ESA has been present on LinkedIn and, by the end of 2023, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSIVENESS
had over 630,000 followers.
In 2023, Diversity and Inclusiveness (D&I) was at the
The ESA Team Awards were introduced in 2010 to recognise forefront of the ESA Transformation, having been selected
exceptional team achievements, and awards have been as one of its ten priorities. The resulting initiative prompted
presented each year since then. In 2023, the DG’s Awards for the selection of two D&I priorities and related KPIs to be

138
adopted at Agency level, namely “Ensuring gender-balanced accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Increased numbers
conditions supporting work-life and career evolution” and of staff have been coming to work on site, with overall
“Enabling a speak-up culture”. Other D&I topics chosen as attendance now only 15% below 2019 levels, in line with
focal points by directors include “Increasing gender balance projections. ESA remains determined to stimulate innovation
in the ESA workforce”, “Setting the conditions for greater top and exchange on and further contribute to the development
management involvement”, and “Catalysing ESA to become a of world-class science and engineering.
driver for change in the space sector”.
The challenging sustainability targets in Agenda 2025 are now
In parallel with this initiative, in 2023 ESA moved further subject to a tightly coordinated action plan. While maximising
toward the achievement of the D&I objectives introduced the exploitation of existing facilities, ESA has also launched
in 2022 with the “Eight Steps Towards Diversity & funded Green Agenda work packages at all sites and centres.
Inclusiveness”. The percentage of female staff reached
29.2%, while the proportion of women in top management
positions rose to 20.1%, a major increase from the 8.4% DIGITAL AGENDA AND INFORMATION
recorded in 2016. This result was achieved through key TECHNOLOGY
actions such as promoting gender diversity on interview
panels, using inclusive language in communication, aiming to Digital governance to support Agency-wide transformation
ensure that candidate shortlisting reflects the gender ratio of initiatives has been put in place with the establishment of
applications, and setting policies to help reconcile family and a business-driven Digital Steering Committee. The ESA Data
work. Other achievements include enhancing the awareness Factory expands the capabilities of the ESA Dashboard by
and use of digital tools for accessibility and the set-up of an consolidating multiple data sources across the Agency to
informal network for LGBTQIA+ people and allies at ESA. As build a “single source of truth” architecture and enabling more
in previous years, communication actions were delivered to comprehensive reporting and decision-making.
mark international days of celebration – Women and Girls in
Science, Women’s Day, LGBTQIA+ People in STEM and Persons The Space High-Performance Computer (HPC) has been
with Disabilities – reaching a large audience. procured and is on track for delivery to ESRIN in Q3 2024.
The Space HPC will enable multiple directorates, as well
as SMEs, to perform highly complex computations for their
specific use cases.
SITES AND FACILITY MANAGEMENT
The use of common shared IT services continued to increase
For the Estates and Facilities Management Department,
in 2023. ESA’s private cloud infrastructure, which supported
2023 was a year of considerable challenges. Its most
critical mission operations such as the Juice and Euclid LEOP
high-profile project was the return of staff to the renovated
and the Aeolus re-entry in 2023, has increased by more than
ESA Headquarters in April. The building was constructed in
60%. The number of projects managed within the shared
accordance with stringent customer requirements, including
software development platform has increased by 30%.
significantly enhanced security standards, a radically different
Software-defined network connectivity has been rolled out to
working environment and, perhaps most strikingly, a state-of-
all ESA sites and establishments, providing optimised inter-
the-art conference centre designed for close interaction and
site, internet and cloud connectivity.
cooperation with Member States. The building was completed
on schedule and within budget. Numerous digital functionalities and services supporting
all key processes, such as procurement, finance and HR,
Not least because of the success of the HQ Project,
have been released and made available through mobile
Member States approved a €200m investment project to
applications. Pilots using ChatGPT and an AI search engine
be split between ESTEC and ESOC at a ratio of 3:1. With
have been successfully developed.
significant host nation contributions, the project will enhance
sustainability standards and result in a more modern, flexible ESA’s cyber operations continue to be provided by ESACERT,
working environment. Early elements include a new space ensuring appropriate detection, response and recovery actions
operations centre and laboratories. for multiple security incidents. The future set-up of the
new Cyber Security Operations Centre (C-SOC) has been fully
At ECSAT, the UK-funded Magali Vaissiere Conference
defined and a tender has been issued to enable operations
Centre opened in July and has proven to be a significant
in 2024.
enhancement to the Harwell community. At ESRIN, the
complex seismic reinforcement project is nearing completion, The migration to esa365 has been completed, enabling a
with work on the final major elements now under way. The much faster evolution, a more user-friendly IT workplace
overall outcome will be a resilient site with a wide range and more secure operations and evolutions of the ESA IT
of modern facilities. At ESAC, work has begun to update a environment.
significant proportion of the site’s working environment and
technical facilities. The videoconferencing system has been completely overhauled
to align with the new hybrid working pattern at all Agency
ESA continued to respond actively to major changes in sites, achieving higher quality standards and levels of security.
working patterns, already apparent before and further

139
 COMMERCIALISATION,
INDUSTRY AND
COMPETITIVENESS

COMMERCIALISATION INCREASING KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS

ABOUT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF SPACE
Supporting European startups and scaleups ESA further
developed its network of Business Incubation Centres (BIC) in In December, together with Eurostat, the Joint Research
2023 with the opening of new ESA BICs in Vilnius (Lithuania), Centre, the OECD and the US Bureau of Economic Analysis,
Milan, Padua and Brindisi (Italy), and Vaasa and Tampere ESA published a comprehensive list of statistical codes for the
(Finland). ESA now has 29 BICs in 21 countries, with more US and Europe – the first of its kind – to measure the space
than 1,600 startups incubated and 5,000 jobs created over a economy at international level.
19-year period. The companies incubated in the BICs raised
more than €400m in investments in 2023, generating €200m ESA established the European Centre for Space Economy
in revenue and filing 150 patents. and Commerce (ECSECO) in Vienna, which organised several
webinars and conferences about the space economy and
ESA supports companies with their financing needs and, in commerce in 2023.
2023, worked with its network of 40 investment companies
to help them better understand the specific characteristics
and attractiveness of space markets. ESA also facilitates SUPPORTING INNOVATION FOR NEW
introductions with the startups it works with and collaborates APPLICATIONS
with the European Investment Fund, the European
Commission and many other partners. ESA is developing a network of research centres in its Member
States, where scientists and companies work together
Through its Commercialisation Gateway and SME Office, ESA towards commercially oriented innovations. The first Φ-lab,
continued to facilitate business interaction between space and based in ESRIN, is a centre for research into new technologies
non-space sectors and ESA programmes in 2023 in order to and applications for Earth observation.
facilitate access to all the opportunities and projects provided
by the Agency. ESA maintained its network of Technology Brokers working
across ESA to increase the adaptation of space technology for

140
non-space applications. More than 200 technology transfers industrial return are being discussed with Member States. The
were initiated by the network. Agency has also worked to mitigate the effects of economic
instability in 2023 among its industrial partners and suppliers,
ESA is working to increase the use of space applications renegotiating industrial rates and addressing claims linked to
and data in the everyday lives of European citizens. The ESA inflation. ESA’s industrial policy is also aimed at developing
Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) programme or attracting new actors in the industrial space ecosystem,
supported more than 100 activities to use space for new including in new and under-returned Member States. In 2023,
business applications in domains such as the Green Transition, the first SME and Mid-cap Days were held, attended by almost
energy, transportation, maritime and smart cities. ESA 150 companies, with a view to streamlining interactions with
monitors the societal and economic impact of these activities, SMEs and mid-caps, and 115 activities were implemented in
which have created more than 1,000 jobs and have generated 12 new and under-returned Member States for a total value
more than €1bn in projected revenue. of €39m.

INCREASING THE POSITIVE IMPACT

OF SPACE IN THE LIVES OF EUROPEAN
CITIZENS
ESA strongly supports activities linked to the Green Transition.
In the context of the ESA BASS programme, more than 300
ideas for space-based applications providing green benefits
were developed in 2023, corresponding to an investment
of €183m. ESA attended COP28, where it announced a
partnership with the United Nations CEO Water Mandate
initiative to advance the digital monitoring of 100 of the
world’s most water-stressed basins.

In other important sectors, new partnerships began in 2023

to support space-based innovation in agri-food, energy and
smart cities. ESA began a cooperative initiative with COPA- ECSECO General Assembly of the members, Vienna, 01 December 2023
COGECA, the strongest interest group for European farmers,
to facilitate the sustainable transformation of farms through
digitalisation and space. Two new partners, E.ON Innovation FINANCE, PLANNING AND CONTROL
and DEWA (Dubai Electricity and Water Authority), have
joined the Innovation in Energy through Space Task Force. In The ESA Executive is actively contributing to the
September, ESA launched the Space for Smart and Green Cities implementation of the decisions taken at CM22 and to the
Task Force, bringing together cities such as Amsterdam, Paris, ESA Transformation initiative, in particular by developing the
Bristol, Essen, Bologna, Naples, Taranto, Turin and Venice and matrix approach, strengthening project management and
international groups, such as ICLEI, to work on sustainable accelerating initiatives in the areas of digital transformation
urban development and mobility using space applications. and streamlining of processes.

To increase synergies with ESA’s technical programmes Financial Accounting & Operations
in the domains of launchers, Earth observation and
connectivity, ESA launched new marketing campaigns to With the 2023 accounts, ESA aims to repeat its 2022
advertise all opportunities and organised Agency-wide ESA achievement, namely of achieving 11 straight years of
Commercialisation Days on health and transportation in order unqualified financial statements and, for the second year
to connect the ecosystem. in a row, to receive zero audit recommendations, thus
fostering continued stakeholder confidence in ESA’s financial
management.
COMMERCIALISATION, PROCUREMENT AND Through highly digitalised processes, ESA made over 38,400
INDUSTRIAL POLICY, AUDIT payments, incorporating special payment acceleration
measures for industry, with an average time-to-payment
The years that follow ESA Council meetings at ministerial
of 15 calendar days versus ESA’s 30-day contractual terms.
level are characterised by extensive contractual activity, with
Digitalisation continued in invoice processing and travel
more than 1,200 contracts placed in 2023, including a number
expense management.
of contracts for large missions. As the space ecosystem
rapidly evolves, ESA works to adapt its rules and processes The treasury team successfully implemented a new
to ensure greater speed and flexibility in support of the treasury management system that supports end-to-end
competitiveness of the European space industry. The ESA treasury operations and management, and provides greater
Procurement Regulations and rules for the implementation of automation, security and advanced reporting capabilities.

141
 Corporate Planning, Budgeting and Controlling The financial result amounts to a surplus of 224.2 M€
compared to a deficit of 103.5 M€ in 2022, resulting in an
Budgets, long-term planning and Agency-wide multi-year increase of 327.7 M€. The financial surplus in 2023 is mainly
financial plans and strategies were developed. Following related to the positive bank interests of the treasury in 2023
endorsement of the 2024 cost plans by the Programme and the performance of the Pension Buffer fund in 2023.
Boards, Council adopted the record-high 2024 budgets
(€7.8bn for mandatory and optional ESA programmes and The Financial Information presented hereinafter, was
for third-party activities). extracted from the ESA Financial Statements 2023. ESA
Financial Statements 2023 also include a summary of
Departmental digitalisation efforts made progress, including significant accounting policy and Notes to the Financial
further development and automation of financial KPIs for
Statements and were audited by the Audit Commission of
management dashboards, requesting party database analysis
the European Space Agency. The Audit Commission conducted
and data model improvements.
its audit in accordance with the International Standards on
Auditing (ISA). As required by the Financial Regulations,
this audit included also the aspect of regularity. In the Audit
ANNUAL REPORT - FINANCIAL STATEMENTS Commission’s opinion, the 2023 audited Financial Statements
give a true and fair view of the Financial Position of the
Notes to the Financial Statements European Space Agency as at 31 December 2023, and of its
Financial Performance and its Statement Cash Flows for the
As required by the ESA Financial Regulations, the Agency’s
12 month period ended 31 December 2023, in accordance
annual Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with
with International Public Sector Accounting Standards
International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS)
(IPSAS).
since 2010.
Concerning the aspect of regularity, the Audit Commission
The Financial Information presented herewith was extracted
reported that nothing came to its attention, which would
from the audited ESA Financial Statements for the financial
indicate that the transactions of ESA have not been made, in
year 2023. This Financial Information consists of the
all significant respects, in accordance with the Regulations of
following extracted components:
the European Space Agency.

The audited Financial Statements and the Independent

• Statement of Financial Position; Auditor’s report were submitted to the Council in accordance
with the ESA Financial Regulations, which were approved by
• Statement of Financial Performance; the Council Meeting on 18 June 2024.

• Statement of Changes in Net Assets/Equity;

• Statement of Cash Flows.

The net surplus of 2023 amounts to 1,512.5 M€ compared to

a surplus of 452.3 M€ in 2022. The breakdown is as follows:

• 1 ,584.3 M€ net surplus for ESA activities and programmes

(800.4 M€ net surplus in 2022)

• 8 6.4 M€ net deficit for Pensions

(359.9 M€ net deficit in 2022)

• 1 4.6 M€ net surplus for Social Security

(11.8 M€ net surplus in 2022)

The result of 2023 increased by 1,060.2 M€ compared to

2022 mainly due to increased operating revenues by 888.0 M€
compared to prior year, partially offset by increased operating
expenses by 155.5 M€ compared to prior year.

142
I. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION

31 December 01 January
31 December 2022 2022
2023 Restated* Restated*
Total Assets 19,654.7 17,275.5 15,859.4
Current assets 6,500.6 4,931.4 3,952.4
Cash and cash equivalents 3,971.9 3,194.4 1,954.4
Recoverables from non-exchange transactions 254.1 153.2 234.5
Receivables from exchange transactions 1,700.5 942.5 1,285.1
Inventories 574.1 641.3 478.4
Non-current assets 13,154.1 12,344.1 11,907.0
Recoverables from non-exchange transactions 2.4 12.0 12.0
Receivables from exchange transactions 811.4 824.8 665.6

Financial assets 1,320.8 1,200.8 1,164.2

Property, plant and equipment 10,712.7 9,974.0 9,742.1

Intangible assets 306.8 332.5 323.1
Total Liabilities 11,513.8 10,007.2 12,528.5
Current liabilities 4,316.1 3,748.1 3,248.6
Payables under exchange transactions 3,655.2 3,146.1 2,720.6
Current payables 1,616.9 1,410.6 1,516.7
Pre-financing from exchange transactions 1,661.3 1,486.6 1,072.7
Deferred income 377.0 249.0 131.2
Contributions and other payables 330.3 249.6 234.1
Prepaid contributions and other amounts
303.9 182.4 201.7
payable to Member/Participating States
Pre-financing from non-exchange transactions 2.2 3.0 2.4

Other financial liabilities 0.5 0.0 0.0

Other payables 23.7 64.2 30.0
Employee benefits obligations 287.7 270.7 232.7
Provisions 42.8 81.6 61.2
Non-current liabilities 7,197.8 6,259.2 9,279.9
Employee benefits obligations 6,397.3 5,512.7 8,749.3
Other payables 299.7 392.2 229.0
Deferred income 276.3 287.8 280.7
Pre-financing from non-exchange transactions 0.0 0.2 0.0
Pre-financing from exchange transactions 224.5 66.3 20.9
Net Assets 8,140.9 7,268.3 3,330.9
Reserves 10,819.6 10,647.3 6,352.4
Amounts to be called from Member States -4,191.2 -3,831.3 -3,618.3
Net Surplus/ (Deficit) for the period 1,512.5 452.3 586.4

Net Assets 8,140.9 7,268.3 3,330.9

(*) T
 he current and non-current supplier advances related to Property, Plant and Equipment have been reclassified to advances for
Property, Plant and Equipment as per 31.12.2022 and 31.12.2021

143
 II. STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

2023 2023
Notes million € million €

Operating Revenues 6,741.5 5,853.5

Contributions from Member/Participating

5,044.3 4,723.0
States

Other contributions and grants 17.5 26.2

Revenues from exchange transactions 1,253.8 735.3

Staff contributions 73.5 64.4

Other operating income 352.4 304.6

Operating Expenses -5,453.2 -5,297.7

Purchases -2,407.1 -1,796.6

External Servicies -1,366.5 -1,367.2

Staff expenses -706.9 -765.2

Other Operating expenses -329.1 -304.9

Expenses from non-exchange transaction (*) -30.4 -193.5

Depreciation and amortization -581.7 -698.6

Impairment -20.2 -134.9

Write-downs inventories and fixed assets,

-11.3 -36.8
doubtful debts, provisions for future losses

Net Surplus / (Deficit) from Operating

1,288.3 555.8
activities

Financial Activities 224.2 -103.5

Financial revenue 255.7 26.4

Financial expenses -31.5 -129.9

Net Surplus / (Deficit)

1,512.5 452.3
for the period

144
 III. STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS

Change in
the present
value of the
Allocation Employee
of audited Benefit
31 2021 Defined Transfers 31
December surplus/ 2022 Net Benefit Fair Value between Other December
2021 (deficit) Surplus Obligation adjustments reserves changes 2022

million € million € million € million € million € million € million € million €

RESERVES A 6,362.8 799.5 3,537.0 -53.3 0.0 1.5 10,647.3

Member States Capital and

-3,195.5 70.9 3,537.0 -53.3 15.0 -0.1 -35.9
Reserves

Revaluation Reserve 852.2 -339.1 15.0 700.6

Currency Exchange Gains

1.7 0.9 2.6
Reserve

Sundry Reserves 0.1 0.1 0.0

Other Reserves -4,022.5 -200.4 3,537.0 -53.3 -739.2

Social security reserve 45.2 11.5 -5.2 51.5

Buffer Fund fair value

6.9 -48.1 -41.2
reserve

Reserve Barter -83.9 -211.9 -295.8

Actuarial gains and losses -3,990.7 3,537.0 -453.8

Accumulated Surplus 9,558.3 1,138.6 -15.0 1.6 10,683.3

Accumulated Surplus ESA

9,407.5 1,165.8 3.1 1.6 10,578.0
programmes

Accumulated Surplus Third

131.7 -28.2 -18.1 85.3
Party programmes

Accumulated Surplus PECS 19.1 1.0 20.0

AMOUNTS TO BE CALLED
B -3,618.3 -213.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -3,831.3
FROM MEMBER STATES

Member States pension

-3,618.3 -213.1 -3,831.3
scheme receivable

Accumulated Deficit

Net Surplus / (Deficit)

C 586.4 -586.4 452.3 452.3
for the Period

TOTAL NET ASSETS A+B+C 3,390.0 0.0 452.3 3,537.0 -53.3 0.0 1.5 7,268.3

145
 Change in
the present
value of the
Allocation Employee
of audited Benefit
31 2022 Defined Allocation 31
December surplus/ 2023 Net Benefit Fair Value of financial Other December
2022 (deficit) Surplus Obligation adjustments interests changes 2023

million € million € million € million € million € million € million € million €

RESERVES A 10,647.3 812.3 -665.4 30.9 -5.5 -0.0 10,819.6

Member States Capital and

-35.9 -276.7 -665.4 30.9 -0.2 -947.3
Reserves

Revaluation Reserve 700.6 -114.4 -0.1 586.2

Currency Exchange Gains

2.6 -0.2 -0.2 2.3
Reserve

Other Reserves -739.2 -162.0 -665.4 30.9 -1,535.8

Social security reserve 51.5 11.7 3.1 66.3

Buffer Fund fair value

-41.2 27.8 -13.5
reserve

Reserve Barter -295.8 -173.7 -469.4

Actuarial gains and losses -453.8 -665.4 -1,119.2

Accumulated Surplus 10,683.3 1,089.0 -5.5 0.2 11,766.9

Accumulated Surplus ESA

10,578.0 1,095.1 -5.5 0.3 11,667.7
programmes

Accumulated Surplus Third

85.3 -5.4 80.0
Party programmes

Accumulated Surplus PECS 20.0 -0.8 -0.0 19.2

AMOUNTS TO BE CALLED
B -3,831.3 -359.9 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 -4,191.2
FROM MEMBER STATES

Member States pension

-3,831.3 -359.9 -4,191.2
scheme receivable

Accumulated Deficit

Net Surplus / (Deficit)

C 452.3 -452.3 1,512.5 1,512.5
for the Period

TOTAL NET ASSETS A+B+C 7,268.3 0.0 1,512.5 -665.4 30.9 -5.5 -0.0 8,140.9

146
IV. STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS

31 December 2022
31 December 2023
Restated*
million € million €

Net Cash Flows 774.3 1,238.6

Net Cash Flows from Operating Activities 2,130.3 2,515.4

Surplus/(deficit) from ordinary activities 1,512.5 452.3

Reclassification to investing activities -14.9 -2.1

Non-cash movements 524.1 966.9

Depreciation and impairment 601.9 833.5

Provisions and Accruals -56.0 20.0

Write-downs / Adjustments inventories and fixed

44.4 16.5
assets, provisions for future losses on inventories

Revaluation of financial assets at fair value -67.1 98.4

Effect of exchange rates on operating activities 0.9 -1.5

Decrease (Increase) in Deferrals/accruals of past or

108.6 1,098.3
future operating cash receipts or payments

Decrease/(increase) in inventories 82.5 -163.6

Decrease/(increase) in recoverables from Member States -100.1 80.7

Decrease/(increase) in other receivables 15.6 38.2

Decrease/(increase) in other current assets -764.1 146.6

Increase/(decrease) in payable to
Member/Participating States 116.1 -17.8

Increase/(decrease) in pre-financing 331.8 460.1

Increase/(decrease) in other payables 190.5 215.8

Increase/(decrease) in provisions for employee benefits 236.3 338.3

147
 31 December 2022
31 December 2023
Restated*
million € million €

Net Cash Flows 774.3 1,238.6

Net Cash Flows from Operating Activities 2,130.3 2,515.4

Net Cash Flows from Investing Activities -1,356.0 -1,276.8

Acquisition of fixed assets -1,349.2 -1,090.7

Proceeds from sales of fixed assets 0.1 0.1

Purchases of financial investments (portfolio) -169.3 -384.9

Proceeds on disposal of financial investments (portfolio) 151.9 192.2

Interests received on financial assets 10.5 6.5

Net increase/(decrease) in cash and

774.3 1,238.6
cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year 3,194.4 1,954.4

Effect of foreign exchange gain/loss on

-3.2 -1.4
foreign-denominated cash & cash equivalent

Cash and cash equivalents at year-end 3,971.9 3,194.4

(*) The current and non-current supplier advances related to Property, Plant and Equipment have been reclassified to advances for Property,
Plant and Equipment as per 31.12.2022 and 31.12.2021

148
Income by Member and Participating States’ contributions, and for
some programmes, also by other entities, including the
ESA Mandatory Activities (including the General Budget and European Union and EUMETSAT. For Optional Programmes,
Scientific Programme) and activities associated with the Participating States declare a voluntary subscription on a
General Budget are financed by Member and Participating multi-annual basis. Third-Party Programmes, managed by ESA,
States’ contributions. ESA Optional Programmes are financed are fully financed by third parties.

FUNDING FOR ESA ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES

Final budget by domain for 2023: €7.46 bn 4.0% 7.9% 0.8% 24.7%
1.2% €301.5m €592.0m €57.6m €1846.5m
Scientific Programme €86.6m
4.1%
Human and Robotic Exploration €302.5m
0.1%
Space Transportation €6.2m
Technology Support 3.3%
Commercialisation €243.0m
3.1%
Connectivity and Secure Communications €232.6m
Earth Observation
Navigation 9.1%
Space Safety €681.4m
European Cooperation States Agreememts 13.5%
€1008.9m
Basic Activities
Associated with General Budget 12.9%
Prodex €961.4m 15.3%
€1142.6m
* Includes activities implemented for other institutional partners

ESA 2023 BUDGET BY FUNDING SOURCE

Austria: €65.5m (1.2%) Other: €212.0m (4.0%)

Belgium: €284.6m (5.4%) Canada: €33.8m (0.6%)
Czech Republic: €49.2m (0.9%) Slovenia: €5.1m (0.1%)
Denmark: €35.1m (0.7%) Slovakia: €3.0m (0.1%)
Estonia: €8.9m (0.2%) Lithuania: €1.8m (0.0%)
Finland: €39.0m (0.7%) Latvia: €1.7m (0.0%)
France: €1079.4m (20.4%) United Kingdom: €694.0m (13.1%)
Germany: €1064.2m (20.2%) Switzerland: €201.6m (3.8%)
Greece: €21.0m (0.4%) Sweden: €89.7m (1.7%)
Hungary: €24.7m (0.5%) Spain: €285.7m (5.4%)
Ireland: €32.3m (0.6%) Romania: €56.4m (1.1%)
Italy: €680.1m (12.9%) Portugal: €30.8m (0.6%)
TOTAL: €5.28 bn
Luxembourg: €42.0m (0.8%) Poland: €68.6m (1.3%)
Netherlands: €95.6m (1.8%) Norway: €75.4m (1.4%)

1.7% Income from EUMETSAT

67.9%
7.4% Other income
Income from Member States
for ESA programmes
and activities

22.9% Income from EU

TOTAL: €7.46 bn

149
 Cost Earth Observation: Copernicus Space Component (31%),
EOEP Period 5 (9%), Future EO (29%), MetOp Second
ESA’s total cost in 2023 amounted to €5,992m, of which Generation Development (6%).
€4,264m related to ESA programmes and activities and
€1,729m to Third-Party activities. Human and Robotic Exploration: Mars Sample Return (16%),
European Service Module (ESM) (24%), Gateway (14%).
Mandatory Activities represented 15% (€928m), 53% was
accounted for by Optional Programmes (€3,176m), 2% by Connectivity and Secure Communications: Core
activities associated to the General Budget (€134m), and 29% Competitiveness (46%), PARTNER (23%) and IAP/BASS
by programmes financed by Third Parties (€1,729m). (14%)

Most of the cost accrued in 2023 by domain is provided below. Technology Support: General Studies Technology Programme
R&D (86%) and Proba-3 (13%)
Basic Activities: Discovery, Preparation & Technology
Development (38%), Mission Operations Infrastructure Space Safety: HERA Mission (65%) and COSMIC (17%)
(12%), Sites & Common IT Investment (8%) and Engineering
Labs & Test Centres (15%) Navigation: NAVISP (91%)

Scientific Programme: Missions in implementation (67%) Third-party: EU programmes, Galileo FOC DC - GSA – EUSPA
Missions in operation (16%), Mission preparation (13%) (43%) in Navigation and Copernicus MFF (22%) in Earth
Observation
Space Transportation: Ariane 6 Development (13%), Ariane 6
& P120C Transition (8%) and Space Rider Step 2.2 (5%) Associated to General Budget: CSG 2020–2024 (88%)

COST BY DOMAIN (€M)

0.54%
Scientific Programme €34m
Human and Robotic Exploration
Space Transportation 2.58%
€155m 0.45%
Technology Support €27m
1.21%
Commercialisation €72m
Connectivity and Secure Communications 2.84%
2.24%
Earth Observation €170m
€134m 0.04%
Navigation €2m
28.85%
Space Safety €1,729m
5.06%
Third Party & ECSA €303m
Basic Activities 6.96%
Associated with General Budget €417m

Prodex
Miscellaneaous

10.42%
€624m

14.57%
€873m
11.60%
€695m
12.63%
€757m

150
WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT additional tasks requested by the European Commission for the
European Union Secure Connectivity Programme, support new
Recruitment activity continued to be intensive in 2023, reaching National Projects and strengthen core competencies to retain
a level of 229 new staff members (an increase of 7.5% on the required knowledge and shape the workforce of the future.
2022) excluding the recruitment of Young Graduate Trainees In addition to this, the Agency is progressing in the redefini-
and Research Fellows and without considering temporary staff tion of the overall Agency Resource Strategy that will drive the
hired to support National Projects. Additional increases in the future sourcing of manpower resources.
staff ceiling were approved by Council in 2023 to implement

The table below provides an overview of the distribution of staff by nationality and grade at 31 December 2023.

Member States Hors Classe A L B C Total Staff

Austria 1 33 1 2 37

Belgium 1 117 3 121

Czech Republic 10 10

Denmark 9 1 10

Estonia 5 2 7

Finland 23 2 25

France 2 549 9 46 3 609

Germany 2 470 4 28 504

Greece 28 2 30

Hungary 13 13

Ireland 16 1 2 19

Italy 1 413 15 429

Lithuania 3 3

Luxemburg 5 5

Norway 23 2 25

Poland 35 1 36

Portugal 35 2 37

Romania 40 40

Slovakia 1 1

Slovenia 2 1 3

Spain 1 225 3 229

Sweden 36 1 37

Switzerland 1 21 1 23

The Netherlands 65 8 73

United Kingdom 2 274 2 17 295

Total 11 2451 17 139 3 2621

Non-Member States 11 2451 17 139 3 2621

Canada 23 1 24

Grand Total 11 2474 17 140 3 2645

151
 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY COMMUNICATION
The ESA Green Agenda (EGA) aims to reduce the Agency’s ESA participated in the European Space Conference in Brussels
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increase ESA's on 24 and 25 January 2023, teaming up with the European
contribution to the sustainable development of society Commission to jointly advance Europe in space, focusing on
and the space sector. Specifically, GHG emissions will be green space, Galileo and Copernicus.
reduced by 2030 by 46% for Agency operational activities
and by 28% for the activities carried out by suppliers with ESA and CNES shared a pavilion at the Paris Airshow in Le
2019 as a baseline. To achieve these goals, a number of Bourget from 19 to 25 June, presenting dedicated joint events
different initiatives and areas of work have been developed. on the future of human spaceflight, space transportation,
A methodology was created to measure the GHG emissions commercialisation in space, applications in space and space for
of any ESA space mission, with special focus on downstream a green future.
applications, which was assessed on Sentinel 1 and 2 through
The historic achievements at the Space Summit in November
project Arrhenius. This methodology will be made more robust
in Seville as well as the debate surrounding it were
and will be systematically applied to all ESA programme and
successfully communicated. ESA was able to set the tone as
activities. Agency-wide, projects have been implemented
the most prominent party featured in the discussions. Part
to reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency at
of the ESA Council meeting was live-streamed, including an
all levels. The Agency has also moved forward with the
inflight call with Andreas Mogensen on board the ISS, media
systematic application of ecodesign and life cycle assessments
were hosted in a press centre on site, Council documents
(LCAs), which will be reflected in the ESA LCA Handbook 2024.
were made publicly available in advance and the first
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been key to the
images of Euclid were released and presented to Ministers.
development of a CSR Code of Conduct to ensure responsible
This together with various photo opportunities and press
procurement. Change Management has been an overarching
conferences allowed for a successful communication package
effort, with one of the goals of EGA’s Change Management
leading to very positive coverage in the media for this
approach being to bring awareness about the importance and
important milestone of Agenda 2025.
urgency of embedding sustainability into ESA’s core activities
through strategic communication and engagement events Nine ESA Days in close cooperation with Member States were
such as the ESA Earth Days, which gathered more than 300 organised in 2023. Slovakia, Belgium, Latvia, France, the
participants, 60 volunteers, 13 speakers and ten climate United Kingdom, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Slovenia and
frescoes throughout ESA’s eight main sites. The Agency Denmark, together with ESA, each developed a programme
has also been part of the global discussion surrounding the combining political networking, edutainment/entertainment for
sustainable development of the space sector through its the general public and information for media and implemented
participation in the Global Space Conference on Climate Change these days together at national locations helping greatly to
2023 organised by the International Aeronautical Federation, bring European space to the general public.
holding a seat in various round tables and technical panels.
Furthermore, ESA organised multiple signature events of The preparation of Ariane 6 for its maiden flight took place
the Statement for a Responsible Space Sector in 2023, as under the watchful eyes of the public. The Communication
well as the first plenary meeting with signatories at ESA Department has put considerable effort into communicating
Headquarters in Paris in November. progress – as far as possible – transparently and in real time.
Regular reports of the Launcher Task Force were published,
media briefings were held and for the first time a hot-firing
test in Kourou was streamed live over the internet, resulting
in almost 140,000 viewers.

Fully-fledged launch communication campaigns were

implemented for the launches of Juice and Euclid, featuring
multiple launch events at the launch sites in French Guiana
and Florida as well as in Darmstadt, combined with national
events in various Member States. Based on the live ESA Web
TV broadcasts, VIPs were able to witness the launch, and
journalists to report on them. Dedicated merchandising sets,
brochures, media kits, videos and infographics were made
available and helped make these two launches among the
most impactful ESA communication campaigns of 2023.

Not only the number of communication activities increased in

2023 with, for example, 50% more web stories and images
published in the second half of the year. Visibility and impact
also increased by 20% with respect to 2022.

152
RELATIONS WITH MEMBER STATES the celebration of the 20th anniversary of the European
Cooperating State (ECS) scheme established in 2001. The ECS
In 2023, the Director General continued to visit and exchange Agreement with Malta was signed by the Director of Legal and
with Member States, often taking the opportunity offered International Matters, Eric Morel during the event held on 25
by various major events. This included appointments with October in Larnaca, Cyprus. Croatia also became an ECS in 2023,
Ministers and politicians in charge of space matters and and the PECS contributions of Cyprus and Bulgaria were raised.
related fields, with delegations, and addressing parliaments,
industry, the press, academic institutions and the general The six-month Huginn mission of ESA Astronaut Andreas
public whenever possible. Some meetings were held remotely. Mogensen was one of the highlights of ESA-NASA cooperation,
In addition, the ESA Executive remained in close touch with all with Andreas playing a pivotal role as the pilot of Crew-7
relevant national counterparts. and ISS Commander. Mutually beneficial cooperation with
NASA and other US entities was successfully pursued. Several
agreements between ESA and NASA were formalised in 2023,
EXTERNAL RELATIONS including MoUs on the BepiColombo, Ariel, EnVision and Mars
Express missions. The NASA-ESA-CSA James Webb Space
Relations with European Union Institutions Telescope continued to produce remarkable scientific data.

In 2023, ESA and the European Commission continued to The Director General hosted a visit by Keiko Nagaoka,
build upon the strong foundation of cooperation established Japanese Minister for Education, Culture, Sports, Science and
by the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement (FFPA), Technology (MEXT), the first ministerial-level visit to take place
placing Europe and European skills and knowledge at in the new ESA Headquarters building. The visit highlighted
the centre of innovation in the space sector. The historic the strength and solidity of cooperation between ESA and
Contribution Agreement for IRIS² – the EU’s Secure Japan. ESA and JAXA initiated a joint exercise to define a
Connectivity programme signed in September 2023 between future generation of ESA-JAXA cooperative projects. An ESA
ESA and the Commission for a period of twelve years – delegation visited Tokyo in early December to forge ahead
showcases the organisations’ joint commitment to long- with the cooperation. The agreement on ESA-JAXA cooperation
lasting cooperation. IRIS², one of the Commission’s flagship on the JAXA-led Solar-C mission was signed.
programmes, holds particular importance in the context
ESA contributions to the Chinese Academy of Sciences’
of current geopolitical challenges – all the more reason to
Einstein Probe were finalised and the mission launched
celebrate ESA’s key role in this critical initiative. In November,
successfully on 9 January 2024. Development of the SMILE
the ESA Space Summit took place in Seville during the EU
mission continued successfully. In September, the Dragon
Space Week, a three-day gathering of key European space
Symposium was held in Hohhot to review the results of the
stakeholders and leaders. During the Space Summit, the
Dragon joint Earth science cooperation project.
Resolution on Lifting Europe’s Ambition for a Green and
Sustainable Future, Access to Space and Space Exploration An ESA delegation visited several ISRO (Indian Space
was adopted, cementing ESA’s renewed commitment to Research Organisation) establishments in Ahmedabad and
sustainability and innovation. In addition, the progress Bengaluru to revitalise the ESA-ISRO cooperative relationship.
made since CM22 on the Space for a Green Future, Rapid Follow-up discussions were held to refine areas of specific
and Resilient Crisis Response and PROTECT Accelerators was common interest.
presented to the Ministers and delegates at the Summit.
An ESA visit to the United Arab Emirates led to concrete
This call for innovation was further emphasised during ESA’s exchanges on future cooperation.
joint informal meeting with the Commission, with both
entities recognising the vital importance of strategic and Brazil indicated its wish to reestablish cooperation with ESA
autonomous access to space as well as the development of in the Earth observation domain. The Cooperation Agreement
space commercialisation. ESA-EU relations will continue to with Argentina was extended. ESA and the Mexican Space
prosper in 2024, which marks 20 years since the signing of Agency signed a cooperation agreement.
the 2004 Framework Agreement, a key forerunner of the FFPA. ESA pursued specific cooperation projects with multiple
The Space Council will reconvene on 23 May 2024. partners in Africa.

International Relations
ESA’s Associate Members –Slovenia, Latvia, Lithuania
and Slovakia – contributed to optional programmes and
Requesting Party Activities. Slovenia notified ESA of its intent
to become an ESA Member State upon the expiry of the
Association Agreement.

Cooperation with Members of the European Union which

are not Member States of ESA was marked in 2023 by

153
 LEGAL SERVICES The team also supported Council and its subordinate bodies
with dozens of meetings – and the issuing of hundreds of
During 2023, the Legal Services Department provided a
official documents – throughout the year, reviewed and
wide range of legal services to internal and external clients,
co-shaped internal policies such as the new ESA space debris
supporting the implementation of approved programmes,
mitigation policy, and provided assistance to Member States
facilitating the establishment of new activities and
for the elaboration and implementation of national space laws.
partnerships, safeguarding the consistent application of ESA’s
The review of the Agency’s Procurement Regulations was
institutional legal framework, providing analysis and advice,
initiated in 2023 through an interdisciplinary effort, with a
and contributing to legal discourse and development in the
view to its being concluded in 2024.
broader context of the Agency’s purpose.
As ESA is not only a mechanism of international cooperation
The preparation and conduct of the Space Summit – including
but also an actor and partner in international endeavours, the
the drafting and negotiation of the associated resolutions
Legal Services Department also supported the negotiation
and decisions, in particular for European access to space –
and establishment of new cooperative frameworks. A list
was one of the Department’s focal areas in 2023. Other
of international agreements entered into by ESA in 2023 is
milestones included the signature of the host agreement
provided in Annex 2.
with France, the revision of the Agreement between ESA
and the European Union (EU) on the security and exchange
of classified information, various amendments of delegation
agreements and contribution agreements in the context of
ESA’s long-standing cooperation with the EU, and support
for the implementation, for the first time, of the ESA private
astronaut mission scheme.
For these and many more activities, the Department’s team
of lawyers and legal assistants cooperated closely throughout
the year with the Agency’s directorates and service units,
handling the revision of declarations and implementing rules
across ESA’s programmes, enabling novel legal schemes
and solutions, and processing and ensuring legally sound
decisions, among other things.

Group photo - ESA Council at Ministerial level at the Space Summit 2023 on 6 November in Seville, Spain.

154
315th ESA Council at the new ESA Headquarter in Paris, France on 22 March 2023.

155
 ANNEX

156
152 Annex 1 – Advisory bodies

153 Annex 2 – International Agreements signed in 2023

154 Annex 3 – List of Communication events organised in 2023

155 Annex 4 – List of ESA Publications

157
 ANNEX 1
Advisory bodies

ESA advisory groups can be divided into two categories:

advisory groups to ESA delegate bodies and advisory groups
to the ESA Director General.

ADVISORY GROUPS TO ADVISORY GROUPS TO

ESA DELEGATE BODIES THE ESA DIRECTOR GENERAL
Council Advisory Group Science Advisory Committees
Oversight Committee (OC) Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC)

IPC Advisory Groups Advisory Committee for Earth Observation (ACEO)

Technology Harmonisation Advisory Group (THAG) GNSS Science Advisory Committee (GSAC)

Technology Advisory Working Group (TA-WG) Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory
Committee (HESAC)
Industrial Policy Evolution Working Group (IPE-WG)
Space Situational Awareness Advisory Group (SSA-AG)
JCB Advisory Groups
Science Working Groups
5G Advisory Committee (5JAC)
Astronomy Working Group (AWG)
Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) Advisory
Committee Life Sciences Working Group (LSWG)

Optical Communication - ScyLight Advisory Committee Physical Sciences Working Group (PSWG)
(SCOTT) Solar System Exploration Working Group (SSEWG)

PB-EO Advisory Group Other Advisory Groups

Data Operations Scientific and Technical Advisory Group Advisory Communication Committee (ACC)
(DOSTAG) Advisory Committee on Education (EXP-ACE)
PB-HME Advisory Group
Exploration and Utilisation Board (EUB)
SEC Advisory Groups
ESA INFOSEC Panel More information on the various groups can be found in the
ESA Industrial Security Panel yearly Council document on the ESA Advisory Structure.

158
 ANNEX 2
International Agreements signed in 2023

The following international agreements and acts between the LEG/561: Memorandum of Understanding between ESA
Agency and third parties were concluded or entered into force and NASA concerning the ESA-led Ariel Mission
in 2023, issued in the ESA/LEG series accordingly: LEG/562: Multilateral Agreement concerning the Comet
Interceptor
LEG/553: Agreement between the European Space Agency LEG/563: Multilateral Agreement concerning the Gaia
and the Mexican Space Agency of the United Mexican States Mission
concerning space cooperation for peaceful purposes
LEG/564: Memorandum of Understanding Between the
LEG/554: Contribution Agreement between the European European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration
Union, represented by the European Commission, and the Agency (JAXA) concerning the Comet Interceptor Mission
European Space Agency on the Regional Copernicus Centre in
Panama (CopLAC) LEG/565: Contribution Agreement between the European
Union, represented by the European Commission, and
LEG/555: Contribution Agreement between the European European Space Agency on the Implementation of the
Union, represented by the European Commission, and the European Union Secure Connectivity Programme
European Space Agency on the National Copernicus Capacity
Support Action Programme for the Philippines (CopPhil) LEG/566: Agreement between the European Space Agency
and the European Space Policy Institute (ESPI)
LEG/556: Agreement between the European Space Agency
and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on LEG/567: Agreement for the European Space Agency’s
the flight of CURIE on Ariane 6 inaugural flight Assistance to Spain concerning Earth Observation and
Telecommunication Activities
LEG/557: Agreement between the European Space Agency
and the Government of the French Republic on the Guiana LEG/568: Arrangement between the European Space
Space Center and Associated Services (Period 2023-–2035) Agency and the Government of Canada concerning the
participation by the Government of Canada in the Space
LEG/558: European Cooperating State (ECS) Agreement Safety Programme
between the European Space Agency and the Government of
the Republic of Croatia LEG/569: Agreement for the European Space Agency’s
Assistance to the Republic of Poland concerning the Earth
LEG/558, add.1: The Plan for European Cooperating State Observation Project “Country Awareness Mission in Land
(PECS) Charter between the European Space Agency and the Analysis”
Government of the Republic of Croatia
LEG/570: Memorandum of Understanding between the
LEG/559: Memorandum of Understanding between the European Space Agency and the United Nations Environment
European Space Agency and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Programme on cooperation in the use of Earth observation
Agency (JAXA) concerning the JAXA-led mission SOLAR-C data and technology for the environment.
LEG/560: Memorandum of Understanding between ESA and
NASA concerning the Bepi Colombo Mission

159
 ANNEX 3
List of Communication events organised in 2023

MONTH EVENT

23 January Director General’s annual press conference

24–25 January 15th European Space Conference Brussels
9 February Media Visit of ESMs at Airbus, Bremen
21 February Euclid at Thales Alenia Space, Cannes
3 March Media event regarding the Independent Enquiry Board for Vega-C
8–9 March Media pre-launch programme to see Juice spacecraft at CSG
21 March Visit of ESA’s New Headquarters in Paris
23 March Presentation of the HLAG Report
2 April Astronaut class of 2022 begin basic training
14 April Juice launch events at CSG, ESOC
23–25 May Global Climate Change Conference, ESA received ‘Space for Climate’ Award
31 May – 2 June European Navigation Conference, ESA ESTEC
2 June Ready for the Moon event, Vienna
19–25 June Paris Airshow, Le Bourget,
1 July Euclid launch events at KSC and ESA ESOC
3 July First data from Meteosat Third Generation satellite’s Lightning Imager
5 July Ariane 5 final flight
11 July Inauguration of ESA ECSAT’s new Conference Centre
28 July Re-entry of Aeolus
26 August Launch of Andreas Mogensen, launch event at KSC and in Denmark
1 September Ariane 6 upper stage motor test firing
2 October Media event regarding Vega-C Zefiro 40 motor Independent Enquiry Commission
9 October VV23 Vega launch
6 November Space Summit in Seville, Euclid’s first images
23 November Ariane 6 long hot fire test of Vulcain 2.1 motor, live broadcast

160
 ANNEX 4
List of ESA Publications in 2023

The following publications were produced for the ESA Communication Department:

ESA Impact Q1, Q2, Q3 and Q4 (interactive)

Space Ambition book interactive book
Esa Highlights 2023 magazine (printed and interactive)
ONE ESA Brochure printed in 5 additional Member State languages besides previous English-only version
Esa 2023 Christmas cards
Ariane 5 media kit
Esa Annual Report 2022
High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG) report
ESA Crew-7/Dragon VIP launch booklet
Huginn mission brochure
Muninn mission preflight brochure and launch kit
Esa Ax-3 VIP launch booklet

161
 IMAGE CREDITS
All images are the copyright of ESA unless stated otherwise.

Highlights 2023
02 FOREWORD | © ESA–D. DOS SANTOS
04 - 05 ESA TRANSFORMATION TOWN HALL | © ESA
THE NEW ESA HEADQUARTERS – COUNCIL CHAMBER | © ESA–S. CORVAJA
06
ESA SPACE SHOP | © ESA–P. SEBIROT
ESA HEADQUARTERS SITE, 1976 | © ESA
07 THE NEW ESA HEADQUARTERS – BUILDING | © ESA–P. SEBIROT
THE NEW ESA HEADQUARTERS – STAIRCASE | © ESA–P. SEBIROT
SCIENCE | © ESA/GAIA/DPAC; CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
SPACE TRANSPORTATION | © ESA–M. PEDOUSSAUT
10
HUMAN & ROBOTIC EXPLORATION | © NASA
OPERATIONS | © ESA–J. MAI
EARTH OBSERVATION | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2021), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
NAVIGATION | © ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE OPTIQUE VIDÉO DU CSG–P. BAUDON
COMMERCIALISATION, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITIVENESS | © GETTY IMAGES
11
TECHNOLOGY | © ESA
CONNECTIVITY AND SECURE COMMUNICATIONS | © AIRBUS
SPACE SAFETY | © GETTY IMAGES

November 2022 to January 2023

12 ARTEMIS I MISSION | © NASA
14 EUROPEAN SERVICE MODULE | © ESA–A. CONIGLI
15 MARS’ FOR METHANE | © ESA (Data source: CCI Greenhouse Gases project/contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2020)
16 FIRST MTG LAUNCH | © ESA–M. PÉDOUSSAUT
17 WEBB VIEWS CREATION | © NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, J. DEPASQUALE (STSCI), A. PAGAN (STSCI), A. M. KOEKEMOER (STSCI); CC BY 4.0
18 SAFER SPACE | © HTS
19 MERCURY TRANSIT | © ESA & NASA/SOLAR ORBITER/PHI TEAM
20 A PREDICTABLE ASTEROID | © ROBERT WERYK
21 ATOM-SCALE SCAN | © ESA–REMEDIA
22 HERA’S TINY RADAR | © JURA TEAM / UGA
23 WARMER WINTERS | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2023), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

The backbone of all space activities

25 NEW NORCIA DEEP SPACE STATION | © ESA/DSA–G. HOBSON
28–29 ESOC CONTROL ROOM | © ESA–J. MAI

February to April 2023

30 TÜRKIYE-SYRIA INTERFEROGRAM | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2023), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
32 BACK TO SCHOOL | © ESA–P. SEBIROT
33 A REVOLUTION IN WEATHER FORECASTING | © EUMETSAT/ESA
34 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HUBBLE | © NASA, ESA, STSCI; CC BY 4.0
35 TESTING ‘ZERO GRAVITY’ | © ESA/NOVESPACE
36 ESA’S TECHNICAL HEART EXPANDSES | © A-F. SHEASBY
37 PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT | © ESA–H. HANSEN
38 SPACE HOPPING | © ESA
39 HERA GETS TESTED | © HPS
40 WORLD CEREAL | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2022-23), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
41 JUPITER MISSION LEAVES EARTH | © ESA–S. CORVAJA

162
ESA’s icy moons mission
43 JUICE FAIRING SIGNATURES | © ESA–M. PEDOUSSAUT
44 EXPLORING JUPITER AND GANYMEDE (ARTIST’S IMPRESSION) | © ESA (ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: ATG MEDIALAB)
JUICE’S TEAM AT ESA’S MISSION CONTROL | © ESA–J. MAI
47 JUICE LEAVES EARTH | © ESA/JUICE/JMC, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
JUICE’S LONGEST ANTENNA AWAITS DEPLOYMENT | © ESA/JUICE/JMC, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

May to July 2023

48 GLOBAL MARS IN COLOUR | © ESA/DLR/FU BERLIN/G. MICHAEL, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
50 REVOLUTIONISING STORM PREDICTION | © EUMETSAT/ESA
51 CHEOPS DISCOVERY | © RICARDO RAMÍREZ REYES (UNIVERSIDAD DE CHILE)
52 THE POWERFUL CYCLONE MOCHA | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2023), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
53 WATER-POWERED INNOVATION | © URA THRUSTERS
54 READY FOR ASSEMBLY | © NASA
55 THE HOTTEST SUMMER | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2023), PROCESSED BY ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
56 OUT OF THE SHADOW | © ESA/BEPICOLOMBO/MTM, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
57 THE FINAL MISSION | © ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE/OPTIQUE VIDEO DU CSG–P. PIRON
58 GOOD LUCK, EUCLID | © SPACEX
59 FAREWELL AEOLUS! | © ESA/ATG MEDIALAB

The quest for a sustainable use of space

61 SPACE DEBRIS | © SPACEJUNK3D, LLC
62–63 FINAL IMAGES OF AEOLUS DURING ITS BRIEF PHASE AS SPACE DEBRIS | © FRAUNHOFER FHR

August to October 2023

66 HUGINN BEGINS | © ESA/NASA
68 HERA IS COMPLETE | © OHB
69 ARIANE 6 DRESS REHEARSAL | © ESA/ARIANEGROUP/CNES - OPTIQUE VIDÉO DU CSG
MOROCCO EARTHQUAKE FRINGES | © CONTAINS MODIFIED COPERNICUS SENTINEL DATA (2023), PROCESSED BY ARISTOTLE UNIVERSITY
70 OF THESSALONIKI AND THE DIAPASON INSAR SERVICE OF CNES INTEGRATED BY TRE ALTAMIRA ON THE GEOHAZARD EXPLOITATION
PLATFORM GEP/ESA
71 A GOLDMINE OF KNOWLEDGE | © ESA/GAIA/DPAC, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
72 23RD VEGA FLIGHT | © ESA/CNES/ARIANESPACE
73 GALILEO’S LATEST ASSET | © ESA–B. NEJAD
74 THE LUNAR CAMERA | © ESA–A. ROMEO
75 PHOEBUS TESTING | © ESA
76 A REVOLUTION FOR ASTRONOMY | © ESA/EUCLID/EUCLID CONSORTIUM/NASA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
77 SPACE SUMMIT 2023 | © ESA–S. CORVAJA

Pioneering secure communication and beyond

79 NIGHTTIME VIEW OF A PORTION OF THE GLOBE | © GETTY IMAGES
80–81 ESA’S OPTICAL GROUND STATION | © IAC–DANIEL LÓPEZ
81 OGS TELESCOPE | © AUSTRIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES–THOMAS HERBST
82 QUANTUM HARDWARE DURING PARABOLIC FLIGHT | © AUSTRIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES–DANIEL HINTERRAMSKOGLER

Focus on programmes, activities and directorates

86 FOREWORD RENATO KRPOUN | © SERI

163
 Science and exploration
93 LISA-INSPIRED ARTWORK | © ESA, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
94 SOLAR ORBITER | © ESA/ATG MEDIALAB
EUCLID’S VIEW OF THE HORSEHEAD NEBULA | © ESA/EUCLID/EUCLID CONSORTIUM/NASA, IMAGE PROCESSING BY J.-C. CUILLANDRE
95
(CEA PARIS-SACLAY), G. ANSELMI, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
97 SPACE MEN AT WORK | © NASA

Application
101 EARTHCARE IN SPACE ENVIRONMENT TESTING AT ESTEC | © ESA–SJM PHOTOGRAPHY
WORLD FIRE ATLAS 2016–2023 | © ESA
102
SENTINEL-5P DETECTED METHANE PLUMES | © ESA/SRON
103 ICE LOSS FROM GREENLAND AND ANTARCTICA | © ESA/PLANETARY VISIONS
5G/6G IS DRIVING THE FUTURE OF CONNECTIVITY | © ESA
105
THE JOEYSAT ‘’BEAM-HOPPING’’ SATELLITE READY FOR LAUNCH | © ONEWEB
INAUGURAL PRE-COMMERCIAL FLIGHT USING IRIS TECHNOLOGY | © EASYJET
106
COSMOS PARTNERSHIP PROJECT SIGNATURE | © ICEYE
107 SIGNATURE OF CONTRIBUTION AGREEMENT BETWEEN EU AND ESA ON THE EU SECURE CONNECTIVITY PROGRAMME | © ESA
109 GALILEO SECOND GENERATION AIRBUS SATELLITE | © AIRBUS DEFENCE AND SPACE
111 G2 DUAL LAUNCH VIBRATION TEST | © ESA–SJM PHOTOGRAPHY

Space safety and security

114 FUTURE VIGIL MISSION | © ESA/A. BAKER
ESA'S SPACE WEATHER MISSION - ESA VIGIL | © ESA
115
FLYEYE TELESCOPE | © ESA/A. BAKER
116 HERA ASTEROID MISSION ON SHOW | © ESA–S. BLAIR
117 SPACE DEBRIS | © ESA/ID&SENSE/ONIRIXEL
119 SIGNATURE CEREMONY | © ESA–P. SEBIROT
121 EUROPEAN SPACE SECURITY AND EDUCATION CENTRE (ESEC) | © ESA–A. MAHIN

Enabling and support

ARIANE 6 HOT FIRE | © ESA–M. PÉDOUSSAUT
125
PROMETHEUS ROARS | © ARIANEGROUP
ARTIST'S VIEW OF EUROPE'S LAUNCHER FAMILY | © ESA–D. DUCROS
126
ESA/CNES CSG CONTRACT | © ESA–M. POLO
127 ARTIST'S VIEW OF EUROPE'S LAUNCHER FAMILY | © ESA–D. DUCROS
128 BEPICOLOMBO’S THIRD MERCURY FLYBY | © ESA/BEPICOLOMBO/MTM
LOOPY STAR TRAILS SHOW THE EFFECT OF EUCLID'S FINE GUIDANCE SENSOR INTERMITTENTLY LOSING ITS GUIDE STARS
129 © ESA/EUCLID CONSORTIUM/TAS-I
JUICE’S TEAM AT ESA’S MISSION CONTROL | © ESA–J. MAI
ESA'S MALARGÜE TRACKING STATION | © ESA/U. KUGEL
130
FINAL IMAGES OF AEOLUS DURING ITS BRIEF PHASE AS SPACE DEBRIS | © FRAUNHOFER FHR
ESA’S ICE MISSION | © ESA/AOES MEDIALAB
131
EXPERTS TEAM | © ESA
133 ESA ESTEC, ESA LOGO FORMED BY PEOPLE | © AIRBUS/ESA
135 HERA INSIDE THE LEAF ACOUSTIC CHAMBER | © ESA–SJM PHOTOGRAPHY

Resources management, corporate activities and external relations

141 ECSECO GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE MEMBERS | © ESA
153 ESA GREEN AGENDA | © ESA
154 SPACE SUMMIT 2023 - GROUP PHOTO | © ESA - S. CORVAJA
155 315TH ESA COUNCIL | © ESA - S. CORVAJA

164
165
ESA Member States

Austria
Belgium
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

An ESA Production
Copyright © 2023
European Space Agency
www.esa.int