The European Space Agency has selected consortia led by Airbus Defence and Space and OHB to carry out parallel studies examining the feasibility of a future European-led outpost in low Earth orbit.
ESA announced the two lead companies on 29 September. The agency added that six additional industrial and institutional partners will be involved in the studies, but it did not identify them.
“We are investigating to ensure our collective readiness, to offer the best possible options to our Member States and ensure Europe future in LEO,” said Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA’s Director of Human and Robotic Exploration.
ESA is considering three scenarios for its post-ISS presence in low Earth orbit. Scenario 1 would rely primarily on externally provided commercial infrastructure, while Scenario 2 would see a limited European infrastructure contribution to a commercial space station programme. Scenario 3 calls for a European-led space station initiative that would allow for contributions from international and commercial partners. The Airbus- and OHB-led studies are focused on examining the feasibility of that third option.
ESA has asked the consortia to draw heavily on existing European human spaceflight heritage, including the Columbus ISS module and the European Service Module built by Airbus for NASA’s Orion spacecraft. The agency has also placed strict cost constraints on an initial minimum viable product.
According to a 29 September SpaceNews report, development spending for the initial system would be capped at €1 billion per three-year funding period, with development limited to two such periods.
While member states may still opt not to pursue a European-led space station, the studies are part of a broader push from ESA to increase European sovereignty in human spaceflight.
At the International Space Summit in Paris on 9 September, member states endorsed a call to boost European space exploration that identified securing Europe’s access to and presence in low Earth orbit after the ISS as one of three core priorities, alongside a stronger role in lunar exploration and preparations for future missions to Mars.
ESA is currently preparing proposals based on that guidance for consideration by member states at the agency’s Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in Rome on 15 December.
With option three basically we would be moving from being occasionally accepted as paying passengers in a taxi to owners of a car and keeping the keys. I think that’s worth it. I like it. We should keep the project open to partners and allow it to expand. It could become a co-led, large, truly international Space Station, merging the efforts of other space underdogs such as India, Japan, Korea, private players and many others.