First Announcement Aurora Technology Industry Day – ESTEC

First Announcement

Aurora Technology Industry Day

16 October 2001

ESTEC, Noordwijk, The Netherlands

The European Space Agency is organising the AURORA TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY DAY
on 16 October 2001 at its ESTEC centre in Noordwijk, The Netherlands. ESA is
inviting Industry, in particular Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs),
interested in exploration related technologies.

A proposal for the Aurora Programme on Robotic and Human Exploration of the
Solar System is being prepared for decision by the ESA Council later this
year. The objective of this programme is to formulate and implement a
European long-term plan for the robotic and human exploration of the Solar
System bodies, in particular those holding promise for traces of life. The
necessary technologies to enable such capabilities need to be developed and
demonstrated. The programme will exploit the synergy between the needs of
technology demonstration for the future human exploration missions and those
of in-situ astro/exobiology. The programme shall also provide for the
necessary missions and technologies to complement those planned in the
existing ESA and national programmes, in order to bring about a coherent
European Framework for Exploration. The activities will be pursued in
co-ordination within the Agency and with the European and international
partners, so as to ensure programmatic, scientific and technological
coherence.

The technology streams listed below have been identified as of key
importance for exploration:

* Automated guidance & navigation Control

* Micro-Avionics

* Data Processing & Communication

* Entry, Descent and Landing

* Crew and Life Support aspects of exploration

* In Situ Resource Utilisation

* Power generation, conditioning and storage

* Propulsion, In-space transportation, Ascent/descent vehicles

* Robotics and mechanisms

* Structure & thermal control.

In the above streams, technologies can be identified which:

* have a long-term strategic value both for robotic and human
missions, but for which the current level of effort in Europe is low. It is
expected that in many cases, the programme will complement existing
activities which are specific to robotic and human exploration,

* are already subject to pre-development activity in ESA or national
programmes. In this case, Aurora will consider those as existing building
blocks,

* are needed to be specifically developed for missions within the
programme.

For these technologies preliminary development needs have been identified,
taking into account national activities as well as ESA work within the
Technology, Future Studies and Science Programmes. This constitutes an
initial step toward the harmonisation with the other technological
programmes, which is one of the aims of Aurora.
In view of the foreseen significant technology activities within this
programme, the Agency would like to inform industry on the detailed content
of the proposal and how it relates to the ongoing Science and Manned Space
Programmes of ESA. The Technology streams will be described and potential
areas for industrial activity highlighted. Also, ESA wishes to discuss the
definition of priorities for initial technology activities as seen from an
industrial point of view.

For further information please contact:

Bruno.gardini@esa.int

Dietrich.vennemann@esa.int

Franco.ongaro@esa.int

Please note that limited rooms are available during this period of the year.
Reservations will be made on a first come first served basis