Towards Human Exploration of Space: a EUropean Strategy - Roadmap

Abstract

Past space missions in low Earth orbit have demonstrated that human beings can survive and work in space for long durations. However, there are pending technological, medical and psychological issues that must be solved before adventuring into longer-duration space missions (e.g. protection against ionizing radiation, psychological issues, behaviour and performance, prevention of bone loss, etc.). Furthermore, technological breakthroughs, e.g. in life support systems and recycling technologies, are required to reduce the cost of future expeditions to acceptable levels. Solving these issues will require scientific and technological breakthroughs in clinical and industrial applications, many of which will have relevance to health issues on Earth as well. Despite existing ESA and NASA studies or roadmaps, Europe still lacks a roadmap for human exploration of space approved by the European scientific and industrial communities. The objective of THESEUS is to develop an integrated life sciences research roadmap enabling European human space exploration in synergy with the ESA strategy, taking advantage of the expertise available in Europe and identifying the potential of non-space applications and dual research and development.