Missions and programmes
The UK Space Science and Exploration Programme is divided into three areas:
Artist's impression of the Planck satellite.
Credit ESA.
Space Science Programme
The majority of this programme is delivered through the European Space Agency (ESA) with complementary collaborations on missions run by other space agencies e.g. NASA and Japanese Space Agency. This programme delivers innovative technology and is about understanding the Universe around us, the laws that govern it, its birth and how it developed through cosmic time. At present, there are 17 European space science spacecraft in operation. Europe aims to continue these achievements through ESA’s Cosmic Vision a long-term plan to deliver cutting edge science in the time-frame 2015-2025.
Exploration Programme
This programme is to explore destinations in the solar system that humans might visit in the future. The ESA exploration programme (also known as Aurora) is an optional programme and the UK chose to be a key participant because it underpins government objectives delivering innovative engineering and world leading science. The UK participation is focused on robotic exploration of Mars.
Microgravity Programme
Although the UK does not currently subscribe to the relevant ESA programme the Agency does keep a watching brief, assisting the community to develop a coherent view through organising meetings and provides briefings to government. If mankind is to spend long periods in space then we need to understand what effects this will have on our bodies. Microgravity experiments also have applications on Earth and is relevant to many disciplines e.g. materials, fluid physics, and biology. Gravity affects many physical processes: by using microgravity facilities, scientists can study effects which are usually masked by the dominant effect of gravity.
