Activities

THESEUS

The objective of THESEUS is to develop a European integrated life sciences research roadmap enabling human space exploration, taking advantage of the expertise available in Europe and identifying the potential of non-space applications on Earth, and dual research and development. The ESF Space Sciences Unit is coordinating this FP7 Coordination Action (n° 242482) running from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2011.

EU Framework Programmes

ESSC-ESF is advising the European Commission Directorate General for Industry and Entrepreneurship for shaping future calls of the Space Theme in FP7 and for the definition of the space components of FP8.

Foresight activities

ESSC is now using dedicated ESF instruments called Forward Looks to address issues linked to (a) space-related technological breakthroughs for scientific progress (TECHBREAK); (b) human exploration of the solar system in an inter-disciplinary fashion (with the Humanities and Social Sciences Standing Committees).

Planetary protection

ESA asked the ESSC-ESF to provide independent scientific advice on defining an acceptable risk level for the possibility of introducing a potential Martian life form into the terrestrial biosphere in the context of a Mars Sample Return mission (to start in November 2010).

Peer-review for ESA

ESA’s Directorate for Human Spaceflight asked ESF to conduct the end-to-end scientific peer-review process of proposals received in reply to their Announcements of Opportunity (research on life and physical sciences in space). This project is supervised by the ESF’s Space Sciences Unit and is running since 2009.

CAREX

CAREX is a FP7 Coordination Action (n° 211700) which tackles the issue of enhancing coordination of life in extreme environments research in Europe. It is funded through the EC FP7 programme for the period 2008-2010.

The ESSC and U.S

NRC’s Space Studies Board will jointly organise a series of fora aimed at addressing current significant issues in international cooperation and space policy.