Final report from the high-level advisory group on accelerating the use of space in Europe

From a set of proposals put forward by the ESA Director General, three priority streams replying to urgent societal challenges have been identified for immediate action through Accelerators: ACCELERATOR 1 - RAPID AND RESILIENT CRISIS RESPONSE , enabling security stakeholders to ensure rapid provision of information, and quick response to climate-induced and other crises facing Europe; ACCELERATOR 2 - SPACE FOR A GREEN FUTURE , using advanced space data, science & technology for sustainable life on Earth, and support society and decision makers to reach carbon neutrality by 2050; ACCELERATOR 3 - PROTECTION OF SPACE ASSETS , to ensure resilient availability and functioning of space infrastructure on which Europe's economy and society relies for day-to-day life.

Increasing amounts of space debris, and the greater impact of natural phenomena such as space weather requires an urgent response.

High-Level Advisory Group on Accelerating the Use of Space in Europe 5 Key Features of Accelerators Address urgent needs & deliver results for short-term action Fostering the role of space in addressing contemporary societal challenges requires new impetus to design space capabilities that target and provide added value in addressing urgent needs and deliver results that enable short term action.

Space infrastructure is the backbone to enable Europe to act and lead. However, increasing reliance on space infrastructure makes it necessary to safeguard European assets in orbit, while contributing to a sustainable space environment.

Accelerator 2: Space for a Green Future Space for a Green Future will use advanced space data, science & technology for sustainable life on Earth, and support society and decision-makers to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Accelerator 3: Protection of Space Assets Protection of Space Assets will ensure resilient availability and functioning of space infrastructure on which Europe's economy and society relies for day-to-day life.

Europe's Human space transportation capability Human space transportation is an essential sovereign capability among all the major space powers except in Europe.

These analyses should be developed in light of recent developments observed on the global scene: Indicating that human transportation will become a permanent activity; Suggesting that a destination towards cislunar space is likely to shape the next decades in space exploration; Offering, through space tourism, new and uncharted commercial perspectives, as a first step of the expansion of the space economy; Demonstrating that the development of such systems is increasingly affordable, based on the recent experience in the United States.

European Space Cooperation for a stronger Europe Throughout the past decades, European space cooperation among ESA Member States and with European institutions has resulted in a number of success stories, in achieving ambitions in all domains of space activities, proving that space is a domain where European cooperation delivers concrete results and thus creating a stronger Europe.

High-Level Advisory Group on Accelerating the Use of Space in Europe 17 8 HIGH-LEVEL ADVISORY GROUP ON ACCELERATING THE USE OF SPACE IN EUROPE As communicated to the ESA Council in June 2021, the HighLevel Advisory Group comprised 9 members, nominated in their personal capacity as recognised, independent experts in space policy matters.