General Studies Programme

Andrés Gálvez, EUI-AC, ESA HQ

An overview

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Contents

Advanced Concepts and Studies Office (ACSO)• Introduction tools and working methods • ACSO modus operandi• Advanced Concepts Team “think-tank” activities

GSP 2007-2008• GSP activities, three levels: Strategy,

Programmes, Projects• GPS relationship with other ESA programmes• GSP strategic guidelines 2007-2008 • GSP Call for Ideas schedule• GSP evolution

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ACSO - introduction

The Advanced Concepts and Studies Office::

• Is in charge of exploratory work related to ESA’s preparation for the future

• It is supported in this task by the Advanced Concepts Team (ACT), an internal think-tank; and

• It uses ESA’s General Studies Programme (GSP), which it manages, as an implementing tool.

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ACSO - introduction

The office’s responsibilities include the following:

• Generate new concepts and ideas, • Carry out preliminary assessments of these ideas• Support ESA programmes and activities by

providing analysis at scientific, technical, programmatic and strategic level

• Definition of new programmes• Enable experimenting with new working methods

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contribute to the formulation of the overall ESA strategy

All of the industrial sector and industrial policy studies;

Major study on ESA communication policy;

Many studies on new phenomena, changing context: space tourism, new applications of space means, ROI of space activities, etc.

Recently investigated foresight techniques and run a pilot project on scenario building.

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prepare/demonstrate the case for approval and funding of new optional projects/ programmes;

• All of the Aurora exploration missions, robotic or human. All the science and industrial activities in support of in-situ Exobiology. A number of microgravity facilities pre-ph.A. ExoMars(03/S69); Mars Sample Return(03/S72);

• Multimedia (ARTES3), 2 parallel studies (98/A60&A65) GNSS2 (Galileo), 3 parallel studies (95/T15&T30 & 96/T10)

• Re-usable launchers up to launch of optional preparatory programmes; the AR5 cryogenic upper stages (96/R20); the ATV

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study feasibility for selection of new mission concepts

• All the Space Science missions, from XMM to SMART-1, from Rosetta to Mars Express, have been internally assessed and studied to Ph. A level. Examples: Rosetta (89/S10, 92/S01, 93/S10), Mars Express (ref. 97/S80&S81);

• All of the end-to-end mission assessment studies leading to the Earth Explorer proposals;

• A number of mission analysis and debris related studies;

• Formation Flying, Don Quijote and other In-Orbit demonstration missions;

• All of the Near Earth Objects (NEO) related studies;

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support the evolution of ESA by analysing and testing new working methodologies.

Concurrent Design Facility

Massimo.Bandecchi@esa.int )

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The Advanced Concepts Team (ACT) is a “variable geometry”, multidisciplinary think-tank made up by post-docs (research fellows) and young graduates doing work on space-relevant research topics.

Its main objectives are:

1. Provide an entry point for new trends and ideas relevant to the future of space programmes

2. Assess advanced concepts in space systems, emerging technologies and new approaches

3. Provide theoretical knowledge “on-demand” and interface with relevant external experts in order to support of strategic assessments

The ACT: A foresight component for ESA and the GSP

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GSP CFIESA staff

Feasibility, risk, cost (internal CDF(*)/ ACT / !

industrial studies)

overall consistency of future planning

context analysis Longer term

vision

Technical input to DG,

DG-P,Directors strategy

committee, LTP

Advanced Concepts

Team (ACT) Int/Ext reflection

Groups

Policy Office Directorates

Nat. Agencies

Preparation of new

activities and

methodologies;

New competence

for ESA

Inputs

Ouputs

ACSO process

D/TEC ,Programmes(manpower)

Industry & Academia

Other partnersEU, ISTC(**), etc.

Modus operandi

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GSP (broad) activity levels

• Strategy: industrial sector & policy studies, communications, Long term plan, evolving environment (e.g. space tourism)

• Programme proposal definition: new areas of activity, transversal or initially not associated to directorates (e.g. Aurora, Space Weather, NEO hazard)

• Project: Activities serving one / several programmes, including study feasibility for selection of new mission concepts (phase A); also interdisciplinary technical assessment

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survey/concept

Assessment/ phase A

Ph.A – B bridge

Ph.B/Demo

GSP

Transversal Activities

Space Science

Human Spaceflight, Launchers

Earth Observation Prep. Programme

ARTES

Policy, Context, Strategy, TRP

GSP Interfaces

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GSP CFI 2007-2008: Strategic focus - Basic

Added value for space activities: Providing services to ESA Member States that generate economic growth and improve political support for its programmes

Impact of strategic industrial alliances between European and non-European companies, public and private initiatives, improving industrial competitiveness

Identification of “scenario laboratories” i.e. instruments to better analyse the role space systems could play when part of a more complex superstructures i.e. systems of systems

Assessment of new in-orbit operational concepts: identifying demonstrations of new operational concepts beyond those considered PROBA 1, 2 and 3

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GSP CFI 2007-2008: Strategic focus – Inspirational

Enhancing cooperation across borders: missions and project increasing cooperation links between space-faring nationsCapturing the public attention and support: missions and projects engaging the general public (and inspiring tomorrow’s engineers and scientists) Addressing the training of the future space workforce, considering the potential of multidisciplinary training, and the nano-bio-info convergence as source of innovation in different fieldsAttracting new communities: missions that combine research interests from multiple communities, across the traditional borders of Space Science, Earth Sciences and Life Sciences

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GSP CFI 2007-2008: Strategic focus - Utilitarian

ESA and EU, serving the European citizen: Space contributions toward the fulfilment of the European Commission's priorities (beyond ESA programmes).

Addressing global challenges: Space contributions toward the expected social, environmental and economic challenges of the coming decades

The space component in the Systems of Systems: Integration of Ground and Space systems; new combined Earth Observation, Telecom and/or Navigation applications.

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GSP Call for Ideas – Planning process

(*)CDF: Concurrent Design Facility (**)ISTC: International Science and Technology Center, cooperation with ex-soviet countries

GSP Screening for compliance/duplication. All staff able to comment proposals on on-line discussion

Proposer’s workshop: Proposals are consolidated and refined together with actual proposers

Senior Advisors’ assessment: 5 senior staff, appointed ad-personam for two years by ESA’s Director General

Draft GSP Plan to DG - Committee

Adjudication Committee

Industrial Policy Committee

Implementation

Cost Centres agreement

on schedule and resources

(from mid June till mid August)

(Aug -Sept)

(14-15 Sept)

(October)

(November)

(January)

NB

Adjudication Committee (AC)., approves procurement plans for activities above 150 KEUR.

Industrial Policy Committee (IPC). Approves ESA’s Industrial procurement plans for activities above 300 KEUR

New proposaslfrom all ESA staff (including Directors)

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GSP evolution: review 2006

Some highlights on the recommendations Provide focus to the teamwork Does GSP have clear, well-established strategic goals? If it does, improve its visibility and the link to individual activities Obtain feedback from direct users of GSP work in phase A, B activities, tracking of initial inputs Define more precise targets of performance - Difficult to compare / evaluate without setting them; consider 2+2 year periods Explore (realistic) methods to evaluate and incorporate direct “external” (national agencies, Industry, academia) inputs to the GSP CFI at strategic level. Biannual periods might be too short to allow for targets to be achieved, consider 2+2 year periods instead i.e. objectives defined for a four-year period - this would also be in line with ESA overall strategic planning cycles (next one 2007-2010)