Space Science and ExplorationSpace Science and Exploration

Richard BONNEVILLE (CNES DSP/E²U)

Paris, November 2, 2005

Space Space ScienceScience

goal : increase our knowledge and understanding ... goal : increase our knowledge and understanding ... … on the origin of our universe and on its evolution

• its birth and its fate• the emergence of structures and the formation of galaxies• the unification of the fundamental interactions and the special role

of gravitation

… on the objects the universe is made of :• galaxies, stars, planets• their formation, their evolution and their death• in particular our own star, the Sun, the solar system, and our

planet, the Earth

… … and on the question of life in the universeand on the question of life in the universe

Space Space ExplorationExploration

goal : to extend human presence, actually or virtually, goal : to extend human presence, actually or virtually, beyond the limits of our planetbeyond the limits of our planet

virtually : (i) exploration of the solar system by automatic vehicles, and (ii) search for planets orbiting near-by stars

actually : possible future manned missions to the Moon and Mars

prerequisite : to develop the enabling or enhancing prerequisite : to develop the enabling or enhancing technologies to reach that dual goaltechnologies to reach that dual goal

IntroductionIntroduction

space - ground complementarity• in astronomy, the space observatories allow the observations in the

frequency ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum which are not accessible from the ground, e.g. high energies (UV, X, gamma) and IR

• for the study of the objects of the solar system, the space probes are essential at each stage : fly-by, global observation from the orbit, in situ investigations, sample return

space is both• the object of the study

• the tool of the study

hence a natural partnership between the space agency and the scientific community

The French programmeThe French programme

ESA’s mandatory scientific programme « Cosmic Vision » is the core and the top priority of the French programme in space sciences ...• thanks to the partnership between CNES and the French science

community, France provides 30% of the instruments onboard the missions of ESA ’s mandatory science programme, i.e. nearly twice its GNP

… this participation is complemented by a participation to other ESA programmes with a scientific content :• AURORA : solar system exploration programme• ISS utilisation

Herschel & PlanckAugust 2007

Lisa-Pathfinder 2009

2007 2008 2010 20122006 20132005 2009 2011 2014

Venus ExpressNov. 2005

JWST(NASA-ESA)

2013

Gaia2011

Bepi-Colombo2013 Lisa

2014 ?

2015

Solar Orbiter

2015

ESA’s Cosmic Vision programmeESA’s Cosmic Vision programme

Activities outside ESAActivities outside ESA

the activities « outside ESA » complement or prepare on original and focused scientific and technological goals the participation to the ESA programmes, i.e.

« missions of opportunity » : participation to missions of external initiative• USA, Russia, other European countries, China, Japan, India

nationally led activities, most often including external contributions• mini satellites (PROTEUS family, e.g. COROT)• micro satellites (MYRIADE family, e.g. MICROSCOPE, PICARD)• balloons (e.g. ARCHEOPS)• preparation of the future : R&T, phase 0/A level studies, formation

flying initiative

How it worksHow it works

major programme orientations given by the scientific community• every 4 to 6 years, workshops of scientific prospective in order to

elaborate the mid/long - term priorities of the French scientific community (Saint - Malo, October 93; Arcachon, March 98; Paris, July 04)

complementarity between activities within ESA and activities outside ESA

balance between the main scientific domains (astronomy vs solar system)

introduction of new topics : fundamental physics and astroparticles, exobiology, space weather, NEO threat

How it worksHow it works

the scientific instruments • development under the control of the labs themselves, with the

technical and financial support of CNES, or under the control of CNES in a close partnership between CNES and the labs

the scientific subsidiarity :• very big missions international frame, e.g. CASSINI-HUYGENS,

JWST, Mars Sample Return• big missions European frame, e.g. INTEGRAL, MARS EXPRESS• mini and micro satellites national or bi/multi-lateral frame

A major theme (1) : the originA major theme (1) : the origin(and the fate ?) of the universe(and the fate ?) of the universe

the universe is flat on a large scale ; only 5% of its content is made of «ordinary» matter

what is the nature of dark matter and dark energy ? how did large scale structures emerge ? how did first galaxies form ?

5% : baryonic matter(cf. nucleosynthesis)and visible matter < 1%

25% : « dark matter »(cf. galaxy dynamics)

70% : « dark energy »(connection with the «cosmological constant » )

the CMB anisotropies as seen by WMAP

Space and fundamental physicsSpace and fundamental physics

astrophysics and particle physics tend to join together through diverse problems linked to• the unification of the fundamental interactions of nature ...

• … and the special role of gravity with respect to the other interactions (weak, electromagnetic, strong)

• search of new fields / particles predicted by the theories

• goal : a new physics beyond General Relativity (a geometrical theory of gravitation) and Standard Model (a quantum field theory of weak / electromagnetic / strong interactions)

a multiple but coherent approach• observational cosmology

• the universe as a laboratory

• the space observatories

and « before » ?

gravitation +strong, electromagnetic,weak interactions :slow expansion,flat universe

+ force X repulsive : acceleration of the expansion

quantum gravitation« Planck  era » inflation phase

r

t

towards a « big rip » ?

« a brief history of time »

Observational cosmologyObservational cosmology

at the border between astronomy and fundamental physics the primordial universe ; fine study of the cosmological

background radiation (CMB) : precise measurement of the cosmological parameters (c)

– balloons : BOOMERANG, ARCHEOPS– satellites : COBE, WMAP, PLANCK-SURVEYOR– future missions : polarisation of the CMB, dark matter probe

a further step : primordial gravitation waves

The universe as a laboratoryThe universe as a laboratory

test of observable consequences of the unification theories• e.g. violation of the equivalence principle :

MICROSCOPE (2009) accurate testing of the gravitation

laws at various scales, in particular tests of GR in the solar system and in the near-by space :• accurate metrology of time and space :

PHARAO / ACES / ISS (2009), GAIA (ESA 2012)

• accurate measurement of the post Newtonian parameters : GAIA, BEPI-COLOMBO (ESA, 2013)

observe the sky in all the wave-length domains of the electromagnetic spectrum• study the sources of intense and/or

rapidly variable gravitational fields (active galaxy nuclei, black holes, binary objects coalescence) : XMM-NEWTON, INTEGRAL

• study the farthest (i.e. oldest) objects : high z galaxies : HST, JWST

open new observation windows• gravitational waves detection :

LISA (ESA-NASA)

The space observatoriesThe space observatories

A major theme (2) : the emergence A major theme (2) : the emergence and the distribution of lifeand the distribution of life

how did life appear on Earth ?• organic or pre-biotic chemistry in the solar system (e.g. Titan,

asteroids and comets) and in the interstellar medium

did life appear elsewhere in the solar system ? (and is it still present today ?) • 1st priority : Mars

does life exist elsewhere in the universe ? is it an exceptional, maybe unique, event, or is it widely spread ?• search of habitable extra solar planets and tracking of

unambiguous bio-signatures in their atmosphere

HUYGENS lands on TitanHUYGENS lands on Titan January 14th, 2005 January 14th, 2005

South pole (23/01/2004)

North pole

Mars Express : one year of operationsMars Express : one year of operations

credit : JP Bibring and the OMEGA ream at IAS,Science, Vol 307, Issue 5715, 1574 , 11 March 2005

Extra solar planetsExtra solar planets

today, about 160 extra-solarplanets have been detected(“hot Jupiter” type)

the first exoplanet transit observed by photometry in November 99 by H. Deeg and al. at the Canary island observatory

how do planetary systems form ? what types of exoplanets exist ? can a biological activity be evidenced ?

Search of exoplanets : the next stepsSearch of exoplanets : the next steps

COROT (CNES, 2006)

DARWIN (ESA, 2020 ?)

International contextInternational context

emergence of new space countries• e.g. China : co-operations in the fields of Sun-Earth connection

(Double Star), high energy astrophysics (SVOM), solar physics (SMESE), space medicine (Shen-Zhu 7), oceanography (Swimsat)

ESA ministerial council next December, see laterUE’s involvement in space activities : Galileo, GMES

• but space science & exploration only marginally concerned

Bush’s initiative (“new American vision”), see later

The ESA contextThe ESA context

the recent ESA prospective report « Cosmic Vision 2015-2025 »

the now stabilised elaboration of the 1st slice of the European exploration programme AURORA

December 2005 : ESA ministerial council ; on the agenda :• the new level of resources 2006-2010 for the mandatory science

programme “Cosmic Vision”• the green light decision upon ExoMars, the 1st mission of the

AURORA programme and the 1st European mission to land on Mars

COSMIC VISION : perspectivesCOSMIC VISION : perspectives

the level of resources of the mandatory science programme from 2006 on will likely be in the continuity of the present level (380 M€/year)

no significant funding for new projects before 2012/2013problem : how to prepare the future big missions beyond

2015 ?

The NASA contextThe NASA context

dominated by Bush’s initiative (« new American vision ») based upon « exploration » in the perspective of manned missions to the Moon and Mars (and beyond)• shuttle retirement planned in

2010• priority to the CEV

development• re-orientation of the ISS

utilisation

I WANT I WANT YOUYOUFOR THE U.S. SPACEFOR THE U.S. SPACE

EXPLORATION PROGRAMEXPLORATION PROGRAM

Consequences for scienceConsequences for science

that priority given by NASA to manned exploration will imply a reduction of the US effort in some areas of space research :• cosmology and fundamental physics : the future of the Beyond

Einstein programme (LISA, Dark Energy Mission, Inflation Probe, Black Hole Finder Probe) is unclear

• even the robotic exploration of Mars has been affected (cancellation of MTO)

perhaps an opportunity for the Europeans in a context of strong scientific concurrence, but globally science will loose

Co-operation : « a European vision »Co-operation : « a European vision »

the content of the European exploration programme shall allow Europe to go on its own way if the eventual co-operation with the US does not fulfil the European expectations, in order not to reproduce the situation of European dependence of the ISS programme

taking into account the differential of resources allocated to civilian space between Europe and the US, the European priority should be placed on robotic missions, and the European exploration programme proposal AURORA has to be built in that perspective

Our view : the Moon, Mars, and beyondOur view : the Moon, Mars, and beyond

the Moon : low scientific priority the scientific exploration of Mars has been for long the 1st

priority of the French planetary community (cf. the seminars of scientific prospective held by CNES in 1993, 1998, 2002 and 2004)

the Mars priority has been recently re-confirmed by our science community, hence strong support to ExoMars

after the success of MARS EXPRESS, strong emphasis on in situ science on short / mid term• multi sites local/regional investigations with landers and rovers

(mobility needed)• network science (climate, seismology)

Our view : the Moon, Mars, and beyondOur view : the Moon, Mars, and beyond

on the short term, the priority for AURORA is the demonstration of the European capability for safe landing + autonomous mobility on Mars with European technologies• 2011 : ExoMars, the 1st European mission landing on Mars

ExoMars will carry a comprehensive experiment package on exobiology, environment characterisation and geophysics / geochemistry

Our view : the Moon, Mars, and beyondOur view : the Moon, Mars, and beyond

the next logical step : Mars sample return mission(s)• various samples collected from several sites

the mid term priority of AURORA must be the preparation of a Mars sample return (MSR) programme• 2016-2020 : a mission (or a series of MSR missions) ; international co-

operation with important European participation

Europe shall identify the niches it could occupy in the framework of an international MSR programme

other targets :• the giant planets and their satellites : to be considered in an

international context (see CASSINI - HUYGENS)• the small bodies, asteroids and comets : rendezvous missions, NEO

threat assessment and mitigation (UE involvement ?)

SIMBOL X : hard X-rayobservatory (0.5 - 70 keV)for the study of compactobjects, AGN, black holes

PEGASE : NIR interferometerfor the search of hot giantextrasolar planets(“PEGASIDES”),brown dwarfs, protoplanetary disks

Preparing the future,Preparing the future,e.g. formation flyinge.g. formation flying