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Terrae Novae

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Terrae Novae
Type of projectSpaceflight
Owner European Space Agency
Established2016

Terrae Novae (Latin for 'New Worlds'), also known as European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P) and Human and Robotic Exploration programme, is an optional programme of the European Space Agency (ESA)[1] responsible for developing and operating human spaceflight and related robotic space exploration missions to three space destinations: Low Earth orbit (LEO), the Moon, and Mars.[2][3][4][5][6][7]

Programmes and missions

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Columbus module
Artemis I: Orion and ESM near the Moon
Model of Rosalind Franklin rover

Low Earth Orbit

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Moon

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Small Missions for Lunar Exploration

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  • VMMO – CubeSat Lunar orbiter by ESA
  • MAGPIE – European lunar rover
  • Máni – European lunar mapping mission

Mars

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  • ExoMars – Astrobiology programme of the European Space Agency
  • LightShip – Planned European interplanetary space tug supporting Mars missions

History

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In 2014, the ESA ministerial council adopted the "Resolution on Europe's space exploration strategy" addressing the three exploration destinations (LEO, the Moon, and Mars).[8][9][10][11] In response to this document, ESA established the European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P) in 2016 to bring together all the agency's space exploration activities focused on these destinations in a single programme.[12][13][7][14] By incorporating the ExoMars programme as well as ESA's long-term human spaceflight ambitions, E3P effectively superseded the 2000s' Aurora programme.[15]

The programme was renamed Terrae Novae in 2021[7] and in 2022, the agency published the detailed "Terrae Novae 2030+ Strategy Roadmap".[7][3] The 2022 ESA ministerial council approved €2.7 billion for the next phase of Terrae Novae, including the Argonaut, a large robotic lunar lander.[16][17] In 2023, the programme launched a call for proposals for small missions focused on lunar exploration.[18][19][20]

During the 2020s, the Terrae Novae programme started developing two major space infrastructure projects for long term, sustainable robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. The Argonaut landers will deliver heavy payloads to the lunar surface.[21] The LightShip interplanetary space tugs equipped with solar electric propulsion will deliver other spacecraft to Mars and then serve as communication, navigation, and weather satellites within the MARCONI constellation in high Mars orbit.[22] Additionally, the optional Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme (not part of Terrae Novae) started developing the Moonlight Initiative intended to place a constellation of communication and navigation satellites around the Moon.[23]

In 2025, the programme included the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) with European astronauts joining both long term ISS expeditions and short commercial missions, the European Service Module (ESM) of NASA's lunar Orion spacecraft, and the uncrewed astrobiology-focused Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) studying the atmosphere of Mars,[24][2] as well as development of numerous future missions, spacecraft, and technologies.[25][26][27][28][29][30] At the ESA ministerial council in November 2025, the member states committed €2.9 billion for the programme, 20% less than the previously projected €3.7 billion.[31]

Benjamin Haddad and Ursula von der Leyen with a crewed Nyx model at the International Space Summit in 2026

At the International Space Summit in September 2026, ESA awarded a LEO Cargo Return Service contract to The Exploration Company for up to three space station resupply flights of its Nyx reusable spacecraft, expected to launch for the first time on Ariane 6 no later than 2029.[32][33] Also at the event, ESA deepened its relationship with three space station companies, Vast, Axiom Space, and Starlab Space, with agreements for another ISS flight and potential future utilization of their planned commercial space stations.[34][35][36][37][38] At the summit, ESA member states signed a document expressing their interest in continuing human spaceflight to low Earth orbit after the expected decommissioning of ISS and calling on ESA to study options for strengthening European autonomy in this area, to be discussed at the upcoming Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in December 2026.[39]

During 2026, ESA was investigating two general scenarios for the post-ISS future: utilizing commercial space stations under development eg. by Axiom Space, Starlab, and Vast, or developing a European-led space station based on existing European human spaceflight heritage like Columbus and ESM. To study the feasibility of the latter option, ESA awarded two contracts to Airbus Defence and Space and OHB in September 2026.[40][41][42][43]

In October 2026, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher estimated that development of a fully European system for launching astronauts to low Earth orbit would take 10 years and cost 10 billion Euro.[44]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Terrae Novae: from inspiring Europe's generations to supporting its economic growth". space-economy.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  2. 1 2 "Terrae Novae: Europe's exploration vision". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  3. 1 2 "Europe's Terrae Novae 2030+ Strategic Plan - New Space Economy". newspaceeconomy.ca. 2022-08-07. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  4. ↑ Patrascu, Daniel (2023-05-26). "Terrae Novae Plan Shows How Important Europe Is for America's Space Expansion Strategy". autoevolution. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  5. ↑ "European Space Agency displays its ambitions for the 2030s". 2022-07-10. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  6. ↑ "Space Exploration Technology Roadmap". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Terrae Novae 2030+ Strategy Roadmap
  8. ↑ "ESA outlines future space projects - ADS Advance". www.adsadvance.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  9. ↑ "Introducing ESA's Space Exploration Strategy – the International Space Exploration Coordination Group". 2015-05-22. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  10. ↑ "Media backgrounder for ESA Council at Ministerial Level". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  11. ↑ "We explore. You benefit". youbenefit.spaceflight.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  12. ↑ "Europe at the Space Frontier – ESA's Vision for Space Exploration". Royal Aeronautical Society. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  13. ↑ "A milestone in securing ESA's future role in the global exploration of space". SpaceRef. 15 June 2018.
  14. ↑ "Germany invests 3.3 billion euro in European space exploration and becomes ESA's largest contributor". Space Daily. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  15. ↑ "The European Space Exploration Programme Aurora". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  16. ↑ "Ministers back ESA's bold ambitions for space with record 17% rise". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  17. ↑ Isabelle (2022-11-24). "Les principales annonces du Conseil Ministériel de l'ESA 2022". Rêves d'Espace (in French). Retrieved 2025-11-23.
  18. ↑ "Next stop Moon: ESA's exploration program Terrae Novae has launched a call for ideas - Finland has a broad opportunity for participation - Finnish Government". Finnish Government. Archived from the original on 2024-06-20. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  19. ↑ SpaceRef (2023-09-29). "ESA Seeks Ideas For Small Lunar Missions". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  20. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2023-09-29). "ESA Calls for Small Moon Mission Ideas". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  21. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (31 January 2025). "ESA Awards €862M Argonaut Moon Lander Contract to Thales Alenia Space". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  22. ↑ B, Emily (18 August 2025). "ESA Increases Mars Ambitions with Mars Transportation Infrastructure". Space Scout. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  23. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (13 March 2025). "Thales Alenia Space to Build ESA Moonlight Satellites for Telespazio". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 August 2025.
  24. ↑ TERRAE NOVAE PROGRAMME
  25. ↑ "TERRAE NOVAE: Preparing for ESA Council at Ministerial level 2025" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 August 2025.
  26. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-10-18). "ESA Publishes Call for Telescope on the Far Side of the Moon". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  27. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-02-29). "ESA to Begin Work on Mars Transfer Vehicle Mission Concept". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  28. ↑ Garay, Jorge (2025-11-20). "El módulo Argonaut es la apuesta de Europa en la batalla por la Luna". WIRED (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  29. ↑ Gutierrez, Peter (2023-10-04). "ESA Wants New Moon Missions to use Moonlight PNT Services". Inside GNSS - Global Navigation Satellite Systems Engineering, Policy, and Design. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  30. ↑ Stefanie Waldek (2025-11-09). "Europe wants to make space food out of thin air and astronaut pee". Space. Retrieved 2025-11-22.
  31. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2025-11-27). "Exploration and the UK Emerge as the Biggest Losers of CM25". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  32. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2026-09-10). "ESA Awards The Exploration Company a €760M Space Station Cargo Contract". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2026-09-16.
  33. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2026-09-10). "The Exploration Company Books Ariane 6 Flight for Nyx Demo Mission". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2026-09-16.
  34. ↑ Gorman, Douglas (2026-09-11). "International Space Summit Highlights the Strength of Europe's Space Ecosystem". Payload. Retrieved 2026-09-16.
  35. ↑ Aeroespacial, Actualidad (2026-09-14). "La ESA abre nuevas vías de cooperación con Starlab y Axiom Space para la era posterior a la ISS". Actualidad Aeroespacial (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-09-15.
  36. ↑ "ESA and Axiom Space strengthen cooperation for the post-ISS era". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
  37. ↑ "ESA and Starlab sign a Letter of Intent related to the post-ISS era". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
  38. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2026-09-10). "Greek astronaut to fly on Vast private mission to ISS". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2026-09-15.
  39. ↑ "A Call to Boost European Space Exploration". elysee.fr. 2026-09-10. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  40. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2026-09-30). "ESA Selects Airbus and OHB to Lead European Space Station Studies". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  41. ↑ "ESA investigates potential future European-led orbital outpost". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  42. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (2026-09-29). "ESA announces leaders for studies on crewed European space stations". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  43. ↑ "Shaping Europe's future in low Earth orbit". www.esa.int. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
  44. ↑ Luinstra, Martijn (2026-10-03). "ESA to pursue crew transport and space stations as European launchers come online". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
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