In the past decade, several national and international space programmes have been showing increased interest in space exploration. This results in a ‘step by step’ approach allowing for the required technologies to be tested and demonstrated during programmes that include several technology demonstrating missions. The above example also demonstrates another feature of today’s exploration programmes: International Cooperation. NASA’s Mars lander mission, Phoenix, will be assisted during its descent and entry by ESA’s Mars Express orbiter for data relay, while ESA’s ExoMars mission baseline relies on NASA’s MRO for data relay. Such cooperation also extends to the scientific output of the various missions.

One aerospace consultancy, VEGA, believes that ensuring cost effectiveness, risk reduction and seeking international cooperation, are the key factors in maintaining the momentum of the space exploration programmes and their success.

In addition to NASA’s vision to return to the moon, ESA’s Aurora programme, the European national lunar mission studies (Germany, UK, Italy, France), and the exploration activities of Japan, China, Russia and India, there are several entrepreneurial activities developing technologies to enable access to space for mankind.