As 2022 is dawning
the European Space Agency
readies itself for another year filled with exciting missions,
new milestones in human spaceflight
and cutting-edge science.
At the end of 2021
the long-anticipated James Webb Space Telescope
was launched from Kourou
on top of an Ariane 5.
This new space telescope is a partnership between ESA, NASA, and CSA.
In 2022,
during the first 5 months of the telescope’s operational life
the data from the ‘early release science’ initiative
will be sent back to Earth.
This data will be made available immediately
providing the entire scientific community
with early access.
Another look at our Universe
will come from the full Gaia Data Release 3
in the first half of 2022,
adding to what is already the richest start map of our Galaxy and beyond.
Closer to home,
Solar Orbiter will get within a distance of 50 million kilometres to the Sun
for another close pass in March.
This will offer a significant boost to the science that can be done,
and a plethora of new data is to be expected.
In the future
Solar Orbiter
will also provide scientists with the first good look at the Sun’s polar region.
For science
the planned launch of ESA’s ExoMars 2022 mission will be another milestone,
sending the European rover,
Rosalind Franklin
and a Russian surface platform
to the Red Planet.
Looking for signs of past life
the rover is the first mission to be able to roam across the planet
and drill down to a depth of 2 metres into the planets’ surface.
The Launch and Early Orbit Phase of the mission
will be spearheaded from ESA’s main control room
at ESOC in Germany,
and is bringing together expertise in mission control,
deep space communication,
interplanetary navigation,
and flight dynamics,
in Europe a combination unique to ESA.
In human spaceflight
German ESA Astronaut Matthias Maurer
will return to Earth after his 6-month Cosmic Kiss mission
onboard the ISS.
By then Matthias will have supported many experiments from orbit,
advancing our knowledge in areas ranging from human health
to material sciences.
The end of his mission
might even have a bit of overlap with the new mission of his fellow ESA astronaut
Samantha Cristoforetti.
Samantha will launch to the ISS in the spring of 2022
for her second long duration mission onboard of the ISS.
Her first mission called ‘Futura’
made her the first Italian woman in space.
Both Matthias and Samantha
can only be seen as a source of inspiration
for the new class of astronauts ESA will be introducing
in the autumn 2022.
These new astronauts will have been selected from a pool of over 23 000 candidates
who applied in 2021.
In addition,
ESA is planning to select an astronaut with a physical disability
for the parastronaut feasibility project.
The selected astronauts might even become the first Europeans to set foot on the Moon,
a goal ESA aims to achieve before the end of the decade.
To make this ambition a reality
ESA continues to work closely with NASA
on the Artemis programme
by providing the European Service Modules
which are integrated with the Orion capsules.
The uncrewed maiden flight of this new spacecraft,
Artemis I
is scheduled for later this year
while the preparations for the crewed Artemis II continue.
Another step closer towards a first European step on the Moon.
Europe’s lightweight launcher Vega-C
is also poised to make its inaugural flight in 2022.
Launching from Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou
and taking over from the original Vega,
Vega-C will be more powerful
and have a larger and more versatile payload capacity.
Meanwhile
preparations for Europe’s new heavy-weight launcher
Ariane 6
continue
in anticipation of the rocket’s maiden flight.
Both new launchers are important for ESA
and Europe
to maintain independent access to space.
Whereas the exploration of space,
the planets in our Solar System
and the Moon
are all important,
the exploration and observation of Earth
is of equal if not of even greater importance.
In 2022
ESA continues the development of a new generation of Earth Explorers
such as FLEX,
Biomass,
and EarthCARE
to better understand and monitor our planet.
ESA also continues to collaborate with the European Union
developing 6 new Sentinel satellites
for the Copernicus Expansion Missions,
adding to the largest Earth observation programme
in the world.
Another satellite soon to be observing our Earth from space
is the first third generation Meteosat
that is to be launched from Europe’s Spaceport in 2022.
This geostationary weather satellite
has been developed in cooperation with EUMETSAT.
Protecting our planet
also means scanning the heavens for potentially dangerous asteroids,
a task for ESA’s new FlyEye telescope,
which will be assembled and tested
at the ASI Matera facility in Italy
during the year.
In 2022
ESA’s Directorate of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications
will continue to support European industry
to innovate
and succeed
in the highly competitive global market for telecommunications satellites
by offering its expertise,
experience
and its reputation for reliability.
It also develops space-enabled connectivity
through next-generation 5G connections.
ESA remains ambitious as ever.
The Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in 2021
was a milestone on the road to the European Space Summit
to be held in Toulouse,
France,
in February 2022,
ahead of ESA’s next Council Meeting
at Ministerial level
later in the year.
With the need to accelerate the use of space
and make space for Europe,
ESA has a responsibility towards all citizens in Europe
to make them part of the future of space,
and to align this future
with the digital and green transitions.