International Space Exploration Coordination Group
The major international space agencies represented in the International Space Exploration Coordination Group met on 23 June to take stock of the work carried out in the last three years.
The meeting saw the participation of all the Group’s European members: ESA and the Italian, French, German and UK space agencies.
The meeting was opened by NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver and by ESA Director for Human Spaceflight Simonetta Di Pippo as the outgoing ISECG Chair. The work carried out by the Group was reviewed, in particular the lunar human exploration reference architecture, which was endorsed by the senior managers.
The foundations were laid for further work on a Global Exploration Roadmap, which will include destinations other than the Moon as the natural extension of the Global Exploration Strategy, of which ISECG is the implementing group.
Future work may also include a technology assessment exercise in support of the Roadmap. The senior managers also agreed on the need to intensify their dialogue to seize cooperation opportunities to strengthen activities in the near future.
"I am very satisfied with the work performed so far, of the highly collaborative spirit among agencies and individuals involved in ISECG," said Mrs Di Pippo.
"This represents a key element in the global exploration undertaking which lies ahead of us and I have the feeling that ISECG has not yet deployed all its potential."
"I am also particularly satisfied by the fact that the original proposal of establishing regular meetings of senior exploration leaders to review and guide ISECG work has been accepted after having been formally proposed by NASA."
