ESA title
Terrae Novae: from inspiring Europe’s generations to supporting its economic growth

Terrae Novae: from inspiring Europe’s generations to supporting its economic growth [Oct/2022]

The European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P, branded Terrae Novae in 2021) was created in 2016 to deliver Europe’s space exploration strategy. The mission of Terrae Novae is to lead Europe’s human journey into the Solar system using robots as precursors and scouts, and to return the benefits of exploration back to society.

At the beginning of this decade, exploration is at unprecedented crossroads. Leading countries are accelerating their investments, the geopolitical context is unstable and changing while emerging countries and private investors are scaling up efforts and gaining record momentum. Terrae Novae Period 3 will continue to lead Europe’s human journey into the Solar system and deliver benefits throughout the European economy and society.

A study by the consulting company Euroconsult was conducted to update the 2019 socio-economic impact assessment of the programme’s Period 2 (2019-2022). The scope of the analysis was put on the Period 3 (2022-2025), assessing the potential future benefits of the programme’s activities on Europe’s industry, economy and society.

With more than €2.5 billion of contracts to industry (mostly concentrated in Period 3 (2023-2025) but with lower levels of funding distributed until 2030), the programme is expected to:

  • Support economic growth and employment in Europe

The programme is expected to generate more than €2.8 billion of contribution to Europe’s GDP in terms of value added, more than €800 million of taxes and about 3,850 jobs supported per year, across the period 2023-2030.

  • Position European stakeholders favourably to address future opportunities

Working on Terrae Novae missions have allowed European companies to access new markets, either geographic e.g., Thales Alenia Space developing modules in the US for Axiom’s commercial space station thanks to its work on the ISS and Gateway, or vertical e.g., ArianeGroup re-purposing the electric thrusters it developed for the Mars Sample Return (MSR) Earth Return Orbiter (ERO) mission for conventional satellites.

  • Increase Europe’s strategic autonomy in space

An increasing number of components previously procured outside of Europe are being replaced with European-made technologies. Terrae Novae missions such as the European Large Logistics Lander (EL3) increase end-to-end capabilities, reducing European reliance and opening opportunities for European-led missions, including with international partners.

The full study report can be accessed in the restricted area here (please log in before).


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