14 Space Agencies ASI Italy BNSC UK CNES France CNSA China CSA Canada CSIRO Australia DLR Germany ESA Europe ISRO India JAXA Japan KARI South Korea NASA USA NSAU Ukraine Roscomos Russia The Global Exploration Strategy and Why it Matters Ian Crawford

“This Framework for Coordination of the Global Exploration Strategy presents a vision of tomorrow in which the human frontiers are permanently expanded into the solar system, inspiring generations of humanity to come. It foresees how the robotic and human space exploration efforts undertaken by many nations, working individually and in partnership, could be coordinated to maximise the long-term benefits for all humanity.”

Space exploration is driven by human civilization: extending human presence to other planets to enable eventual settlement; scientific knowledge: pursuing scientific activities that address fundamental questions about the history of Earth, the solar system, and the universe – and about our place in them; global partnerships: providing a challenging, shared, and peaceful activity that unites nations in pursuit of common objectives; economic expansion: expanding Earth’s economic sphere and conducting space activities that benefit life on the home planet; and public engagement: using a vibrant space exploration programme to engage the public, encourage students and help develop the high-tech workforce required to address the challenges of tomorrow.

Lunar Science benefiting from the GES Characterisation of the impact cratering rate in the inner Solar System Possible preservation of meteorites from early Earth (Armstrong et al., 2002; 2010) Possible preservation of Earth’s early atmosphere (Ozima et al., 2005; 2008) Preservation of cometary volatiles and organics in polar craters (Lucey, 2000; Gibson et al., 2010) History of the solar wind and the mass and luminosity of the early Sun (Whitmire et al., 1995) History of the galactic environment of the Solar System (Spudis 1996; McKay, 2009; Crawford et al., 2010)

“If the world is ever to have peace, it must find ways of combining peace with the possibility of adventures that are not destructive.” Bertrand Russell The Impact of Science on Society (1952)

Mining asteroids? ©NASA

“Human and robotic exploration of the Moon, asteroids, and Mars will strengthen and enrich humanity’s future, bringing nations together in a common cause, revealing new knowledge, inspiring people and stimulating technical and commercial innovation….”

The ‘Lucca’ Political Process Third International Conference on Space Exploration, Lucca, 10 November countries: ESA and EU member states, plus 12 others (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, India, Israel, Japan, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, USA). Lucca Declaration: “The government representatives in Lucca committed to begin the open structured high-level policy dialogue on space exploration at the government level for the benefit of humankind.”

Ultimately, the Global Exploration Strategy matters because Planet Earth needs and deserves a unified space programme

Maintaining the momentum: Ensure that the GES is more widely known about by potential beneficiaries (science and industry) and by the wider public Ensure that UKSA are made aware that the UK space community considers it to be important (UK)SEDS and Space Generation Advisory Council can play an important role