Independent experts urge European Space Agency to start human space exploration project

The European Space Agency (ESA), which is not an agency of the European Union, has been urged by a panel of independent experts to develop a full-spectrum crewed spaceflight capability. Known as the High Level Advisory Group (HLAG), the 12-strong panel, composed of leading figures in European industry, academia, government and civil society and led by former Danish Prime Minister and former North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, presented its report, “Revolution Space: Europe’s Mission for Space Exploration”, to the 315th session of the ESA Council, in Paris, France, last week. “Let us be bold, let us put Europe at the forefront of space exploration,” proclaimed Rasmussen, when he represented the report to the ESA Council. “If we fail to do so, we will fall behind and become dependent on others.”