The European Space Agency, ESA announced on 24 March 2022 ESA astronaut Andreas Mogensen's second mission to the International Space Station, ISS. It is scheduled for July 2023 to February 2024. Andreas Mogensen will be launched with SpaceX 7 Crew Dragon from Kennedy Space Center as part of an international crew of four.
As part of their mission all ESA astronauts have dedicated time for national research and technology development activities proposed by ESA member states participating in ESA’s Exploration Programme – Terrae Novae. The development of national experiments must be funded by the proposer, while launch, limited download and astronaut time will be provided by the Terrae Novae programme.
Andreas Mogensen’s mission can include national research and technology development activities from other ESA member states, but future ESA astronaut missions can also include national research and technology development activities from Denmark. National research and technology development activities intended to fly during Andreas Mogensen’s mission could therefore potentially move or even be planned for a later mission, if an agreement between the proposer and ESA is reached.
A number of events and activities will support the process. First of all, the Space Exploration Denmark Partnership will host a workshop for potential proposers, where ESA and experienced Danish space experts will provide guidance before the deadline for proposals. After deadline, ESA will conduct a kickoff workshop to guide selected proposals further. Finally, an ESA Payload Integration Manager will guide proposers in their development of selected experiments and activities and help with the integration on the Space Station.
Aims of national research and technology activities
Danish research and technology development activities during Andreas Mogensen’s next mission can contribute to showcase Danish space research and technology, the objectives of Denmark’s National Space Strategy and “Green solutions of the future”. With that in mind, your research and technology development activity should aim to promote one or several of the below aims:
1. The Green agenda and UN sustainability goals
2. Danish Space Research & Science
3. Danish Space Technology demonstration and development
4. Public Relations and outreach in relation to the proposed activity
5. STEM and education in relation to the proposed activity
Get inspired by ESA stories about experiments already carried out in support of the Green Agenda and the UN Global Goals.
Selection criteria
The selection of proposals will be made by ESA and the Ministry of Higher Education and Science, responsible for the Danish membership of ESA. The selection will be based on:
- Promotion of one or several of the aims of national experiments and activities, cf. above
- Funding available for the national research and technology development activity
- A realistic timetable for the development of the national research and technology development activity
Submission of proposals
Full proposals must be submitted by filling in ESA’s Activity Requirement Document (ARD)
Before filling in the ARD Template please consider:
- Your plan for funding the activity (development, testing and flight certification).
- How does your proposal fit your other activities and your future plans in space?
- What is the societal value of your activity?
- Does your proposal address the green transition and/or UN sustainability goals?
- Explain why the ISS environment is essential to implement your activity?
- How could your proposal be downscaled if needed?
- Do you need to upload/download anything from ISS? Consider a design that fosters moderate use of needed resourced (mass, size, crew time, power, etc.)
- Could you consider conducting your activity later than Andreas’ mission, if necessary?
- Do you need technical advice in order to write your proposal?
The Activity Requirement Document (ARD) template can be requested from Cecilie Tornøe, ct@ufm.dk
Timeline
- 24 March 2022: Call for proposals launched
- 26 April 2022: Workshop with potential proposers. Copenhagen with hybrid possibility
- 8 May 2022: Deadline for proposals /Submission of Activity Requirement Documents (ARDs)
- 15 June 2022: selection of proposals
- 22 June 2022: Kick off workshop with selected proposers. ESTEC with hybrid possibility
- 01 Sep: Signature of Payload Accommodation Agreement (PAA) between ESA/Proposer
- Jun-Dec. 2022: Selected proposers work with the Payload Integration Manager and other ESA teams
- Dec 2022 – July 2023: Delivery of hardware to ESA (Dependent on when the hardware is need in orbit)
- July 2023: Launch of Andreas Mogensen’s mission