A New Era in European Space Exploration and Technologies
Comment by Prof Nigel Mason, Europlanet Research Infrastructure Coordinator.
At the recent Ministerial meeting held in Bremen, Germany, on 26-27 November 2025, ESA obtained outstanding support from its Member states with a record budget of €22.3bn — a 31% increase in budget that is envisaged to be some 17% ahead of inflation. This budget ensures support for key science, exploration and technology programmes alongside a significant increase in the budget of space applications (Earth observation, navigation and telecommunications).
This announcement is good news for our community — indeed planetary and Solar System science is well represented in the core missions and programmes ESA plans for the next decades. ESA will deliver the missions described by the Cosmic Vision long-term plan, including the Rosalind Franklin Mars rover (with a launch date in 2028) and Envision to Venus, as well as preparing missions to the Moon, the most important being the Argonaut lander. Funding is allocated to support a new and highly ambitious mission to search for life on Enceladus with the large-class ‘L4’ mission to Saturn and its moons. The technology to support this programme and ESA’s other innovative missions will be developed using a substantially strengthened budget for technology enablers, critical components, digitalisation and emerging technologies
Three important missions account for the majority of funding in space safety and security: Ramses, Rise and Vigil. The Ramses mission, to be built on a tight schedule to intercept the asteroid Apophis on its close encounter with Earth in 2029 is funded, and will help to prepare for future potentially hazardous asteroids. The Vigil space weather mission is expected to undergo preliminary design review early next year. To reduce waste in space in the future, the testing of on-orbit servicing will be funded through Rise, a partnership with industry. In addition, the Moonlight programme will develop lunar communications and navigations services.
In a reflection of the times we are living in, the ESA budget must also address the critical role of space in security and resilience. Indeed, we must address the need for space infrastructures and research to be increasingly ‘dual use’ with a defence as well as a civil role. In an historic change for ESA, significant funding will go towards the use of space applications for non-aggressive defence. A letter of intent has been signed with Poland to examine the possibility of hosting a new centre specialising in security and dual-use/multi-use applications.
Thus, there is much in the ESA plans that will secure Europe at the forefront of space exploration and technologies. However, this will require a strong, integrated and well-organised planetary community, and this is an area where Europlanet can play a unique role. Indeed, in early 2026 Europlanet will hold meetings with ESA Science and Human and Robotic Exploration teams to discuss how our community can help support ESA in delivering its ambitious mission.
There has never been a better time for you as individuals and your institutions to join Europlanet to help deliver the future of space exploration and technologies!
