Looking beyond inspiration and discovery, leveraging space exploration holds the potential to drive commercial innovation and contribute to a sustainable future.
The European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P) embodies ESA’s commitment to extending humanity’s reach from low Earth orbit (LEO) into space while fostering an ecosystem of innovation that benefits both our planet and economy. E3P is opening new horizons in space while simultaneously driving sustainable advancements across industries like healthcare and manufacturing.
Existing assets such as the International Space Station (ISS) offer significant capabilities to established space industry players as well as those working in drug research, personalised medicine, or in-orbit manufacturing.
The Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) assists businesses and individuals in leveraging these space environments to create commercially valuable products and services.
Research Environments in Orbit
ESA offers three innovative platforms to aspiring enterprises: ICE Cubes, the Bioreactor Express, and Bartolomeo. These platforms enable cutting-edge research and development in Earth observation, robotics, material science, and more, providing a glimpse into the future of space as a vital aspect of our economy and scientific landscape.
The ICE Cubes service is designed to offer a fast, straightforward, and affordable solution for getting experiments or technologies onboard the ISS while benefiting from constant monitoring throughout its time in orbit.
The Bioreactor Express service provides access to miniaturized “bioreactors” for conducting experiments in biology, biotechnology, and biochemistry.
The Bartolomeo platform connects to the European Colombus module aboard the ISS and offers the only place where both Earth and outer space are observable with no obstructions. Here, it can host external payloads in low Earth orbit for applications in Earth observation, robotics, material science, and astrophysics.
From Orbit to the Moon
In the future, space exploration will lead to additional infrastructure and communications beyond our orbit for resource extraction and scientific exploration. The Lunar Pathfinder Mission aims to provide the first communication service to the moon while the European Space Resource Innovation Centre (ESCRIC) prepares for the first steps in extraction and processing of extraterrestrial resources. ESRIC is enabling these future services and products for customers on Earth or operating in space.
