유럽우주국-일본 JAXA, 지구 방어부터 화성 탐사까지 협력 확대 공동성명 발표

[산경투데이 = 박시수 우주산업 전문기자]

유럽우주국(ESA)과 일본우주항공연구개발기구(JAXA)은 지구 방어와 지구 관측, 달 탐사, 화성 탐사 등으로 협력 범위를 넓히는 것을 골자로 한 공동성명을 11월 20일 발표했다.

두 기관은 이러한 영역에서 파트너십을 강화하고 향후 영향력 있는 미션을 위해 노력할 것을 약속했다. 이하 공동성명의 주요 내용을 정리했다.

(Next big cooperation)

During the meeting, both Heads of Agency confirmed a path forward between the two agencies to build up these big cooperation missions, which is as follows;

1. The two agencies, taking into consideration that year 2029 is designated by the United Nations as the “International Year of Asteroid Awareness and Planetary Defence”, recognized significance to internationally promote their activities for Planetary Defence that contributes to preparation for a potential threat by the near-Earth objects. ESA’s Hera, the mission to a binary asteroid system for planetary defence and science, with JAXA’s cooperation, was launched in October 2024 and is planned to reach the target asteroid in 2026. Two agencies agreed to accelerate to study potential cooperation for ESA’s Rapid Apophis Mission for Space Safety (RAMSES) which aims to explore the asteroid Apophis that will pass close to our planet on 13 April 2029, including but not limited to provision of thermal infrared imager and solar array wings as well as possible launch opportunities.

2. The two agencies agreed to continue the close cooperation in the field of Earth Observation with the synergetic use of multiple missions and exploitation of data in support to climate change and recognized that the Greenhouse gases monitoring from space could contribute to producing trust information on anthropogenic Greenhouse gases emission which is crucial for the society to take collective actions to reduce the impacts of the climate change. Two agencies agreed to explore the possibility of a joint mission for monitoring facility to city scale anthropogenic emissions to fill the observation gaps of current and planned Greenhouse gases monitoring missions in the world.

3. On Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Exploration, the two agencies will

(a) continue their ongoing dialogue regarding future LEO activities to pursue joint efforts in expanding the economic sphere as well as bringing further scientific and societal benefits, meeting institutional needs and requirements in LEO after the ISS and leveraging on its heritage.

(b) examine cooperation between ESA and JAXA in the area of lunar exploration, considering their contributing elements to the overall Artemis architecture, including ESA’s cargo lander “Argonaut” and JAXA's Pressurized Rover. Jointly conducting lunar analogue demonstration, using ESA LUNA facility, to support development of their operation scenarios on the lunar surface, will be a good candidate for cooperation. Further possibilities to be investigated relate to synergizing multiple robotic missions, including commercially provided opportunities by Japanese and European companies such as small rover opportunities with the aim of contributing to new scientific discovery as well as human exploration on the lunar surface, by leveraging expertise to be obtained by the planned missions including the Lunar Polar Exploration (LUPEX) Mission.

(c) continue to work on ensuring and demonstrating interoperability of lunar communication and navigation capabilities, leveraging on Moonlight, in close coordination with NASA, contributing to joint Cis-lunar infrastructure supporting the sustainable lunar exploration.

(d) advance discussions on a potential collaborative Mars mission leveraging each agency's capabilities, such as electric propulsion, Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) system enabling precise small-lander missions to Mars in the 2030s.

4. The two agencies support the continuing collaborative efforts in Space Science for the ESA-led New Athena (New Advanced Telescope for High-ENergy Astrophysics) mission, and for the Medium-class missions candidates M-MATISSE and Plasma Observatory presently under competitive study. The two agencies support the continuation of the dialogue for a potential cooperation in the next Large mission in ESA’s Science Programme focused on the Moons of Giant Planets and for the JAXA-led LiteBIRD mission.

Based on the progress described above, both Heads of two Agencies agreed to further advance cooperation in these fields.


https://www.sankyungtoday.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=49433

유럽우주국-일본 JAXA, 지구 방어부터 화성 탐사까지 협력 확대 공동성명 발표