A Boost! to the European space transportation ecosystem
- Paper ID
64312
- author
- company
European Space Agency (ESA)
- country
France
- year
2021
- abstract
Boost! is ESA's new Space Transportation Services and Support programme, addressing the needs of the evolving European commercial space transportation sector in accessing new and attractive business opportunities. A range of emerging European service providers are set to offer multiple opportunities for transport solutions for payloads to space, in space, and return from space. ESA aims to stimulate competitiveness and the entrepreneurialism potential in the European space transportation sector, and to encourage the realisation of high-potential private-led commercial undertakings. ESA launched its Open Call for Commercial Space Transportation Services in April 2020 as an entry gate to access co-funding, expert advice and use of facilities through the Boost! Programme, and offer assistance in the pre-commercial development of new space transportation services ranging from launch opportunities, in-space transport services to return from space capabilities. By offering a flexible programmatic framework, Boost! is expected to enhance the economic resilience of the European space transportation sector through the reinforcement of the industrial ecosystems, innovation and differentiation, in complementarity to the institutional space transportation activities. This paper positions the programme and its objectives, and provides an overview of currently supported service projects, and highlights lessons learned and future perspectives.