Call for Membership in the Expert Committee

for the Large mission covering the science theme

“Moons of the Giant Planets”

25 March 2024

The report from the Expert Committee for the Large-class mission in ESA's Voyage 2050 plan covering the science theme "Moons of the Giant Planets" is published. The report can be downloaded here. See also the news article Saturn's moon Enceladus top target for ESA.

6 December 2021

The first scientific theme identified in the new long-term scientific plan (Voyage 2050) for the Science Programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) for the large mission following Athena and LISA is "Moons of the Giant Planets", addressing issues such as habitability, biosignatures, prebiotic chemistry, etc., to be implemented through a planetary probe to one of the moons of either Jupiter or Saturn.

Through the present Call, the Director of Science invites scientists to apply for membership of the "Expert Committee" for the science theme "Moons of the Giant Planets", that will support the initial definition of space mission concepts to fulfil the goals set for the “Moons of the Giant Planets” science theme. The Expert Committee will be tasked with considering the scientific merits of the different possible destinations for a space mission to a moon of one of the two giant planets, to support the Agency in the execution of a number of initial feasibility studies aiming at defining the technical and financial feasibility of possible space missions, and to produce, by the end of 2023, a final report advising the Director of Science.

Following consideration of the report, and of the outcome of the initial feasibility studies, the Agency will consider issuing in due time a "Call for Missions", where the European scientific community would be invited to propose missions to fulfil the goals set for the "Moons of the Giant Planets" science theme.

Early career scientists are specifically encouraged to apply.

Of order of ten members will be selected through the present Call. The Expert Committee will be appointed with a mandate until the end of 2023.

Participation to the Expert Committee will not prejudice in any form later participation in any following calls concerning the mission selection addressing the “Moons of the Giant Planets” science theme.

The selection of the Members of the Expert Committee is expected to take place in January 2022, with the Committee’s activities starting shortly thereafter. The activities are expected to be conducted through a mixture of physical and on-line meetings.

Full details of this Call, including the Terms of Reference of the Expert Committee, and the format and contents of the application, can be found in the Call for Membership in the Expert Committee for the Large mission covering the science theme "Moons of the Giant Planets" document.

Application Submission

Applications, in PDF format, must be submitted using the submission form linked below, before the deadline of 18 January 2022, 12:00 (noon) CET.

Schedule for this call and important dates

Contact

Requests for further information should be addressed to:

Luigi Colangeli
Head of the Science Coordination Office
Directorate of Science
European Space Agency
Email: Luigi.Colangeliesa.int

Last updated: 8 November 2022

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