Voyage 2050
Long-term planning of the ESA Science Programme

White Papers

 

The following table lists the White Papers that were submitted in response to a Call issued in March 2019. The papers are listed in alphabetical order of the lead author. Click on the title of the White Paper to download each individual pdf file. A zipped file of all White Papers can be downloaded here (410MB).

Most of the White Papers were submitted to Experimental Astronomy for inclusion in two Special Issues dedicated to the Voyage 2050 White Papers:

Voyage 2050 – science themes for ESA’s long-term plan for the Scientific Programme: the nearby and distant Universe (Part 1)

Voyage 2050 – science themes for ESA’s long-term plan for the Scientific Programme: Solar Systems, ours and others (Part 2)

The individual papers are being added to this page as they become available on the Experimental Astronomy website. The Special Issues are accompanied by an Editorial: Introducing the Voyage 2050 White Papers, contributions from the science community to ESA’s long-term plan for the Scientific Programme.

 

White Paper submitted in response to the Call Lead Author Published in journal:
Enabling the sustainable space era by developing the infrastructure for a space economy Anglada Escude, Guillem
Institute de Ciencies de l'Espai - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Spain
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The Search for Living Worlds and the Connection to Our Cosmic Origins Barstow, Martin
University of Leicester,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Quantum Technologies in Space Bassi, Angelo
University of Trieste,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
A Space Mission to Map the Entire Observable Universe using the CMB as a Backlight Basu, Kaustuv
Argelander-Institut fur Astronomie,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
High Precision Particle Astrophysics as a New Window on the Universe with an Antimatter Large Acceptance Detector In Orbit (ALADInO) Battiston, Roberto
Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Trento,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The local dark sector. Probing gravitation's low-acceleration frontier and dark matter in the Solar System neighborhood Bergé, Joel
ONERA,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The Missing Link in Gravitational-wave Astronomy: Discoveries waiting in the decihertz range Berry, Christopher
Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics, Northwestern University,
United States of America

Published in Experimental Astronomy (as a Short Communication); expanded version of the White Paper published in Class. Quant. Grav.

 

Exploring the nearest habitable exoplanets Bertaux, Jean-Loup
LATMOS/CNRS/UVSQ/IPSL,
France
 
Joint Europa Mission (JEM) A MULTISCALE, MULTI-PLATFORM MISSION TO CHARACTERIZE EUROPA'S HABITABILITY AND SEARCH FOR EXTANT LIFE Blanc, Michel
IRAP, CNRS-Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier,
France
 
Gravitation And the Universe from large Scale-Structures
The GAUSS mission concept
Mapping the cosmic web up to the reionization era
Blanchard, Alain
IRAP,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
AMBITION - Comet Nucleus Cryogenic Sample Return Bockelée-Morvan, Dominique
LESIA, Observatoire de Paris,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Exploring Solar-Terrestrial Interactions via Multiple Observers Branduardi-Raymont, Graziella
Mullard Space Science Laboratory - University College London,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
AEDGE: Atomic Experiment for Dark Matter and Gravity Exploration Buchmueller, Oliver
Imperial College London,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy (as a Short Communication); expanded version of the White Paper published in EPJ Quant. Technol.
GrailQuest: hunting for Atoms of Space and Time hidden in the wrinkle of Space-Time Burderi, Luciano
University of Cagliari,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Space Project for Astrophysical and Cosmological Exploration (SPACE) Burgarella, Denis
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
White Paper on the case for Landed Mercury Exploration within the Voyage 2050 long-term plan in the ESA Science Program Byrne, Paul
North Carolina State University,
United States of America
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Probing the Nature of Black Holes: Deep in the mHz Gravitational-Wave Cardoso, Vitor
University of Lisbon,
Portugal
Published in Experimental Astronomy
UV Exploration of the solar system Chaufray, Jean-Yves
LATMOS, CNRS,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
New Horizons in Cosmology with Spectral Distortions of the Cosmic Microwave Background Chluba, Jens
JBCA, The University of Manchester,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Enceladus as a potential oasis for life: Science goals and investigations for future explorations Choblet, Gaël
LPG, CNRS/Nantes University,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Gamma-ray Astrophysics in the MeV Range: The ASTROGAM Concept and Beyond De Angelis, Alessandro
INFN Padova and University of Padova,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Microwave Spectro-Polarimetry of Matter and Radiation across Space and Time Delabrouille, Jacques
Laboratoire APC, CNRS/IN2P3 & DAp, CEA/IRFU,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
High angular resolution gravitational wave astronomy Dvorkin, Irina
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute),
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
HiRISE - High Resolution Imaging and Spectroscopy Explorer
Ultrahigh resolution, interferometric and external occulting coronagraphic science: Great leap in solar physics
Erdelyi, Robertus
Univ of Sheffield,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
CHRONOS
A NIR Spectroscopic Galaxy Survey: From the formation of galaxies to the peak of activity
Ferreras, Ignacio
IAC / UCL,
Spain
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Ice Giant Systems: Scientific Potential of Missions to Uranus and Neptune Fletcher, Leigh
University of Leicester,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Understanding the origin of the positron annihilation line and the physics of the supernova explosions Frontera, Filippo
University of Ferrara, Physics and Earth Sciences Department, Ferrara,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Massive Stars in Extremely Metal-Poor Galaxies: a Window into the Past Garcia, Miriam
Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA),
Spain
Published in Experimental Astronomy
CLOSING GAPS TO OUR ORIGINS
EUVO: THE UV WINDOW INTO THE UNIVERSE
Gomez de Castro, Ana I.
Universidad Complutense de Madrid,
Spain
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Cometary Plasma Science Götz, Charlotte
TU Braunschweig,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
The Changing Climate of Mars Grady, Monica
The Open University,
United Kingdom
 
A Deep Study of the High-Energy Transient Sky Guidorzi, Cristiano
University of Ferrara,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Uranus and Neptune are key to understand planets with hydrogen atmospheres Guillot, Tristan
Observatoire de la Cote d'Azur,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
TeraHertz Exploration and Zooming-in for Astrophysics (THEZA) Gurvits, Leonid
Joint Institute for VLBI ERIC and Delft University of Technology,
The Netherlands
Published in Experimental Astronomy
A journey to the polar regions of a star: Exploring the solar poles and the heliosphere from high helio-latitude Harra, Louise
PMOD/WRC and ETH-Zürich,
Switzerland
Published in Experimental Astronomy
All-Sky Visible and Near Infrared Space Astrometry Hobbs, David
Lund Observatory ,
Sweden
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Precise Astrometry: Earth Analogs and Beyond Horzempa, Philip
LeMoyne College,
United States of America
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The need for a multi-purpose, optical-NIR space facility after HST and JWST - The case for an ESA-led HabEx Workhorse Camera Jahnke, Knud
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Occulter to Earth: Prospects for studying Earth-like planets with the E-ELT and a space-based occulter Janson, Markus
Stockholm University,
Sweden
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Autonomous Lunar Geophysical Experiment Package (ALGEP) Kawamura, Taichi
Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Peering into the Dark (Ages) with Low-Frequency Space Interferometers Koopmans, Leon
Kapteyn Astronomical Institute,
The Netherlands
Published in Experimental Astronomy
In situ studies of the solar corona after Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter Krasnosselskikh, Vladimir
LPC2E/CNRS-University of Orleans-CNES,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Lunar or space-based hypertelescope for direct high-resolution imaging Labeyrie, Antoine
College de France and observatoire de la Cote d'Azur,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy (as a Short Communication)
LUNES: LUNar tErahertz teleScope
Expanding the electromagnetic window
Lampin, Jean-Francois
IEMN-CNRS,
France
 
PHEMTO: the Polarimetric High Energy Modular Telescope Observatory Laurent, Philippe
CEA/DRF/IRFU/DAp,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
A complete census of the gas phases in and around galaxies: far-UV spectropolarimetry as a prime tool for understanding galaxy evolution and star formation Lebouteiller, Vianney
AIM, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité,
France
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Bringing high spatial resolution to the Far-infrared - A giant leap for astrophysics Linz, Hendrik
Max Planck Institute for Astronomy Heidelberg,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Faint objects in motion: the new frontier of high precision astrometry Malbet, Fabien
IPAG / Université Grenoble Alpes,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Solar Particle Acceleration, Radiation & Kinetics (SPARK) Matthews, Sarah
UCL Mullard Space Science Laboratory,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
"The Grand European Heliospheric Observatory": An integrated ESA approach to challenges in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial physics. McCrea, Ian
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,
United Kingdom
 
Chronos
Take the pulse of our Galactic neighbourhood
After Gaia: time domain information, masses and ages for stars

 
Michel, Eric
Observatoire de Paris - LESIA,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
HAYDN
High-precision AsteroseismologY of DeNse stellar fields
Miglio, Andrea
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Exploration of Enceladus and Titan: Investigating ocean worlds' evolution and habitability in the Saturn System Mitri, Giuseppe
International Research School of Planetary Sciences, Dipartimento di Ingegneria e Geologia, Università d’Annunzio,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Stellar Physics with High-Resolution UV Spectropolarimetry Morin, Julien
LUPM (Université de Montpellier & CNRS),
France
 
In Situ Exploration of the Giant Planets Mousis, Olivier
Aix-Marseille Université,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The Voyage of Metals in the Universe from Cosmological to Planetary Scales: the need for a Very High-Resolution, High Throughput Soft X-ray Spectrometer Nicastro, Fabrizio
INAF - Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Planetary Polar Explorer: The Case for a Next-Generation Remote Sensing Mission to Low Mars Orbit Oberst, Jürgen
German Aerospace Center (DLR), Institute of Planetary Research,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
CASPER: A mission to study the time-dependent evolution of the magnetic solar chromosphere and transition regions Orozco Suárez, David
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas,
Spain
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Magnetic Imaging of the Outer Solar Atmosphere (MImOSA)
Unlocking the driver of the dynamics in the upper solar atmosphere
Peter, Hardi
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
EarthFinder: A NASA Probe Mission Concept Plavchan, Peter
George Mason University,
United States of America
 
Searching for (bio)chemical complexity in icy satellites, with a focus on Europa Prieto-Ballesteros, Olga
Centro de Astrobiología (CSIC-INTA),
Spain
 
Atmospheric characterization of terrestrial exoplanets in the mid-infared: biosignatures, habitability & diversity Quanz, Sascha
ETH Zurich - Department of Physics,
Switzerland
Published in Experimental Astronomy
What are the fundamental modes of energy transfer and partitioning in the coupled Magnetosphere-Ionosphere system? Rae, Jonathan
MSSL/UCL,
United Kingdom

Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050

Particle Energization in Space Plasmas: Towards a Multi-Point, Multi-Scale Plasma Observatory Retino, Alessandro
Laboratoire de Physique des Plasmas - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
The Far Infrared Spectroscopic Surveyor Rigopoulou, Dimitra
University of Oxford,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Science goals and mission concepts for a future orbital and in situ exploration of Titan Rodriguez, Sebastien
Institut de physique du globe de Paris,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Spectropolarimetry as a Tool for Understanding the Diversity of Planetary Atmospheres Rossi, Loïc
LATMOS,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The in-situ exploration of Jupiter's radiation belts Roussos, Elias
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
ESA's Voyage 2050 Long-term Plan for Education and Public Engagement Russo, Pedro
Leiden Observatory, Leiden University,
The Netherlands
 
Mars' plasma system. Scientific potential of coordinated multi-point missions: 'The next generation' Sanchez-Cano, Beatriz
University of Leicester,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
AMS-100: The Next Generation Magnetic Spectrometer in Space - An International Science Platform for Physics and Astrophysics at Lagrange Point 2 Schael, Stefan
RWTH Aachen University,
Germany
Published in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A
Quantum Correlations at Earth-Moon Distance Schneider, Jean
Observatoire de Paris,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy (as a Short Communication)
OWL-MOON: Very high resolution spectro-polarimetric interferometry and imaging from the Moon: exoplanets to cosmology Schneider, Jean
Observatoire de Paris,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Coronal Magnetism Explorer: ESA Solar Physics Mission White Paper Scullion, Eamon
Northumbria University Newcastle upon Tyne,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Unveiling the Gravitational Universe at μ-Hz Frequencies Sesana, Alberto
Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
GAUSS
G​enesis of ​A​steroids and Evol​U​tion of the ​S​olar ​S​ystem - A Sample Return Mission to Ceres
Shi, Xian
Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research,
Germany
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Mapping Large-Scale-Structure Evolution over Cosmic Times Silva, Marta
Institute of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo,
Norway
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Voyage through the Hidden Physics of the Cosmic Web Simionescu, Aurora
SRON Netherlands Institute for Space Research,
The Netherlands
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Detecting life outside our solar system with a large high-contrast-imaging mission

Snellen, Ignas
Leiden Observatory, Leiden University,
The Netherlands

Published in Experimental Astronomy
A Polarized View of the Hot and Violent Universe Soffitta, Paolo
INAF - Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
The Quest for Life Leads Underground: Exploring Modern-Day Subsurface Habitability & Extant Life on Mars Stamenkovic, Vlada
Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
United States of America
 
Enceladus and Titan: Emerging Worlds of the Solar System Sulaiman, Ali
University of Iowa,
United States of America
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Detecting the Gravito-magnetic field of the Dark Halo of the Milky Way (LaDaHaD) Tartaglia, Angelo
INAF-OATo,
Italy
Published in Experimental Astronomy
A Comprehensive Investigation of the Galilean Moon, Io, by Tracing Mass and Energy Flows Thomas, Nicolas
University of Bern,
Switzerland
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Mars and the Science Programme: The case for Mars Polar Science Thomas, Nicolas
University of Bern,
Switzerland
Published in Experimental Astronomy
The high energy universe at ultra-high resolution: the power and promise of X-ray interferometry Uttley, Phil
University of Amsterdam,
The Netherlands
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Venus Sample Return Mission Revisited Valentian, Dominique
ITG,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Sample return of primitive matter from the outer Solar System Vernazza, Pierre
Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
A Case for Electron-Astrophysics Verscharen, Daniel
MSSL, University College London,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Origins Space Telescope: From First Light to Life (Mission of Opportunity) Wiedner, Martina
Sorbonne Université, Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Venus: Key to understanding the evolution of terrestrial planets Wilson, Colin
Oxford University,
United Kingdom
Published in Experimental Astronomy
In-situ Investigations of the Local Interstellar Medium Wimmer-Schweingruber, Robert F.
Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Kiel ,
Germany
See also: The Plasma Universe: A Coherent Science Theme for Voyage 2050
Exploring the Foundations of the Physical Universe with Space Tests of the Equivalence Principle Wolf, Peter
Observatoire de Paris, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, LNE,
France
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Plasma-neutral gas interactions in various space environments Yamauchi, Masatoshi
Swedish Institute of Space Physics, Kiruna office,
Sweden
Published in Experimental Astronomy
Unveiling the faint ultraviolet Universe Zanella, Anita
European Southern Observatory,
Germany

Published in Experimental Astronomy

 

Last updated: 7 February 2023