Javier Ventura-Travesset is Lunar Navigation and Moonlight Manager at the European Space Agency and a member of the Spanish Royal Academy of Engineering. He is a member of the group of experts of the Chair of Science and Society of the Rafael del Pino Foundation.
In an environment as complex as the European Space Agency, where not only teams but also national interests and technological challenges have to be orchestrated, what is the secret to articulate decision-making?
One of the keys to ESA's success is the existence of two types of programmes: mandatory and optional. The former account for approximately 20% of the funding of its Member States. They provide budgetary stability and enable long-term strategies to be defined. Their lines are established through formal processes, with broad participation of the scientific community and member countries. This is how we are defining ESA's Space Science Programme to 2050, Voyage 2050.
The remainder is devoted to optional programmes, where each member country decides whether it wishes to contribute and in what percentage. This flexibility has made it possible to launch new programmes for which there was no unanimity, and which many of the countries that initially objected to them have since joined. Programmes in space transport, earth observation, telecommunications, integrated applications, satellite navigation, human spaceflight and robotic exploration are all funded through this mechanism.
What criteria are used to prioritise projects like Moonlight?
It is essential to be very clear about the rationale for developing a project. Priorities emerge naturally. We want to put the first human extraterrestrial infrastructure into lunar orbit, enabling the commercialisation of interoperable communication and navigation services for institutional and commercial missions. It is essential to be operational quickly to capture this nascent lunar market and to be the reference. This implies seeking solutions based on the re-use of well-established technologies.
We also want our services to be interoperable with others. This means defining and leading from the outset recognised international standards and understanding the needs of these future missions for the next 10-15 years. In order to be commercially viable, significant institutional support is needed at the outset. We must think about the user, clearly explaining the extraordinary benefits and cost reductions of Moonlight.
What does Europe need in order to take action, to transform its production model?
The prescriptions are well known. Public and private investment in R&D must continue to increase; science, technology, engineering and mathematics education must be strongly promoted; and international talent must be attracted. More effective access to finance for tech start-ups and SMEs must be facilitated, and investors' risk aversion must be addressed. It is crucial to reduce bureaucracy and develop robust and long-term legal frameworks. In addition, robust international partnerships must be created and strengthened, building on our legacy in diplomacy, our geopolitical position and our multicultural sensitivity. Europe has many intrinsic strengths, but action is essential. To position ourselves as a global technology leader, first and foremost: we must firmly believe in it.
The aerospace sector is a perfect example of driving innovation through demand.
Institutional investment in certain services can be key to generating that first novel offer that activates new demand and thus the creation of sustainable business models. This is what we are trying to do in the moon economy. Our support reduces the financial risk for companies that "believe" and want to invest. We hope to act as a catalyst for demand from other space agencies and the private sector. ESA's institutional support has also encouraged the development of international lunar communication and navigation standards through LunaNET.
Moonlight also drives complementary investments in R&D, which has facilitated the creation of prototypes of new low-cost receivers, commercially accessible in a very short time. It is a public-private partnership in which we seek symbiosis to share risks and rewards, something of extraordinary geo-strategic interest for Europe and for our industry.
What are Moonlight's main challenges in the next five years?
Moonlight is an absolute paradigm shift in the field of human lunar exploration. With regard to future lunar navigation services, we must define which geodetic (it would be more correct to use the term "selenodetic") and timing reference systems are formally applicable for future missions and for the long-term establishment of a human civilisation on the Moon. International consensus and the development of specific technologies will be required during this decade.