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European Space Agency poster (February 2026)

Document: ip-esa.pdf, one page, 7,324,024 bytes, from https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ (sources/manifest.csv). Listed as "European Space Agency" on NASA's Architecture Workshops page, "Hosted here with partner permission" (Architecture Workshops page). The workshop was on 24–25 February 2026 (deck). Text: sources/text/docs/2026-03-ip-esa.txt holds only the title and footer, so the poster was read from the image and its four tiles (sources/raw/slides/2026-03-ip-esa/). Footer: "2026 Moon to Mars Architecture Workshops", "NASA x ASI".

Whose material. ESA's own poster, not NASA's architecture (SCHEMA, "Workshop slides"). The poster leaves "ExPeRT", "TDE/GSTP" and "LCRS" unexpanded, and so does the wiki.

Summary. "European Space Agency", with a row of national flags, in nine panels: ESA's programme ("Terrae Novae", "European Exploration Programme", human and robotic exploration from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars); mission patches; "Strategic capabilities"; the "EXPLORE 2040" strategy chart; two panels of technology derisking; science and outreach figures; a roadmap; and "Inspiring the current and next generations".

What the poster says

  • Patches on photographs: "european service module", "ARTEMIS"; "lunar i-hab", "GATEWAY"; "lunar link", "GATEWAY" (read from the patches).
  • "Strategic capabilities": "LEO Cargo Return Service"; "Argonaut lunar lander"; "Moonlight/ Lunar Pathfinder".
  • "EXPLORE 2040" chart (labels as printed): "LEO vehicles" ("Crew", "Cargo"); "Electrical Propulsion Tugs", "Nuclear propulsion"; "Surface logistics", "Argonauts", "Evolution to heavier P/L", "Precision landing"; "Sample return vehicle"; "ISRU", "Science P/L", "Radio-isotopes"; "Ground-based R&D"; "ISS", "Post-ISS"; "Deep space habitation de-risking"; "Gateway optimisation"; "Comms & Nav", "Orbital science"; key: "key enablers – opportunities for excellence – leaps".
  • "Demonstration missions driving technologies derisking", "ExPeRT demos derisking", with dates as printed: "Lunar night survival <2030" and "Lunar mobility <2030" (both inside the dashed box marked "Top priority"); "Crew launch abort system <2030"; "Hypervelocity return ~2030"; "Heavy landing >2035 (Moon/Mars)". Technologies around them: "GNC Advanced Guidance, Navigation and Control"; "Advanced Thermal Control Systems"; "Power pack: High performance batteries + Regenerative Fuel Cells (RFCS) + RHUs"; "Cryogenic throttleable engine"; "Thermal Protection Systems"; "Launch abort technologies".
  • "Mission concepts driven technologies derisking", "ExPeRT mission studies": "Post-ISS & crew vehicle derisking"; "Deep space habitat simulator"; "Lunar mobility / logistics (1t+ class)"; "Sample returns"; "Lunar base camp (shelter as step 1)"; "Mars generic 'tug'"; "MEDaL (precision EDL + lander)" (marked "Top priority"). Technologies: "LSS subsystems + Autonomous system mgmt"; "Dust mitigation systems"; "High thrust & Isp Electric Propulsion"; "RHU RTG RDG"; "Miniaturised Instruments and payloads"; "Power system incl. lunar power pack"; "Aerial mobility", "Drones"; "Gap filler: Parachutes, propulsion equipment, human rated batteries"; "Multi-purpose Dexterity"; "Advanced locomotion: Wheels & suspensions + hopper"; "Advanced GNC: Hybrid and AI enhanced autonomous navigation". Legend: "Studies", "Technologies", "TDE/GSTP contribution", "Top priority".
  • Figures: "1780 scientists involved in ESA low gravity research"; "38 countries participating in ESA exploration science"; "$160M venture capital in 2024 for LCRS"; "8.2B annual gross reach".
  • "Exploration focused science & technology roadmap": exploration science "with 2 streams", "Exploration FOCUSED" ("4 themes: Local resources + Environment and effects + Crew health and performance + Habitation") and "Exploration ENABLED" ("Announcements of Opportunity – excellence based": "Basic and applied physics + Biology + Human physiology + Planetary science"); ExPeRT, "New mission options and corresponding derisking of critical technologies": "Technology maturation top-priorities: mobility, power and transport/habitability"; "Fast learning/high risk approach for new promising topics"; "Enhanced scouting for spin-in technologies"; "Duplication of technology providers should be limited to critical enabling capabilities".

Against the architecture (the wiki's comparison)

  • ADD Rev C on ESA. RT-1 lists ESA's service modules for Orion, ESA among the Gateway partners, ESA's Moonlight "in parallel" with NASA's lunar relay procurement, and ESA in joint technical studies and Mars Sample Return planning (ADD Rev C, pp. 84–86; RT-1). The poster's patches and "Moonlight/ Lunar Pathfinder" are on the same subjects.
  • ESA's derisking dates ("Lunar night survival <2030", "Heavy landing >2035") are ESA's plans. The wiki doesn't pair them with the ADD's technology gaps (open question 85). No "Moon Base" (the poster was read from the image; nothing found).

Oddities

  • The "Earth-Mars closest approach" figure on the Terrae Novae panel is partly hidden on the image; not recorded.

RT-1 International Collaboration · 2026 international partners workshop deck · Gateway · Orion Spacecraft