The Aurora programme - Europes framework for space exploration

By 2001, ESA had identified robotic and human exploration of the Solar System as one of the major undertakings for Europe and its international partners in the 21st century. Spacefaring nations, with Europe at the forefront, have successfully explored other planets through unmanned missions, and the International Space Station is a permanent presence in low Earth orbit. Creating the framework that brings together the robotic and human elements of space activities for further exploration of the Solar System is the next logical step.