Songdo, Korea, December 7-8, 2023

Senior Agency Managers (SAMs) representing 20 Space Agencies gathered both in-person and virtually on December 7th and 8th, 2023, for a pivotal session of the International Space Exploration Coordination Group (ISECG). Hosted by the Korean Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) in Songdo, the meeting aimed to assess and enhance coordinated efforts in exploring Earth orbit, the Moon, Mars and beyond.

Strengthening Global Cooperation

During the meeting, senior managers underscored the crucial role of international cooperation and coordination in more effectively advancing the goals and objectives of each member space agency. Emphasising the importance of collaboration and leveraging a common tool for partnering advocacy, they voiced support for the development of an updated Global Exploration Roadmap, now expected for release in the second half of 2024. This non-binding ISECG document will build upon the 2018 Global Exploration Roadmap and its 2022 supplement, “Global Exploration Roadmap Supplement – Lunar Surface Exploration Scenario Update.”

Reflecting Global Advances

The fourth edition of the Global Exploration Roadmap seeks to capture recent worldwide advances in exploration planning and aims to be a comprehensive reflection of the interests and goals of the now expanded ISECG community, which has grown from 14 to 27 space agencies since the last release in 2018.

Key features of the updated Global Exploration Roadmap 2024:

• Continued focus on lunar exploration with horizon goal of human Mars exploration, while expanding to include other Solar System destinations.
• Enhanced discussion on the benefits of space exploration to agencies and society.
• Spotlights on the cutting-edge technologies and spaceflight capabilities necessary for supporting space exploration.
• Increased discussion of the diverse scientific perspectives and goals from low Earth orbit through the Moon, Mars and beyond.
• Emphasis on emerging space agencies and their perspectives to contribute capabilities which aid space exploration efforts at all agencies.  

A Comprehensive Overview

The Senior Agency Managers meeting was preceded by a workshop with the entire ISECG community which served as a focal point for celebrating the achievements, reviewing the outcomes of ISECG efforts this past year and planning for the upcoming year. Notably, a significant outcome was the review of recommendations of the nuclear power and propulsion technology gap assessment report which yielded ISECG member support to establish a dedicated Team.

Looking Ahead

The ISECG meeting highlighted the ever-growing need for collaboration in the realm of rapidly increasing spaceflight capabilities among government and commercial organization which fosters both lower costs and increased achievement of space exploration goals. As the space community goals continue to expand and evolve, the updated Global Exploration Roadmap 2024 stands as a testament to the commitment of space agencies worldwide to work together in pushing the boundaries of human exploration beyond our planet.