Science Europe’s Vision of 2040: A Leap Into “Space Oases”

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Europe’s Vision of 2040: A Leap Into “Space Oases”

 

In a  vision of the not-so-distant future, European space chiefs have set out their plan for humanity to thrive in vast, self-sustaining settlements orbiting Earth and scattered across the Moon, Mars, and beyond. The European Space Agency (ESA) predicts that by 2040, these pioneering “space oases” will mark a new era where humanity not only explores space but lives and prospers within it.

 

 

According to ESA’s newly unveiled document Technology 2040, there will be a “rapid evolution of technology that will redefine our understanding of space and humanity’s role within it.” These advances, they say, will transform space from a final frontier into a lived-in territory. “Expanding into space is not a luxury but a necessity,” the document asserts. “Space is no longer a frontier, it is a territory. It unlocks unknown resources that open new markets and enable scientific breakthroughs.”

 

 

The agency foresees an age when “mammoth constructions” will be assembled in space—structures no longer confined by the dimensions of Earth-based launch vehicles. “Large space structures are no longer bound by the limitations of launch vehicle dimensions,” ESA predicts. “Either unfolded in space or manufactured and assembled directly in orbit — or on the surfaces of the Moon or Mars — these mammoth constructions can be as big as they need to be.”

 

The settlements will be resilient and self-sustaining, designed for long-term human habitation. “Humans dwell in plentiful habitats in Earth’s orbit and also on the Moon, Mars and far beyond,” the document states. “These habitats are resilient and self-sustaining with efficient resource management, closed-loop life support systems, smart materials, in-situ manufacturing and resource utilisation. This allows inhabitants of these space oases not only to survive but thrive.”

 

In parallel with these developments, fleets of intelligent, autonomous spacecraft will explore alien terrains and dive into planetary mysteries. ESA envisions robots that will be capable of conducting independent missions, using AI to determine whether to plunge into subsurface Martian craters or alien oceans. These “multipurpose robots leverage their intelligence to infiltrate previously off-limit environments: the depths of craters, caves or even subsurface seas.”

 

Meanwhile, a space-based internet will span the solar system, making it theoretically possible to stream entertainment from the moons of Jupiter. “The internet has expanded far beyond Earth, with a space-based internet made possible by a European backbone,” the agency predicts. “Deployed communications and navigation systems stretch across the solar system.”

 

The exploitation of space resources is also expected to become routine. “Comet bodies and asteroids will be mined, their materials helping to reveal our solar system’s history,” the report notes, highlighting how accessing these extraterrestrial minerals will support both science and industry.

To enable these transformations, ESA is promoting innovations such as ion thrusters to propel spacecraft at greater speeds, 3D printing to construct habitats in situ, and quantum computing to manage enormous data flows from probes and satellites.

 

This sweeping vision echoes cinematic portrayals of space life, from The Martian to Interstellar, where humans adapt to live in complex habitats off-world. But for ESA, this is more than science fiction—it’s a strategic imperative. Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s director-general, is urging the agency’s member states, including the UK, to adopt Technology 2040 as a long-term action plan. “This is not just a road map; it is a call to action,” he said.

 

ESA’s concluding statement captures the ambition and optimism of their vision: “In this new era, humans will thrive among the stars, marked by innovation, sustainability, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. The cosmos will no longer be a distant frontier, but a home.”

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from The Times  2025-06-20

 

 

[Dionigi]

Soap operas on mars, is this the extent of imagination?

[JonnyF]

Try securing your borders on earth first.

 

Always best to learn to walk before dreams of running. 

[alex8912]

Europe??  Yah right. What a joke.