The technology roadmap for future ESA science missions

The Science Programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) for the next decade is currently being defined, and it is expected that the first steps in its implementation will be taken in the coming year. The technology developments required will necessarily depend on this Program: Cosmic Visions 2015-2025 [1]. However for any suite of potential missions, the timely and systematic development of key technologies will be crucial for its success. While the details of the technologies required will mature as the programme and mission characteristics become clearer, it is still possible to identify at an early stage many of the key developments. In addition it is also possible to identify those technologies, which may be common to a number of potential future science missions. For example; large aperture deployable mirror systems are a common requirement for astrophysics-type missions although the design details differ significantly depending on wavelength. Another example is European-based near infrared sensor array technology, which embraces many areas of space science.