1. INTRODUCTION
ESA's Exploration Science Programme: Advancing Knowledge, Inspiring Innovation
The European Space Agency's Exploration Science Programme, a cornerstone of its Explore2040 strategy, invites scientists, researchers, and innovators to join us in pushing the boundaries of human knowledge and technological capabilities. Our programme uniquely balances exploration-focused science, essential for enabling future human missions beyond Earth, with exploration-enabled science that leverages our capabilities for groundbreaking research across disciplines.
From the microgravity environment of low Earth orbit to the dusty plains of Mars, we offer unparalleled opportunities to conduct cutting-edge research. Our comprehensive approach spans multiple destinations - including the International Space Station, future commercial LEO platforms, the lunar Gateway, the Moon's surface, and Mars - providing a diverse array of research environments and challenges.
Guided by core European values of collaboration, scientific excellence, and responsible exploration, we seek proposals that not only advance our understanding of the universe but also contribute to solving global challenges here on Earth. Our programme emphasises open science, international cooperation, and the inspiration of future generations.
Developing countermeasures for long-duration spaceflight, investigating fundamental physics in microgravity, prospecting for lunar resources, or searching for signs of past life on Mars, the ESA Exploration Science Programme offers a platform to turn your scientific vision into reality.
2. PURPOSE OF THE PRESENT CALL
The Agency’s science advisory structure is the main channel for ensuring an efficient relationship between ESA and the scientific community in Europe and is an essential element for the good conduct of the Agency’s scientific objectives.
The Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee (HESAC) is the senior advisory body to the Directors of Human and Robotic Exploration (D/HRE) and Science (D/SCI), acting as the Director General’s representatives, on all matters concerning space science. It is the main interpreter of the views and needs of the European scientific community as regards access to space experimentation and data exploitation in the human spaceflight, microgravity and exploration programmes.
The goal of this call is to create a pool of potential candidates to be considered in future years to replace members completing their mandate, guaranteeing proper discipline balance and various diversity criteria in the composition Committee.
The plan is to issue calls for expressions of interest like this once every few years to refresh the pool of potential candidates to be considered in future years. The new calls will be advertised as broadly as possible. Appointments are in general for a period of four years.
With the present call, ESA invites scientists to express their interest to become members of Human Spaceflight and Exploration Science Advisory Committee.
3. TERMS OF REFERENCE AND COMPOSITION OF HESAC
HESAC’s main tasks are to advise and/or make recommendations on:
the needs of the scientific community for access to space for research in the human spaceflight, microgravity and exploration programmes;
scientific activities during the definition, implementation and exploitation of the approved projects of ESA’s human spaceflight, microgravity and exploration programmes;
the formulation and updating of medium and long term human spaceflight, microgravity and exploration policy in Europe in regard to the interests of the scientific community;
the priorities of the scientific community in the selection and formulation of future experiments and missions;
the scientific studies and activities required to lay the foundations for future missions, taking account of the recommendations of the Working Groups;
the selection of new scientific projects.
HESAC is primarily supported by the Physical Sciences (PSWG), Life Sciences (LSWG) and Solar System and Exploration Working Group (SSEWG). The Working Groups also support other science advisory committees such as the Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC).
HESAC has the highest-level advisory capacity, through the Director of Human and Robotic Exploration (D/HRE) and the Director of Science (D/SCI) for matters to be treated at the level of the Programme Board for Human and Robotic Exploration (PB-HME) and the Science Programme Committee (SPC), which may also request advice on issues of a scientific nature.
HESAC provides advice and/or makes recommendations on items referred to it by the D/HRE and / or D/SCI. Members of the Committee may however raise issues they wish to discuss. In providing advice and/or making recommendations, HESAC takes into consideration the views expressed by the Working Groups which are set up to advise on all scientific matters in their respective disciplines.
HESAC meets three to four times a year at dates and places jointly agreed between the Chair and the D/HRE, usually three to four weeks prior to the meeting of the PB-HME, at which the Chair of HESAC gives a report on the meeting.
ESA will cover the cost of travel and subsistence in connection with these meetings. Members of HESAC may also be requested for shorter virtual meetings on an ad-hoc basis and are occasionally requested to provide written input to HESAC matters outside of the regulars meetings.
HESAC is composed of at least seven European and international scientific experts. Membership must reflect an equitable balance across major scientific disciplines, while being limited to scientists of recognized international stature. Although members are generally senior scientists with world-leading profiles in their fields, ESA also welcomes applications from mid-career scientists who have demonstrated exceptional achievements of international standing.
The Director General, in consultation with the D/HRE, appoints the Chair and the members of HESAC. Members serve for a four-year term, while the chair serves for two years with a possibility of a one-year extension, independent of the duration of any previous membership.
Scientists who are members of HESAC or the Space Science Advisory Committee are not permitted a consecutive term in the same committee.
4. FORMAT AND CONTENTS OF THE EXPRESSION OF INTEREST
Expressions of interest for membership of HESAC should consist of three parts:
- A cover letter (stating the proposer’s name and affiliation and explicitly mentioning the proposer's title, position, institute, address, and e-mail address);
- A curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages);
- The actual Expression of Interest (maximum 2 pages).
The curriculum vitae should include all information about the applicant’s career that the applicant considers relevant.
The Expression of Interest should describe the applicant’s areas of expertise and potential contributions. The application should not contain a list of publications, but rather it should explicitly list the applicant’s five “notable achievements” which, in the applicant’s opinion, make them particularly suited for consideration. These might be specific publications the applicant has authored, responsibility in the development of a scientific mission and/or instrument, responsibility in science policy, etc.
Assessments will consider how each candidate’s expertise complements that of the existing members, as well as striving for a balanced representation of gender, nationality, and career stage.
The deadline for submission of expressions of interest in response to the present Call is:
19 November 2025 at 23:59 CET
The submission deadline will be implemented strictly and proposers are invited to submit their proposals well in advance of the deadline. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered. Applications that exceed the page limit or that do not respect the structure described above in Section 4 will not be considered.
It is essential that new members are able to join the next HESAC meeting at ESTEC, Noordwijk, Netherlands, on 19 – 20 January 2026.
Details of the personal data protection measures that apply to this Call can be found in the privacy notice.
