Terrae Novae (Latin for 'New Worlds'), also known as European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P) and Human and Robotic Exploration programme, is an optional programme of the European Space Agency (ESA) responsible for developing and operating human spaceflight and related robotic space exploration missions to three space destinations: Low Earth orbit (LEO), the Moon, and Mars.Terrae Novae 2030+ Strategy Roadmap Programmes and missions
Low Earth Orbit
European contribution to the International Space Station
Moon
Small Missions for Lunar Exploration
Mars
History In 2014, the ESA ministerial council adopted the "Resolution on Europe's space exploration strategy" addressing the three exploration destinations (LEO, the Moon, and Mars). In response to this document, ESA established the European Exploration Envelope Programme (E3P) in 2016 to bring together all the agency's space exploration activities focused on these destinations in a single programme. By incorporating the ExoMars programme as well as ESA's long-term human spaceflight ambitions, E3P effectively superseded the 2000s' Aurora programme.
The programme was renamed Terrae Novae in 2021 and in 2022, the agency published the detailed "Terrae Novae 2030+ Strategy Roadmap". The 2022 ESA ministerial council approved €2.7 billion for the next phase of Terrae Novae, including the Argonaut, a large robotic lunar lander. In 2023, the programme launched a call for proposals for small missions focused on lunar exploration.
During the 2020s, the Terrae Novae programme started developing two major space infrastructure projects for long term, sustainable robotic exploration of the Moon and Mars. The Argonaut landers will deliver heavy payloads to the lunar surface. The LightShip interplanetary space tugs equipped with solar electric propulsion will deliver other spacecraft to Mars and then serve as communication, navigation, and weather satellites within the MARCONI constellation in high Mars orbit. Additionally, the optional Advanced Research in Telecommunication Systems (ARTES) programme (not part of Terrae Novae) started developing the Moonlight Initiative intended to place a constellation of communication and navigation satellites around the Moon.
In 2025, the programme included the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) with European astronauts joining both long term ISS expeditions and short commercial missions, the European Service Module (ESM) of NASA's lunar Orion spacecraft, and the uncrewed astrobiology-focused Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) studying the atmosphere of Mars,TERRAE NOVAE PROGRAMME as well as development of numerous future missions, spacecraft, and technologies. At the ESA ministerial council in November 2025, the member states committed €2.9 billion for the programme, 20% less than the previously projected €3.7 billion.
At the International Space Summit in September 2026, ESA awarded a LEO Cargo Return Service contract to The Exploration Company for up to three space station resupply flights of its Nyx reusable spacecraft, expected to launch for the first time on Ariane 6 no later than 2029. Also at the event, ESA deepened its relationship with three space station companies, Vast, Axiom Space, and Starlab Space, with agreements for another ISS flight and potential future utilization of their planned commercial space stations. At the summit, ESA member states signed a document expressing their interest in continuing human spaceflight to low Earth orbit after the expected decommissioning of ISS and calling on ESA to study options for strengthening European autonomy in this area, to be discussed at the upcoming Intermediate Ministerial Meeting in December 2026.
During 2026, ESA was investigating two general scenarios for the post-ISS future: utilizing commercial space stations under development eg. by Axiom Space, Starlab, and Vast, or developing a European-led space station based on existing European human spaceflight heritage like Columbus and ESM. To study the feasibility of the latter option, ESA awarded two contracts to Airbus Defence and Space and OHB in September 2026.
In October 2026, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher estimated that development of a fully European system for launching astronauts to low Earth orbit would take 10 years and cost 10 billion Euro. See also List of European Space Agency programmes and missions
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