European Space Agency
Intergovernmental European space agency. Its 2019 Space Resources Strategy covers 2020-2030 with the Moon as the first target; it develops the PROSPECT drill and mini-laboratory now assigned to Intuitive Machines' IM-4 flight, is ESRIC's strategic partner, and (per the Luxembourg Space Agency) awarded ispace-EUROPE a EUR 65 million contract for the MAGPIE lunar polar rover.
Facts
- Headquarters
- France
- Type
- Intergovernmental
- Founded
- 1975
- Status
- Activeas of 2026-09-25. Operating intergovernmental agency; ESA pages accessed 2026-09-25.
- Roles
- Prospecting, Instrument / drill, Processing / ISRU
- Targets
- Moon
- Also known as
- ESA
- Website
- www.esa.int
Missions
5 records| Mission | Role | Launch | Phase | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firefly Blue Ghost Mission 2 (Riders 2 the Dark)Spacecraft | Payload owner | Planned, no earlier than 2027Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. | In development | Not applicable |
| PROSPECT (Package for Resource Observation, in-Situ Prospecting for Exploration, Characterisation & Testing)Payload | Payload owner | Planned 2027 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. | Manifested | Not applicable |
| ispace Mission 4 (ULTRA lander; formerly Mission 6)Spacecraft | Customer | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. | In development | Not applicable |
| MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) roverPayload | Customer | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. | In development | Not applicable |
| MAGPIE (Mission for Advanced Geophysics and Polar Ice Exploration) roverPayload | Funder | Planned 2029 (target)Date detailsAnnouncement date not recorded. Record checked 2026-09-25. | In development | Not applicable |
Dated events
Amounts are shown one at a time as each source states them. They are never added together.
- 2026-07-24
ESA MAGPIE Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE (EUR 65 million)
ispace-EUROPE announced that ESA awarded it the EUR 65 million Phase 2 contract covering MAGPIE rover and payload development, transport to the lunar surface and surface operations, with ispace-EUROPE as mission prime; the signing was marked at ESA's Space for Inspiration event on 2026-09-01.
Sources (4) and evidence gaps
The contract, valued at €65 million, funds the full remaining delivery of the MAGPIE mission, including rover and payload development, manufacture, testing, transportation to the lunar surface and lunar surface operations.
ESA has agreed to funding the development and flight of MAGPIE, Europe's first lunar polar ice exploration rover, led by ispace-EUROPE
It follows ESA's July 2026 award of the €65 million Phase 2 contract to ispace-EUROPE.
ispace-EUROPE has been awarded a €65 million contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead the development and execution of the MAGPIE mission.
- ESA's own page (esa.int) returned HTTP 403; basis kept as announced rather than official_award.
- 2025-06-03
ESA MAGPIE pre-Phase A and Phase 1 contracts to ispace-EUROPE (EUR 2.695 million aggregate)
ispace-EUROPE announced a Phase 1 extension of its ESA pre-Phase A contract (awarded 2024-12-12) for the MAGPIE polar-ice rover mission; the two phases total EUR 2,695,000.
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
Sources (1) and evidence gaps
ispace's MAGPIE concept was selected and awarded a pre-phase A contract on Dec. 12, 2024. Under the Phase 1 extension agreement, ispace-EUROPE will collaborate with ESA on the implementation of the lunar exploration mission. In aggregate, the value of the contracts for the two phases is €2,695,000
- ESA-side contract record not retrieved.
- 2020-11-18
ESRIC implementation agreement signed with ESA
Luxembourg's Ministry of the Economy (supervising the LSA), LIST and ESA signed an implementation agreement on cooperation activities at ESRIC, making ESA a strategic partner.
Sources (1)
On 18 November 2020, an implementation agreement concerning cooperation activities at ESRIC was signed between the Ministry of the Economy
- 2020-11-06
ESA contract 4000131940 to Metalysis for FFC oxygen production from regolith (ISRU)
Metalysis announced ESA funding under the General Support Technology Programme for 'The Metalysis FFC Process for Extra-Terrestrial Oxygen Production from ISRU'; value not disclosed.
Company announcement. No counterparty or government record found.
Sources (1) and evidence gaps
has been awarded European Space Agency (ESA) funding, contract number 4000131940, for its project titled, "The Metalysis FFC Process for Extra-Terrestrial Oxygen Production from ISRU,"
- ESA-side record of contract 4000131940 and its value not retrieved.
- 2019-11
ESA-Luxembourg Memorandum of Cooperation on space resources
ESA and the Government of Luxembourg signed a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of space resources, which preceded ESRIC's creation.
Sources (1)
The creation of ESRIC follows a Memorandum of Cooperation in the field of space resources that was signed between ESA and the Government of Luxembourg in November 2019.
Open evidence gaps
- Most www.esa.int article pages returned HTTP 403 to scripted fetches; ESA's own MAGPIE announcement not retrieved.
- No ESA space-resources budget figure sourced.
Sources
5 sourcesThe first utilisation of space resources will be on the Moon; a source of water, oxygen, metals and other materials.
Confirm whether space resources can enable sustainable space exploration and which resources are of primary interest for this purpose.
- [3]ESA facts
Since our creation as an intergovernmental organisation in 1975
Prospect will reach the lunar surface with the Intuitive Machines' Nova-C lunar lander on the IM-4 mission
ispace-EUROPE has been awarded a €65 million contract by the European Space Agency (ESA) to lead the development and execution of the MAGPIE mission.