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EChO (Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory) is an M-class mission candidate for the M3 slot within the Cosmic Vision programme, for a planned launch between 2022 and 2024. EChO, with 3 other science missions, was recommended by the Space Science Advisory Committee (SSAC) to enter an assessment study (Phase 0), starting by an ESA internal study followed by parallel industrial study activities.

Within the M3 boundary conditions, the readiness for launch by 2022/2024 is a severe requirement which in practice requires designing the space segment without major technology developments and with minimum developments risks. Therefore, only technologies with estimated Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) of at least 5 by the end of the Phase A (estimated at the end of 2014) may be used.

This document aims at providing a complete and comprehensive list of all high level mission requirements (including spacecraft and payload, launcher, ground segment and operations) necessary to achieve the science goals detailed in [EChO SciRD (Science Requirements Document), SRE-PA/2011.037/]. It is hence an applicable document that all mission design activities shall comply with. The MRD will be further reviewed matching the results of future study phases (e.g. definition phase) to finally evolve in the System Requirements Document at the start of the implementation phase.

This document aims at providing the description of the EChO reference payload complement. The payload complement comprises the following elements:

• The telescope
• The common optics, common in the sense that all alternative instrument designs must use this same set of fore-optics
• The instruments:
  • The science instrument, defined as a spectrometer covering the complete wavelength range required in [EChO MRD (Mission Requirements Document), SRE-PA/2011.038/]. This wavelength range is split into different science channels.
  • The Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS, acting as a non-scientific instrument), also required in [EChO MRD (Mission Requirements Document), SRE-PA/2011.038/] to answer the pointing needs of the spacecraft.

This document provides the top-level science requirements for the Exoplanet Characterisation Observatory (EChO), a dedicated mission to investigate exoplanetary atmospheres. The EChO mission was proposed to ESA in response to the M3 call in ESA's Cosmic Vision programme, and was selected for assessment in February 2011. The mission in turn builds on a concept for an Exoplanet Spectroscopy Mission (ESM) that was recommended by the Exoplanetary RoadMap Advisory Team (EPRAT) in 2009/2010 for study by ESA. The science requirements were initially derived from the science objectives described in the EChO M3 proposal and have been refined and updated following discussions between the EChO science team and the ESA internal study team. This document was first written as input to the CDF study starting in June 2011. It has been updated continuously since, and will be refined over the course of the assessment study. The aim of this document is to detail the science requirements for all aspects of the mission. As such, the document provides a means by which to understand, trace and support a detailed analysis of the relationship between the science objectives of the mission and the specification of the mission and payload.

The 39th meeting of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) was held 14-22 July 2012 in Mysore, India.

This report to COSPAR on the scientific activities of the European Space Agency was written by members of the Directorate of Earth Observation, the Directorate of Human Spaceflight and Operations and the Directorate of Science and Robotic Exploration.

Contents:

• Foreword by Jean-Jacques Dordain, Director General, ESA
• Earth Observation
  1. Introduction
  2. The Living Planet Programme
  3. The Earth Explorer Missions
  4. ERS and Envisat
• Human Spaceflight and Operations
  1. Introduction
  2. Overview: Columbus and ISS Facilities
  3. Funding Europe's ISS Research: ELIPS
  4. Research on the ISS
  5. Ongoing Research Using Other Platforms
  6. Projects under Development
• Science and Robotic Exploration
  1. Introduction
  2. Missions in Operation
  3. Missions in the Post-Operations and Archiving Phases
  4. Projects under Development
  5. Missions under Study

1. Assess the technical feasibility of the ECHO mission proposal
2. Design an example mission compatible with achieving the science goals