The European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) has released its new Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results (SOAR) Report, prepared for the European Space Agency’s Ministerial Council 2025 (CM25).

This report provides an expert assessment of Europe’s position in space science and outlines recommendations for future priorities. It reviews the foundations of European excellence in space research, highlights opportunities to strengthen leadership and resilience, sets out long-term aspirations for scientific discovery, and reports on the results already delivered through ESA programmes.

Central to the report is a call for full support of ESA’s science-driven programmes, including the Mandatory Science Programme, Human and Robotic Exploration, and Earth Observation. It also recommends increased European investment in Earth observation capabilities, emphasising their importance for scientific progress as well as for environmental monitoring and security.

The SOAR Report frames these choices as matters of programme funding, as strategic decisions that will determine Europe’s role in global science, its ability to safeguard the planet, and its capacity to inspire the next generation of researchers and citizens.