Payload Woking Group

Following a call issued by the ESA Science Directorate in December 2024, the L4 Payload Working Group brought together experts from across ESA Member States to support the definition of a strawman payload and associated technology roadmap for L4, ESA's fourth Large-class mission and the first Large-class mission of Voyage 2050 addressing the theme "Moons of the Giant Planets". Building on the recommendations of the L4 Science Expert Committee and subsequent mission studies and the L4 Science Traceability Matrix, the group assessed instrument concepts, technology readiness, and future development needs for a mission to the Saturn system with a focus on Enceladus. The resulting report presents a reference payload concept for both the orbiter and the surface element, together with recommendations for technology developments required to enable the mission.

The findings of the Payload Working Group, prepared with the support of the L4 Science Expert Committee, will inform future ESA L4 activities, including mission studies and payload technology developments, and provide guidance to the scientific community in preparation for the future Call for Payloads.

Disclaimer: The L4 strawman payload does not represent a pre-selection by ESA, the Payload Working Group, or the Science Expert Committee of the future payload complement of the L4 mission. The strawman payload is solely intended as a reference concept to support and inform early-phase mission studies and payload technology development activities.