LEADERS' OUTLOOK
Expanding Excellence in Space BY DR. SIMONETTA CHELI
Director - Earth Observation Programmes, European Space Agency
T
he Space sector has a long history of pushing the borders of knowledge through scientific missions. Exploring Space required breakthrough innovations, which subsequently spilled over to broader applications in society. In recent years, new technologies like edge computing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), quantum computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Digital Twins, and Blockchain have transformed the business world with new efficiency and insights. This has expanded our knowledge of Space, reduced costs, and boosted our ability to gather and process critical information with greater speed and scale. The emerging private Space industry, or New Space, doesn’t rely on government support but follows game-changing business models that either compete with or complement the existing commercial Space services.
ANNUAL EDITION / JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2022
New Space initiatives
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These initiatives are generally characterized by: Simple spacecraft architectures, often standardized with miniaturized elements.
Exploring Space required breakthrough innovations, which subsequently spilled over to broader applications in society.
Use of commercial components, streamlined testing, automated operations. Fast, incremental development providing quick return of experience. Constellations of small satellites produced in series, exploiting paradigms derived from the large production industry to achieve very frequent revisit, targeting applications often not addressed by other missions. Data distribution and data analysis through hi-tech IT platforms, allowing application developments on Cloud. As a result of these new directions, the European Space Agency’s (ESA’s) role has also evolved in recent years, and it has acted as an anchor customer by buying data provided by New Space companies through the EU Copernicus Contributing Missions activity for operational purposes, the ESA Earthnet Third Party Missions activity for scientific purposes, and the ESA InCubed EOP commercial co-funding program.
Space ambitions
Europe’s Space ambitions, in particular Earth Observation (EO) ambitions and results, are recognized worldwide. Copernicus is the most ambitious EO program to date. It provides accurate, timely, and easily accessible information to improve the management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change, and ensure civil security. However, it is also facing growing competition from private actors. While keeping the fundamentals of Copernicus in place, we need to rethink how it works and how it can better answer evolving user needs towards more green, more digital, and more responsive society.
To meet our ambitions for a green, digital, safe, and inclusive Europe and world, ESA has defined, and is implementing its Agenda 2025 — a plan for Europe to maintain and expand its excellence in Space. Last year, a highlevel advisory group convened to discuss ways to accelerate the use of Space in Europe; it identified three main thematic areas of action and recommended that ESA adopt a new approach. They termed this new way ‘Accelerators’. The approach was endorsed by ESA member states during an inter-ministerial meeting in November last year, which resulted in the Matosinhos Manifesto. The three Accelerators are: Space for a Green Future, Rapid and Resilient Crisis Response, and Protection of Space Assets. The objective of these Accelerators is to strengthen Europe’s leadership in Space and to benefit society and the economy with a particular emphasis on the commercialization dimension.
Partnering for a cause
The European Commission and ESA have signed Contribution Agreements for the implementation of the Destination Earth (DestinE) initiative. In line with the goals of the ‘twin transition’, green and digital, and the objectives of the European Green Deal, the partnership will significantly improving Europe’s environmental predictions and climate crisis management capabilities.
