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The 70th Council meeting of EUMETSAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) took place on 21-22 June 2010 in Rome, Italy.

Among other issues, the Council discussed the role of EUMETSAT in the European Space Policy and in GMES through the adoption of a dedicated resolution. This resolution emphasises the need to recognise that user-governed entities, such as EUMETSAT, play an important role in structuring space activities, particularly when these activities address operational services, like in the case of GMES. EUMETSAT Member States agreed on a definition of the activities that can be carried out by user-governed entities and proposed that, in the case of GMES, EUMETSAT is involved from the federation of user requirements at European level up to and including the operations of the related satellites.

The above mentioned activities would come in support of the European Commission. In the case of GMES the Commission is responsible for the interaction with user communities to specify European space systems in support of European policies. EUMETSAT could be thus the European entity supporting the EU for the GMES activities related to operational oceanography, atmospheric composition monitoring and climate monitoring.

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The European Commission has initiated negotiations to sign research contracts worth EUR 324 million with 108 successful space and security research consortia.

They represent strategic domains for the EU’s competitiveness and contribute to the implementation of a range of policy objectives, including the fights against terrorism and climate change, and the furthering of sustainable development, industrial renewal, economic recovery, leading to the implementation of the 2020 strategy.

As a global actor and major space power, the EU relies on space and security research for strong border protection and enhanced environmental monitoring. Therefore funds also support the continued development of Europe’s Global Monitoring system for Environment and Security (GMES).

European Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, said: “In a time of crisis, strategic investments are essential for sustainable future growth. Security is a pre-requisite for business, and space is full of endless possibilities. This type of research is at the heart of the industrial renewal that Europe needs. It demonstrates the added value of European investments in high-end technology for innovation, and as a means to dealing more effectively with the major challenges that confront us.”

In cooperation with the Research Executive Agency (REA), 108 successful project proposals have been short-listed from amongst 732 proposals received in the third of six planned calls for proposals under the Space and Security themes of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (FP7). They comprise 68 space and 40 security research projects: EUR 114 million for the FP7 space theme, and EUR 210 million for the FP7 security theme.

In the space domain, the short-listed Earth observation projects include support for the EU’s efforts to fight climate change by monitoring deforestation in Africa, whilst in the area of space exploration, research is set to improve the accuracy and robustness of spacecraft when landing on other planets. International cooperation has increased in space research, in particular with the United States, with American Universities and Research Centres, and major public research institutions such as the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) participating in a total of 15 proposals. The space domain also sees a high participation rate of 20 percent of Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), compared to the FP7 average of 16 percent SME participation.

In the security domain, the short-listed projects include two large demonstration projects targeted at urban mass transportation and maritime border security, alongside projects furthering exchange of information to fight organised crime, mitigation of chemical, biological radiological and nuclear threats, and actions against money laundering, and counterfeit medicines. International cooperation is also strong in security research, with 40 project proposals bringing with them a total of 550 partners from 36 countries.

Throughout FP7 (2007-2013), EUR 1.4 billion and EUR 1.35 billion have been reserved for space and security research, respectively. With the third call, the number of space research projects is set to rise to 114, and the number of security projects to reach 130.

In July 2010, the European Commission foresees the publishing of the fourth FP7 space and security calls for proposals. Reflecting the political importance given to strategic R&D investment, a positive funding trend is anticipated.

Source: Eurasia Review

BERGEN, Norway — Europe’s ambitious GMES satellite-based Earth observation program is an estimated $600 million short of what it needs to complete development of satellites already under construction and assure the promised data continuity to users in the period from 2011 to 2014, with potential funding sources drying up with each new development in Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis, European government and industry officials said.

While the budget shortfall is not as acute as that facing the European Union’s other flagship space program, the Galileo satellite navigation project, it will not necessarily be any easier to resolve given the many stresses on European government budgets, officials said. “Sometimes what’s possible is unfortunately less than what’s viewed as necessary,” one government official said of the somber GMES budget picture.

Attending the “Living Planet Symposium” on Earth observation missions here June 28-29, European Space Agency (ESA) and European Commission program managers candidly discussed the short-term problems facing the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). None were able to point to a solution that did not involve what now are considered unacceptable program cutbacks that would undermine GMES’s main selling points to prospective users.

GMES features a suite of radar and optical imaging satellites called Sentinels, six of which are under contract. The program has already cost ESA and the European Commission some 2.2 billion euros ($2.7 billion). The European Parliament agreed June 16 to add 107 million euros to that sum to help pay program expenses between 2011 and 2013 and prepare for full service introduction with the new satellites in 2014. But much more will be needed.

In statements and interviews here, government officials said several large expenses for GMES have yet to be financed. All are ostensibly the responsibility of the European Commission. The yet-unpaid charges include the launch of the three so-called “B” units, which are near-identical copies of the first three Sentinel satellites. Also included are components for third copies of the Sentinel spacecraft, to be purchased in advance in order to take advantage of discounts available from industry so long as the first group of satellites is still being built. The total amount yet to be paid will not be known until contracts are signed for the launch services and for the satellite parts purchases, but government officials said it is likely to be around 500 million euros.

Given the hundreds of services to be provided by GMES, the commission also needs to find additional money to stimulate the services, augment existing ground-based facilities and pay for the system’s early operations in advance of the commission’s next seven-year budget cycle, to begin in 2014. Once GMES is up and running in 2014, it is expected to cost 600 million euros a year in operating and maintenance charges, including the regular replacement of satellites that are retired.

Mauro Macchini, acting head of the GMES Bureau in Brussels, Belgium, the European Commission arm tasked with overseeing GMES, said the program has won broad support at the European Parliament and the European Council, as evidenced by the parliament’s recent support for fresh financing. The European Council, representing the 27 European Union member governments, is expected to endorse the proposal in September.

“We know that 107 million [euros] is not sufficient,” Macchini said here June 29. “We will have to see if some additional funds can be mobilized. I agree this is not the best time” given the broader European government budget context.

Up to now, the 18-nation ESA has funded more than two-thirds of the GMES program, with the European Commission funding the rest. The roles are expected to reverse as the program becomes operational and is moved onto the European Commission’s books. In addition to satellites, GMES includes an elaborate ground segment to assure that the massive influx of satellite data is digested and distributed to users with minimal delay. Still further investment will be needed to link Earth observation efforts undertaken by individual European governments, other governments and the private sector to the broader GMES grid.

This last effort — linking European and global third-party satellite programs to the GMES system — is one of the keys to GMES’s future success but up to now has been funded almost as an afterthought. The current one-year program, which is scheduled to end in September, is budgeted at 39 million euros, said Bianca Hoersch, program manager at ESA. ESA has asked the European Commission to fund a one-year extension.

Hoersch said June 29 that, by last count, GMES is being asked to create a network including 15 separate European satellite operators with a combined fleet of more than 40 spacecraft. More than 100 satellite sensors on these spacecraft must find their place in a coordinated GMES effort.

ESA officials expressed sympathy with the European Commission’s GMES budget problems but warned that ESA is preparing for budget problems of its own and is unlikely to come to the rescue.

Volker Liebig, ESA’s Earth observation director, said the agency is bracing for aftershocks from the European debt crisis in the form of demands from some of its member governments for program stretch-outs and possible refusals to pay previously committed amounts. Thanks mainly to GMES and to a series of Earth observation research satellites called Earth Explorers, Earth observation has overtaken launch vehicles as ESA’s single biggest funding line, accounting for an estimated 708.4 million euros in the 2010 budget — or nearly 19 percent of the agency’s total planned spending.

“I would expect that Earth observation will have to pay a certain tribute” to the broader European government-debt problem, Liebig said June 28. “What our member states need now is that spending be stretched to fit within what they can afford. We expect to have lower affordability over the next three or four years. For example, we might need to delay the 7th and 8th Earth Explorer missions.”

Liebig said ESA, which was able to purchase its three “B”-series Sentinel radar and optical satellites for 45 percent less than the virtually identical original models cost by committing to them while the first were still under construction, is urging the commission to seek similar savings by ordering certain components for third versions of the same satellites. In addition to saving money, he said this gives confidence to GMES users that the system’s data will be provided on a continuous basis and not be subject to shut-offs in the event of a satellite failure.

ESA has also agreed to extend the operations of its large Envisat radar satellite, which had been scheduled for retirement in 2010, for three years despite the fact that Envisat is about to exhaust its fuel supply. The satellite will be operated in a slightly lower “drift” orbit that will result in a minor interruption of some services, Liebig said. Operating Envisat costs about 40 million euros per year including data distribution. Continuing its use through 2013 will increase the likelihood that users of Envisat data will see no interruption of service between Envisat and the first Sentinel satellite, Sentinel-1, which is scheduled for launch in 2012.

Envisat was designed before ESA adopted rules about de-orbiting satellites at the end of their lives to reduce the population of orbital debris. The international orbital-debris protocol asks that owners of satellites in low Earth orbit — where most Earth observation spacecraft operate — lower than the altitude of their satellites at retirement so as to assure that they re-enter the atmosphere within 25 years and burn up. Envisat’s fuel tanks are too small to accommodate regular operations and the end-of-life de-orbit maneuver. Its forerunner, the smaller ERS-2 radar satellite, has enough fuel reserves to be de-orbited. ERS-2, in orbit for 15 years and flying without stabilizing gyroscopes since 2001, will be retired in mid-2011.

Source SPACENEWS

BERGEN, Norway — The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Parliament have endorsed the idea of free and open access to data from Europe’s future generation of Sentinel Earth observation satellites, with the possible exception of imagery with a ground resolution sharper than 10 meters, European government officials said.

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) project, in which three types of Sentinel satellites play a key role, ultimately will be owned by the 27-nation European Union, with its data policy to be set by European Union governments and the European Commission.

But with ESA already adopting the policy for the satellites it controls and the recent European Parliament endorsement of the free-and-open scheme, officials here said they were confident that most GMES data would be open to just about anyone in the world with access to a broadband Internet connection.

ESA Earth Observation Director Volker Liebig said the agency has already thrown open access to its Earth observation satellites, eliminating the need to wait for an announcement of opportunity, or AO, before submitting a request for data and awaiting approval.

“You don’t need to go through the AO anymore,” Liebig said. “Obviously we are restricted by our own data processing system, so you can’t order full-planet coverage and ask for delivery within five days.”

In its June 16 resolution on GMES, the European Parliament endorsed this view, concluding:

“There should be a full and open-access data policy for the Sentinels through a free-of-charge licensing and online access scheme, subject to security aspects.”

Gunther Kohlhammer, head of ESA’s Earth observation ground segment department, said June 29 satellites whose data is made part of the GMES portfolio but are not owned by ESA or the European Commission — so-called Third-Party Missions — may have more-restrictive data-distribution policies that GMES managers will have to respect.

In addition, Kohlhammer said the European Commission’s ongoing review of the security aspect s of GMES could add new wrinkles to the overall open-access policy, particularly with respect to high-resolution imagery.

“Ten meters is the range where operators offer data free and open and that is what we are talking about now — imagery with a ground resolution of 10 meters and greater will be subject to the free-and-open policy. The Sentinels, as defined, adopt this 10-meter limit. But the ‘S’ in GMES could force a review,” he said of security-related concerns that could still surface.

Satellite data access has been a hotly debated topic for years. Some argue that the private sector will not fully develop the sector if the imagery cannot be put behind a firewall and prepared for sale. Others, pointing to the U.S. GPS navigation system, say offering the data free of charge at the source, and having the private sector focus on value-added services, is the best way to stimulate the use of the data.

Access to U.S. Landsat data used to be subject to fees. Since it has been available free of charge, downloads of Landsat data has increased “exponentially,” said Timothy Stryker, director of policy, plans and analysis for land remote sensing at the U.S. Geological Survey.

The August 2008 decision to make the archives of Landsat data available on the web without charge has resulted in a 60-fold increase in the number of scenes downloaded per day, with U.S. and Chinese users being the most frequent of the 186 nations that have taken advantage of the service, Stryker said here June 28.

“In our best year of sales, 2001, we distributed an average of 53 scenes per day,” Stryker said. “The average has been increasing steadily and is around 3,125 scenes per day of web-enabled data. We passed the million-scene mark in August 2009 and passed 2 million scenes on March 13.”

In addition to the sheer numbers, Stryker said more users are now asking for multiyear images of the same area for land-use and environmental-change studies.

by. Peter B. de Selding
Source SPACENEWS

The European Commission has taken a number of decisions to implement the organisational consequences of the allocation of portfolios to Commissioners.

(Feb 21). Two new Directorates-General have been created: DG Energy (ENER) and DG Climate Action (CLIM). The Energy DG consists of the departments in the former Transport and Energy DG dealing with energy issues and of the Task Force Energy which will be transferred from the External Relations DG. The position of Director-General will be assumed by Philip Lowe, a British national, currently Director-General in DG Competition. The departments responsible for transport policy will remain in the renamed Mobility and Transport DG (MOVE). The Climate Action DG will be created from the relevant activities in DG Environment, the activities in the External Relations DG related to international negotiations on climate change and the activities in the Enterprise and Industry DG related to climate change. Jos Delbeke, a Belgian national and currently Deputy Director-General in the Environment DG, has been appointed Director-General of the Climate Action DG.

The Commission has also decided to appoint Christian Leffler, a Swedish national, to the position of Deputy Director-General in the DG for Development and Relations with African, Caribbean and Pacific States. Rudolf Strohmeier, a German national, has been appointed to the position of Deputy Director-General in the Research DG.

The Commission also made a number of appointments at the level of Director and Principal Advisor, including two officials from the Member States which joined the EU in 2004. These decisions were delayed while it was in caretaker mode. It also agreed to transfer a number of activities from one DG to another to better align them with the responsibilities of the respective portfolios of the Commissioners. The DGs concerned are those for Mobility and Transport, Competition, Enterprise and Industry, Environment, Humanitarian Aid and Health and Consumers.

To advance the Commission’s strategic approach on research, a task force, to be chaired by the Secretary-General, has been set up. This will launch a strategic reflection at Commission level on the evolution of the research budget, the degree of externalisation in the management of research programmes and the links between research and other policies in organisational terms.

The European Commission has launched the Europe 2020 Strategy to go out of the crisis and prepare EU economy for the next decade.

You’ll find here in attachment the press release, the proposal of the EC and the timeline for implementation.

Note especially in the EC proposal, on p.15, under Flagship Initiative: “An industrial policy for the globalisation era”:

“To develop an effective space policy to provide the tools to address some of the key global challenges and in particular to deliver Galileo and GMES;”

In its document “public consultation – overview of responses”, the EC notes that “Many contributors highlight that Europe needs a strong industrial basis and an ambitious, future-oriented industrial policy and support an integrated industrial policy in the framework of Europe 2020. They stress that industrial policies should aim at improving framework conditions in general. Other contributors underline the need to launch large structuring, federating pan-European programmes, in particular in the aeronautics, security and space sectors […]”

COMPLET EN BARROSO 007 – Europe 2020 – EN version.pdf

IP-10-225_EN1.pdf

annex3.pdf

(Source Eurospace)

Council Conclusions on “29 measures for reinforcing the protection of the external borders and combating illegal immigration”

Please note in particular, that concerning the development of the European Surveillance System – EUROSUR, the Council has agreed “[…] To invite the Commission to report before the end of 2010 on how the conclusions of the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) border surveillance group on common application of surveillance tools, such as satellites, could be implemented in the EU land and sea borders”

st06975.en10.pdf

Please find here attached the EC Work Programme 2010.

This document translates the priorities of President Barroso’s political guidelines into concrete actions. Overall, emphasis of the CWP is on (1) putting the Europe 2020 Strategy into practice thereby building the basis for exiting the economic crisis and creating sustainable growth and jobs (2) enhancing the rights and security of European citizens and (3) strengthening Europe’s role on the world stage.

Please note in particular, in Annex II “Indicative list of possible strategic and priority initiatives under consideration”:

p.20:

- Communication on the future involvement of the European Union in space

The communication will define the priorities and the main activities of a future Space framework programme, to be implemented under the next financial perspectives. The programme would respond to fundamental policy challenges. The programme would build on what has been achieved in the context of GALILEO, GMES and FP7 Space theme.

p.21:

- Proposal for a Regulation establishing the European Earth Observation Programme (GMES)

In the context of the next EU Multi-annual Financial Framework, the proposal will address in particular the programmatic and financial aspects of the GMES service and infrastructure components. It will also establish the legal and regulatory framework for the implementation of the regulation including ownership and data policy, governance and international cooperation aspects of GMES.

- Regulation establishing a European Space Programme

Art 189 TFEU gives the EU the competence to establish a European space programme. The specific objective of the space programme would be to support the implementation of the European Space Policy, in a way complementary to activities carried out by ESA and national space agencies. The programme would build on what has been achieved in the context of GALILEO, GMES and FP7 Space theme.

- Proposal for governance and financing of the European GNSS Programmes

There needs to be a new programme regulation for the post 2013 period covering governance issues and funding. This also covers the question what the agency should do.

Other points might also be relevant for the space sector: In Annex I “Strategic initiatives scheduled for adoption in 2010”:

9. Communication on a European Digital. Agenda (2nd quarter)

The European Digital Agenda will aim at exploiting the potential of Information and Communication Technologies as a major enabling technology for moving to a low-carbon, knowledge-based and competitive economy. It will adopt an integrated approach to the challenges of a digital economy and society, addressing the issues both from the supply and demand side. It will identify concrete measures to be taken at EU or Member States’ level for rolling out high speed internet, achieving a borderless online market for goods, services and content; upgrading skills and delivering the services of the future.

10. Communication on “An Industrial Policy for the Globalised Era” (3rd quarter)

The Communication will translate the overall objectives of enhancing industrial competitiveness whilst pursuing a low-carbon path into concrete initiatives at EU level; it will define a framework with stakeholders to steer the restructuring of sectors towards future oriented activities combining instruments such as smart regulation, public procurement, competition rules and standards, as well as work with social partners to deal with the anticipation and management of change, and the social consequences of restructuring.

11. Communication on a European Plan for Research and Innovation (3rd quarter)

The European Plan for Research and Innovation will propose an indicator to track innovation, as announced in the Europe 2020 Communication. It will also specify a policy framework for developing European Research and Innovation Partnerships, developing underpinning technologies, optimizing framework conditions for research and innovation, strengthening, simplifying and further developing the scope of EU instruments to support research and innovation. Building on the review of Environmental Technology Action Plan (2004-2009), eco-innovation will also be addressed.

29. Communication on the reinforcement of the EU’s Disaster Response Capacity (4th quarter)

Communication setting out options to reinforce the EU Disaster Response and preparedness capacities inside and outside the Europe, covering three main building blocks: civil protection, humanitarian aid and increased civil-military cooperation.

Source Eurospace

cwp2010_en.pdf

Initial screening and planning of the Impact Assessment Board of the EC regarding the future EC Communication “on the future involvement of the European Union in Space” which should be issued in September this year.

You’ll find in the attached document:

A. Context and problem definition:

a. Political context

b. Main problems identified;

i. Space policies and investments are decided at national/intergovernmental level

ii. The level of national investment for dedicated space programmes has reached its upper limit

iii. EU is dependent on third parties for critical technologies

iv. Space capabilities are not fully exploited to the benefit of climate change challenges

v. Security in space and from space is not ensured

vi. The EU lacks involvement and a long-term strategy for space exploration

vii. EU funding for space research and innovation is still inadequate compared to other space powers

B. Objectives of EU initiative

a. General objectives:

With the entry into force of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the EU has a clear mandate to act in the space areas and to respond to the European Space policy general objectives: promote scientific and technical progress, promote industrial competitiveness, support research and technological development, coordinate efforts for the exploration and exploitation of space

b. Specific objectives:

i. Provide a model of coordination that allows to:

1. Ensure that space policies are implemented in the context of a long-term plan addressed to better respond to EU needs, including other key European policies, as well as the needs of European citizens

2. Ensure that the EU space policy is addressed at enhancing the competitiveness of the EU space industry; Develop and industrial policy adapted to the needs of the sector; Develop a regulatory policy responding to existing and emerging needs at European level

3. Avoid overlap, fragmentation and discontinuity of space initiatives; Aggregate policy and user needs, provide long-term programmatic coherence and continuity.

4. Ensure availability of space-based applications at EU level

5. Establish appropriate measures to ensure interoperability between existing space systems and ground-based infrastructures among EU countries.

6. Establish and implement coordination mechanisms to ensure that space action is taken at the most efficient level and that there is a common response to global regulatory issues.

ii. Ensure a level of investment adequate to meet EU objectives

1. Aggregate resources at EU level, instrumental to create synergies between EU policies and respond to EU priorities. However, not to the detriment of current investments within ESA activities.

2. Develop a long-term and clear vision of for national and EU programmes and secure investment in them will be crucial to ensure long-term development prospects for an industry that is largely dependent on institutional demand (e.g. 60% of the European space segment turnover comes from institutional customers.)

iii. Reduce the dependence on critical technologies and capabilities from outside Europe for future space applications; enable the European industry to get non-restricted access to high performance components that will allow increasing its competitiveness and expertise in the space domain. As explained by the EC-ESA-EDA Joint Task Force19, Europe is not aiming at technology independence but at taking actions to ensure European non-dependence for technologies which are considered critical for the European space industry.

iv. Fully exploit space capabilities and, notably, Earth observations systems to tackle the challenges of climate change.

v. Enhance security in space and from space

vi. Define a long-term strategy for the EU role in space exploration

vii. Ensure adequate EU funding for space research and innovation

c. Options

i. Option 1: Baseline scenario: Adequate funding for GMES is provided; moderate increase in space research and innovation funding

ii. Option 2: Baseline + climate change and space and security as well as a further increase in space research and innovation funding and increased coordination

iii. Option 3: Option 2 + limited space exploration expenditures

iv. Option 4: Option 2 + Substantial space exploration

d. Initial assessment of impacts

e. Planning of further impact assessment work

Source Eurospace

59_entr_involvement_in_space_en.pdf

The UK formally announced its new space agency on Tuesday 23 March 2010.

The nation has been alone among the major industrialised nations in not having an executive body to direct its activities beyond the Earth’s surface.

The new organisation is expected to take control of the money spent on space by government departments and science funding agencies.

It will also represent the UK in all its dealings with international partners.

Britain currently puts about £270m a year into civil space endeavours, most of it via the UK’s membership of the European Space Agency (Esa).

This is not expected to change dramatically with the creation of an executive agency, especially with the government committed to cutting the public deficit.

The hope, however, is that the reorganisation will bring more coherence to space policy, enabling the available monies to be spent more effectively.

Space budget (SIGS)

In tandem with the establishment of the agency, the government will also give its response to a major report produced last month on the future of the UK space industry.

The sector has been very successful, growing at an average of 9% a year even through the recession. It currently generates revenues in excess of £6bn per annum.

The Space Innovation and Growth Strategy was prepared jointly by industry, academia and Whitehall officials. It set out a series of recommendations to grow the sector still further over the next 20 years.

Among its recommendations was a call to government and industry itself to raise substantially their levels of investment in the coming decade.

The IGS also wanted the government to back a National Space Technology Strategy and to investigate the idea of an indigenous Earth observation service.

The BBC understands the latter proposal at least will get a study to determine its feasibility.

The creation of a space agency is just the latest in a series of initiatives affecting British space interests.

In July last year, Esa finally opened a technical centre in Britain – the only one of its senior members not to have such a showcase facility. It also appointed a British national, Major Tim Peake, to its astronaut corps in May.

Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk
SOURCE BBC

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