This is the rational that pushed the Puglia Aerospace Technological Cluster (DTA) and the Greek Space Technologies and Applications Cluster (si-Cluster) to jointly organise the 2nd workshop “Interregional Cooperation in Space”, that took place in Bari last 22-23 September.
This event aimed to reinforce the dialogue between the two clusters and to discuss more in detail the possible areas of cooperation, at regional, national and European level.
The workshops, that included two sessions, one political and one technical, brought together representatives from space industries and clusters, regions, space agencies, the Nereus network, academia, research institutions and universities, to share their views on how develop a space policy for the benefits of regions, territories, companies and citizens.
“Regions” commented Roberto Battiston, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) “are a key player in the national space policy. We need to work together and take benefit from regional and national resources to build a strategic model of a national policy in Space”
Puglia and Attica regions consider space, a pillar of their 3S strategy and they believe in the importance to invest regional resources in space, an engine for innovation, growth and knowledge.
“In 2014, the DTA signed a cooperation agreement with the si-Cluster”, highlighted Nichi Vendola, President of Nereus. “The cooperation among clusters and regions is fundamental, and at European level, our network, represents a unique platform to share expertise, to reinforce cooperation with National Space Agencies and the European Space Agency to identify synergies between the 3S Strategy at Regional and National level”.
The technical session took place on the 23rd in the premises of Sitael. The first part was devoted to the presentation of 2014-2020 European Territorial Cooperation Programmes that involve Puglia Region and Greece allowing the audience to learn more how exploit regional strategies programmes and instruments – such as particular structural funds – to support regional space activities.
Representatives from ESA, ASI, Puglia space industry, DTA, si-Cluster and the Hellenic Association of Space Industry were present to discuss how they can benefit from their own expertise and contents in order to give a concrete contribution to develop the regional dimension of space.
In compliance with the topics of the technical sessions, two main areas were investigated: In Orbit Demonstration Project (IOD) and the Thematic Exploitation Platform (TEP).
For the IOD, Puglia space companies – Enginsoft, IMT, Planetek, Selex-ES, Sitael – presented their skills and technology to the topic. In particular, Sitael representatives highlighted how they can contribute to the IOD project includes its Small Platforms (50 Kg, 75 kg).
About the TEP, Planetek representatives presented the Data Fusion Centre (DFC), a web-based system for final users that provides updated knowledge of the territory and its evolution, through the provision of maps and indicators obtained by integrating Earth Observation data with other cartographic and ancillary data.
At the end of the session, Giovanni Sylos Labini, DTA BoD, and Jorge Sanchez, MoB of si-Cluster & CFSO of Corallia, summarized technologies and applications for common projects and agreed on the importance to combine their strengths in content, networks and capacities to build a common strategy to identify areas of cooperation and to understand how this could fit in the ESA, H2020 and other Work Programmes.
“This is a very good example”, commented Giovanni Sylos Labini “of how the Regional Dimension of Space can exploit operational cooperative activities among the Regions in a coordinated way with National Agencies, ESA and the EU”.
The results of this workshop pave the way for a new event in Athens next February under the umbrella of Nereus.
Political Session and presentation of 3S strategy, Bari Airport ‘Karol Wojtyla’