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The launch of the European Union Space Programme and its entry into force will be celebrated at a special online event to be held on June 22. The event will focus on how the Space programme marks a fresh start to an ambitious Space Agenda for Europe and showcase the contribution of the EU Space Programme to Europe’s digital and green transitions and the EU’s priority policies. For more information and to register, click here.

The event, which takes place from 09:30 to 13:00 on June 22, features high-level decision-makers and round table sessions discussing pressing issues such as cooperation amongst the space actors, entrepreneurship opportunities, and how the EU Space Programme contributes to various EU policies. 

The event will open with statements from European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, Portuguese Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education Manuel Heitor and MEP Cristian Busoi on the entry into force of the new Regulation. This will be followed by the formal signing of the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement.

Meeting with the press

A press event will start with Commissioner Breton statement.  European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa, European Commission Director-General for Industry and Space Timo Pesonen and ESA Director General will give the media an opportunity to have their questions answered. 

The EUSPA Executive Director and the DG DEFIS Director General will then participate in a session on successful cooperation within the EU Space Programme, along with MEP Massimiliano Salini  and European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher. 

Read this: CASSINI hackathon leverages space to digitise green spaces

The event will end with a session on how the EU Space Programme is enabling EU policies and supporting EU entrepreneurship, with participation by Ekaterini Kavvada from DG DEFIS, EUSPA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Director General Florence Rabier. 

The conference is co-hosted by the European Commission/DG DEFIS, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Some background

On 6 June 2018, the European Commission presented the new Space Programme for the period 2021-2027. The aim of the Programme is to ensure investment continuity in EU space activities, encourage scientific and technical progress and support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the European space industry. 

And this: Going green? Look to EU Space!

On April 28 this year, the European Parliament confirmed the political agreement on the Space Regulation reached in December 2020, officially creating the European Union Agency for the Space Programme. The EU Space Programme has the largest budget ever for space - €14.88 billion. The Space Programme brings all EU space activities under one roof and will enable space to contribute effectively to the priorities of the European agenda.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

The launch of the European Union Space Programme and its entry into force will be celebrated at a special online event to be held on June 22. The event will focus on how the Space programme marks a fresh start to an ambitious Space Agenda for Europe and showcases the contribution of the EU Space Programme to Europe’s digital and green transitions and the EU’s priority policies. For more information and to register, click here.

The event, which takes place from 09:30 to 13:00 on June 22, features high-level decision-makers and round table sessions discussing pressing issues such as cooperation amongst the space actors, entrepreneurship opportunities, and how the EU Space Programme contributes to various EU policies. 

The event will open with statements from European Commissioner for the Internal Market Thierry Breton, Portuguese Minister for Science, Technology and Higher Education Manuel Heitor and MEP Cristian Busoi on the entry into force of the new Regulation. This will be followed by the formal signing of the Financial Framework Partnership Agreement.

Meeting with the press

A press event will start with Commissioner Breton statement.  European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa, European Commission Director-General for Industry and Space Timo Pesonen and ESA Director General will give the media an opportunity to have their questions answered. 

The EUSPA Executive Director and the DG DEFIS Director General will then participate in a session on successful cooperation within the EU Space Programme, along with MEP Massimiliano Salini  and European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher. 

Read this: CASSINI hackathon leverages space to digitise green spaces

The event will end with a session on how the EU Space Programme is enabling EU policies and supporting EU entrepreneurship, with participation by Ekaterini Kavvada from DG DEFIS, EUSPA Head of Market Development Fiammetta Diani and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Director General Florence Rabier. 

The conference is co-hosted by the European Commission/DG DEFIS, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and the European Space Agency (ESA).

Some background

On 6 June 2018, the European Commission presented the new Space Programme for the period 2021-2027. The aim of the Programme is to ensure investment continuity in EU space activities, encourage scientific and technical progress and support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the European space industry. 

And this: Going green? Look to EU Space!

On April 28 this year, the European Parliament confirmed the political agreement on the Space Regulation reached in December 2020, officially creating the European Union Agency for the Space Programme. The EU Space Programme has the largest budget ever for space - €14.88 billion. The Space Programme brings all EU space activities under one roof and will enable space to contribute effectively to the priorities of the European agenda.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

On World Ocean Day, which takes place every year on 8 June, people around the world celebrate our shared ocean and take action to protect and restore it for future generations. Today we take a look at how EU Space contributes to these efforts by providing data that improves our understanding of the ocean ecosystem and enables applications and services that help to minimise the impact of human activity on ocean health.

The 2020 EU Blue Economy Report tells us that a sustainable Blue Economy allows society to obtain value from the oceans and coastal regions, while respecting the long-term capacity of the oceans to regenerate and endure these activities. This sustainable approach is at the heart of the European Green Deal. However, implementation of the sustainable practices implicit in the Green Deal will require reliable, accurate and centralised data. This is where EU Space has an invaluable role to play.

EU’s eyes on the ocean

The Earth observation programme Copernicus supports EU policies and international commitments related to ocean governance. However, Copernicus is more than just a data provider. It also offers a large range of services that empower all users, from scientists and policy managers to private companies who want to drive the blue economy and scientific innovation.  

Watch this: Monitoring Ocean Currents

The mission of the Copernicus Marine Service is to monitor the oceans. The service provides 4D regular, authoritative, quality-assured information about the ocean. This information is available for free and is accessible from anywhere in the world, allowing us to know more about the past, current and future state of the Blue, White and Green ocean. This data can be used to create applications for both the public and private sectors. 

What’s more, EO data from Copernicus can be combined with highly accurate positioning and navigation information from Galileo and EGNOS to enable monitoring and tracking solutions and targeted action to tackle environmental and legal issues at sea – detecting and monitoring oil spills and the vessels involved.

GNSS and the oceans

In synergy with EO, and on its own, EGNSS (Galileo and EGNOS) has been enabling applications that address challenges in the marine environment. This time last year, we looked at specific projects that leverage space tech to monitor and protect the oceans. Since then, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) has been tapping into the innovative spirit of Europe’s start-ups to deliver new space-based environmental solutions.

And this: EGNOS for Waterborne Transport

Through its various prizes, such as MyGalileoSolution, MyGalileoDrone and Farming by Satellite, EUSPA has been challenging young entrepreneurs and start-ups to deliver solutions to pressing societal challenges, and the ocean has benefited from this innovative drive. The first-prize winner in Track 1 (from idea to prototype) of this year’s MyGalileoSolution competition was VisionAnchor the world's first video anchor monitoring system for boats. By providing eyes on ships’ anchors around the clock, this solution helps to increase safety and reduce the damage caused by anchors to the marine environment. smartSAR, one of the MyGalileoDrone finalists, focused on the development of a drone-based solution to faster locate survivors in maritime disasters, while at the same time reducing the workload of search and rescue (SAR) ship crews.

While the ocean indirectly benefits from all space-based applications that increase the efficiency of agriculture, thanks to reduced run-off of pesticides and fertilizer, this year a winning project in the Farming by Satellite competition directly addressed the ocean environment. Third prize in the competition went to AI4OceanFarming, a solution that uses satellite data to identify ocean farming threats such as harmful algal blooms, ocean acidification, and invasive species. 

Are you up for a Challenge?

The drive to leverage space to serve the environment does not stop there. The Space for our Planet Challenge is one of four challenges in this year’s Galileo Masters competition, targeting solutions that lead to more environmentally friendly living and decision-making, resulting in a healthier planet.

In this challenge, participants are encouraged to submit solutions using Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus as key enablers to support sustainable and smart mobility and the EU’s Farm to Fork strategy, contributing to Europe’s climate change agenda, protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity. Participants are also encouraged to support Europe’s zero-pollution ambition and to propose solutions that will enable us to build and renovate in an energy and resource efficient way.

If you have an idea about how to use space to serve the planet, and in particular – to protect and restore the oceans, why not let us know about it! The deadline for submissions in this year’s Galileo Masters competition is July 19, so you still have time to develop your ideas. Click here for more information. 

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).

The CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative is a European Commission entrepreneurial support mechanism that cuts across all components of EU Space Programme. It offers actions targeted at the full entrepreneurial lifecycle - from idea generation to market entry and growth – and covers both the upstream and downstream sectors. As part of the initiative, the first CASSINI Hackathon, on 18-20 June 2021, will challenge participants to leverage space synergies to digitise Europe’s green spaces. To register, click here.

European space technologies have many capabilities that allow us to access, understand and protect nature. From monitoring vegetation changes and developing ‘green’ indicators and optimal access routes to forecasting air pollutants, UV indexes and park congestion, the possibilities are truly limitless. 

The upcoming hackathon is the first in a series of six CASSINI hackathons initiated by the European Union and its space programme to tackle global challenges using European space technologies. The first hackathon in the series will task participants with leveraging geospatial information from Copernicus Earth observation data and its services, together with positioning technologies from Galileo and EGNOS, to digitise Europe’s green spaces.

Read this: Space synergies serving the environment

Each of the six hackathons will take place in ten different locations simultaneously. Winners will be awarded at both local and EU level, with the three overall winners gaining access to a six-month mentoring programme that includes 100 hours of expert advisory. The coaching programme will support the winning teams in building sustainable and successful businesses.

What’s in store?

Participants from across Europe will choose from ten different locations hosted by an affiliated organisation in Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia and Switzerland. Each location features its own unique set of experts, prizes, and technology and application focuses. Once they select a location, it’s time for registration, team formation and ideation! Teams should choose one of three challenges under the theme of digitising green spaces:

1. Discover your city: design products, devices, services or environments that enable urban citizens to understand better their city and its green spaces. Concepts should support urban planning and real estate development and valuations, index green factors contributing to residential life, and promote ecological sustainability.
2. Staying fit and healthy: develop products, devices or services that enable city dwellers to stay active and keep their minds and bodies healthy. Concepts should map green spaces for outdoor activity, forecast air pollutants such as pollen, nitrogen oxide, or particulate matter, and understand and monitor UV exposure.
3. Protecting our rural areas: create products, devices, services or environments that promote the digitalisation of rural green spaces. Concepts should promote wildlife and ecosystem conservation, ensure healthy and resilient forests, and support the development of new green spaces and underdeveloped areas.

Register now

Determined innovators with a passion for developing sustainable solutions can register here today. Not a rocket scientist? No problem! This is every innovator’s chance to engage in the sector, even if it’s for the first time. The application process is easy: first, register, second choose a challenge, and finally log- in on 18-20 June to work on your project and leverage EU Space technologies to digitise our green spaces. Technical and business experts from EUSPA will be available all weekend to support and guide the teams in all 10 locations. On 20 June, Dafni Dimoudi, EUSPA’s Market Development Innovation Officer, will also present how EU Space technology can be applied to digitise our green spaces. 

And this: Time to roll up your sleeves: Galileo Masters 2021 now open!

Participating teams are not the only ones who can take advantage of the CASSINI Hackathons & Mentoring. Both organisers and mentors are needed! Interested individuals, organisations, companies and institutions are invited to apply to support the next generation of space-based entrepreneurs. Click on the links for information on how to get involved for mentors and organisers.

Become part of this exciting European initiative to promote EU Space technology and its many applications. Hack with a purpose and leverage EU Space data, services and signals to access, understand and protect our natural spaces. For more information, visit hackathons.cassini.eu.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is acknowledged as the source at the top or the bottom of the story. You must request permission before you use any of the photographs on the site. If you republish, we would be grateful if you could link back to the EUSPA website (http://www.euspa.europa.eu).