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The new version of the Service Definition Document (SDD) for the EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS) has been just released. In this latest version, the SDD has been updated to reflect the service’s latest changes, including the inclusion of Iceland as an EGNOS participant member. Additionally, the SDD captures the GSA’s transition to the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) and provides up-to-date information on the EDAS performances.

10 years of EDAS

EDAS is one of three services provided by the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS). It is aimed at users who require access to specific GNSS data streams for the provision of added-value services, professional applications, commercial products, R&D and more.

EDAS provides ground-based access to EGNOS data, through a collection of services, which are accessible to registered users through the Internet and are oriented to users in different domains of application such as Location Based Services (LBS), a broad range of services in professional GNSS markets, Assisted-GNSS (A-GNSS) concepts, and related R&D activities.

2022 marks 10 years since EDAS’s service declaration in 2012.Throughout this decade of data provision, the collection of services has grown and evolved, and have oriented towards different domain applications.

EDAS has facilitated many success stories since its inception, such as the retransmission of differential global positioning system (DGPS) corrections in the maritime sector based on the EDAS (IALA beacons) and supporting surveying and mapping activities in Agriculture.

You can access the new SDD version either online or download it in PDF format. For any questions about EDAS or the new SDD, you can contact the EGNOS Helpdesk.

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).

While the loss of biodiversity is occurring across all ecosystems, it is particularly pronounced in coastal regions. Not only are these areas some of the most biodiverse on Earth, but they also host large human populations and substantial economic activity. As the human factor increases, these unique ecosystems are subjected to rapid habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and climate change – all of which contribute to biodiversity loss.       

Long used to monitor land and marine environments, Earth Observation is an opportunity to develop best practices to reach a healthy balance between environmental protection and economic development and reduce biodiversity loss in coastal regions.

Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme, offers numerous products and services for protecting, even restoring, biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. This includes forecasting the impact that climate change – the main driver of biodiversity loss – will have on these essential ecosystems, monitoring the good environmental status and EU policies implementation, developing sustainable living resources management.

To learn more about Earth Observation’s role in protecting biodiversity, the European Commission and EUSPA invite you to register for its Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop. The online event, scheduled for 11 – 12 October, consists of four sessions:

• Biodiversity and Coastal Resources – Setting the Scene
• Biodiversity Versus Economic Development
• Biodiversity Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
• A Future Green Copernicus for Coastal Ecosystems

During each session, experts will talk about the role Copernicus’ land, marine, climate change services play in addressing biodiversity loss in coastal areas. The sessions will be a chance to share best practices and case studies, highlight opportunities for coupling digital technologies with science and research, and discuss how industry and businesses can leverage space technologies to help achieve such EU policy goals as the Biodiversity Strategy and Green Deal.

The Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop is jointly organised by EUSPA and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). More information can be found here.

Participation is free.

Registrations are open

Register here

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).

While the loss of biodiversity is occurring across all ecosystems, it is particularly pronounced in coastal regions. Not only are these areas some of the most biodiverse on Earth, but they also host large human populations and substantial economic activity. As the human factor increases, these unique ecosystems are subjected to rapid habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and climate change – all of which contribute to biodiversity loss.       

Long used to monitor land and marine environments, Earth Observation is an opportunity to develop best practices to reach a healthy balance between environmental protection and economic development and reduce biodiversity loss in coastal regions.

Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme, offers numerous products and services for protecting, even restoring, biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. This includes forecasting the impact that climate change – the main driver of biodiversity loss – will have on these essential ecosystems, monitoring the good environmental status and EU policies implementation, developing sustainable living resources management.

To learn more about Earth Observation’s role in protecting biodiversity, the European Commission and EUSPA invite you to register for its Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop. The online event, scheduled for 11 – 12 October, consists of four sessions:

• Biodiversity and Coastal Resources – Setting the Scene
• Biodiversity Versus Economic Development
• Biodiversity Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
• A Future Green Copernicus for Coastal Ecosystems

During each session, experts will talk about the role Copernicus’ land, marine, climate change services play in addressing biodiversity loss in coastal areas. The sessions will be a chance to share best practices and case studies, highlight opportunities for coupling digital technologies with science and research, and discuss how industry and businesses can leverage space technologies to help achieve such EU policy goals as the Biodiversity Strategy and Green Deal.

The Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop is jointly organised by EUSPA and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). More information can be found here.

Participation is free.

Register here

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).

While the loss of biodiversity is occurring across all ecosystems, it is particularly pronounced in coastal regions. Not only are these areas some of the most biodiverse on Earth, but they also host large human populations and substantial economic activity. As the human factor increases, these unique ecosystems are subjected to rapid habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and climate change – all of which contribute to biodiversity loss.       

Long used to monitor land and marine environments, Earth Observation is an opportunity to develop best practices to reach a healthy balance between environmental protection and economic development and reduce biodiversity loss in coastal regions.

Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme, offers numerous products and services for protecting, even restoring, biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. This includes forecasting the impact that climate change – the main driver of biodiversity loss – will have on these essential ecosystems, monitoring the good environmental status and EU policies implementation, developing sustainable living resources management.

To learn more about Earth Observation’s role in protecting biodiversity, the European Commission and EUSPA invite you to register for its Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop. The online event, scheduled for 11 – 12 October, consists of four sessions:

• Biodiversity and Coastal Resources – Setting the Scene
• Biodiversity Versus Economic Development
• Biodiversity Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
• A Future Green Copernicus for Coastal Ecosystems

During each session, experts will talk about the role Copernicus’ land, marine, climate change services play in addressing biodiversity loss in coastal areas. The sessions will be a chance to share best practices and case studies, highlight opportunities for coupling digital technologies with science and research, and discuss how industry and businesses can leverage space technologies to help achieve such EU policy goals as the Biodiversity Strategy and Green Deal.

The Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop is jointly organised by EUSPA and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). More information can be found here.

Participation is free.

Please keep in mind the registrations will close on 6th October at 18:00

Register here

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).

While the loss of biodiversity is occurring across all ecosystems, it is particularly pronounced in coastal regions. Not only are these areas some of the most biodiverse on Earth, but they also host large human populations and substantial economic activity. As the human factor increases, these unique ecosystems are subjected to rapid habitat loss, overexploitation of natural resources, pollution, and climate change – all of which contribute to biodiversity loss.       

Long used to monitor land and marine environments, Earth Observation is an opportunity to develop best practices to reach a healthy balance between environmental protection and economic development and reduce biodiversity loss in coastal regions.

Copernicus, the European Earth Observation programme, offers numerous products and services for protecting, even restoring, biodiversity and coastal ecosystems. This includes forecasting the impact that climate change – the main driver of biodiversity loss – will have on these essential ecosystems, monitoring the good environmental status and EU policies implementation, developing sustainable living resources management.

To learn more about Earth Observation’s role in protecting biodiversity, the European Commission and EUSPA invite you to register for its Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop. The online event, scheduled for 11 – 12 October, consists of four sessions:

• Biodiversity and Coastal Resources – Setting the Scene
• Biodiversity Versus Economic Development
• Biodiversity Conservation in the Context of Climate Change
• A Future Green Copernicus for Coastal Ecosystems

During each session, experts will talk about the role Copernicus’ land, marine, climate change services play in addressing biodiversity loss in coastal areas. The sessions will be a chance to share best practices and case studies, highlight opportunities for coupling digital technologies with science and research, and discuss how industry and businesses can leverage space technologies to help achieve such EU policy goals as the Biodiversity Strategy and Green Deal.

The Copernicus Biodiversity in Coastal Ecosystems Workshop is jointly organised by EUSPA and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DG DEFIS). Participation is free, but registration is required. More information can be found here.

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 EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is supporting a new prize contest. The competition is looking for solutions that leverage Earth Observation and GNSS to detect, monitor and remove plastic in oceans and waterways. Read on to learn more about the global issue spurring the need for these types of solutions and the CASSINI competition initiative. 

The growing problem of plastic in oceans and waterways

Of the 300 million tons of plastic produced every year, an estimated 26 million eventually ends up in the ocean. As a result, some estimates suggest there are now 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic in our oceans and seas. Even more concerning is the fact that this number is expected to increase, with National Geographic predicting that the annual amount of plastic flowing into the oceans will triple by 2040. 

As the International Union for Conservation of Nature explains, in addition to causing climate change and impacting the coastal tourism industry, plastic litter also threatens marine ecosystems. That’s because when plastic litter is exposed to sunlight, wind and currents, it breakdowns to become microplastics. These microplastics can be easily ingested by marine life, resulting in severe injuries, health problems and even death – all of which could impact our own food security and safety.  

Space’s plastic removal potential 

Solving the ocean’s plastic problem starts with taking the litter out of the water. But this requires first knowing where the plastic is, which is where Earth Observation and GNSS come into play.

Earth Observation has the potential to help detect and monitor plastic pollution across the oceans. According to an Observer article, by using data on ocean currents collected by the Copernicus Marine Service, in combination with other information, one can monitor how and where plastics enter the ocean and determine how long they have been there.  

GNSS can also play a role in cleaning up our oceans. In 2019, a California-based cargo ship used GNSS positioning to track and collect a mass of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean that is thought to be three times the size of France. The initiative had mariners place reusable GNSS trackers on the discarded fishing nets that tend to accumulate plastics. The cargo ship then tracked these devices to collect both the nets and plastic waste. In total, 40 tonnes of plastic were removed.   

But these examples only scratch the surface of what Earth Observation, GNSS and their synergistic use are capable of. To fully leverage these technologies and their plastic removal potential, EUSPA is supporting a new prize contest.

A chance to win funding for your commercial solution 

The CASSINI Prize for Digital Space Apps is looking for innovative commercial solutions that leverage the EU Space Programme to detect, monitor and remove plastics, microplastics and other litter from our oceans and waterways. With a total prize purse of EUR 2.85 million, the top three proposals are eligible to win EUR 0.95 million each, which can be used to help further develop and commercialise your solution.  

CASSINI is the European Commission’s initiative to support entrepreneurs, start-ups and SMEs developing innovative applications and services that leverage the EU Space Programme. Dedicated to promoting the commercialisation of Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus data and services, EUSPA is actively involved in the initiative.

Because the contest aims to create a new ecosystem of entrepreneurs, applications are only open to SMEs. All proposed solutions must be close-to-market and be able to prove their effectiveness in a real-world demonstration. 

The prize is foreseen as part of the Horizon Europe Work Programme.

More information can be found here.

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 European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is Europe’s regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). Used to improve the accuracy and reliability of GNSS positioning information, EGNOS is designed to provide safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users across the EU.

While the exploitation of EGNOS is the responsibility of the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), its services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider under a contract with EUSPA. Today, EUSPA formally announced that it has signed  its new EGNOS service provider contract with European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), a company specialising in the operations and provision of satellite-based services for  critical missions such as for aviation and whose shareholders include seven leading European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs).   

“EGNOS is a very successful part of the EU Space Programme. ESSP has been a strong partner to achieve this result and I look forward to another decade of success,” said EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa. 

“As Europe’s first venture into satellite navigation, EGNOS set the precedent for what a successful space programme looks like,” added ESSP CEO Charlotte Neyret. “With this new contract, we look to raise the bar even higher.”

The new 10 years contract sees ESSP continuing its role as the EGNOS service provider for the Open Service and Safety of Life Service (SoL) while EUSPA is in the process of taking over the responsibility of EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS) service provision. During this time, ESSP will be responsible for EGNOS service provision (including EGNOS operations and part of its maintenance). 

Expanding and evolving

With EGNOS constantly expanding and evolving, the new contract will see ESSP performing some new tasks as well. For example, in addition to bolstering EGNOS’ use in the aviation sector, the company will look to further develop the service for the maritime, rail and drone sectors. It will also help improve the security of EGNOS V2 through the addition of new functions and by upgrading the system.

Then there’s EGNOS V3, the next generation of EGNOS that will augment Galileo signals. With ESSP set to play a major role in this transition, the company has brought on new partners, including Airbus Defence and Space currently in charge of the development of EGNOS V3.    

Under the new contract, ESSP will work to further expand the EGNOS services in European Neighbourhood Policy South countries (ENP-South) and Ukraine. The company is in the process of setting up new RIMS in Nigeria and Chad, the operation of which will be subcontracted to the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). 

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 European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is Europe’s regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS). Used to improve the accuracy and reliability of GNSS positioning information, EGNOS is designed to provide safety of life navigation services to aviation, maritime and land-based users across the EU.

While the exploitation of EGNOS is the responsibility of the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), its services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider under a contract with EUSPA. Today, EUSPA formally announced that it has signed  its new EGNOS service provider contract with European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), a company specialising in the operations and provision of satellite-based services for  critical missions such as for aviation and whose shareholders include seven leading European Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs).   

“EGNOS is a very successful part of the EU Space Programme. ESSP has been a strong partner to achieve this result and I look forward to another decade of success,” said EUSPA Executive Director Rodrigo da Costa. 

“As Europe’s first venture into satellite navigation, EGNOS set the precedent for what a successful space programme looks like,” added ESSP CEO Charlotte Neyret. “With this new contract, we look to raise the bar even higher.”

The new 10 years contract sees ESSP continuing its role as the EGNOS service provider for the Open Service and Safety of Life Service (SoL) while EUSPA is in the process of taking over the responsibility of EGNOS Data Access Service (EDAS) service provision. During this time, ESSP will be responsible for EGNOS service provision (including EGNOS operations and part of its maintenance). 

Expanding and evolving

With EGNOS constantly expanding and evolving, the new contract will see ESSP performing some new tasks as well. For example, in addition to bolstering EGNOS’ use in the aviation sector, the company will look to further develop the service for the maritime, rail and drone sectors. It will also help improve the security of EGNOS V2 through the addition of new functions and by upgrading the system.

Then there’s EGNOS V3, the next generation of EGNOS that will augment Galileo signals. With ESSP set to play a major role in this transition, the company has brought on new partners, including Airbus Defence and Space currently in charge of the development of EGNOS V3 under a contract with EUSPA.    

Under the new contract, ESSP will work to further expand the EGNOS services in European Neighbourhood Policy South countries (ENP-South) and Ukraine. The company is in the process of setting up new RIMS in Nigeria and Chad, the operation of which will be subcontracted to the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA). 

The event took place at the occasion of AEOLUS working group meeting where EUSPA is gathering the European ANSPs (Air Navigation Service Providers), EUROCONTROL, EASA and ESA.

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).