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EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, has revolutionised the way we fly: creating greater access to small and regional airports, increasing safety and facilitating more sustainable flight routes across Europe. 

“From the commercial, regional, general and business aviation sectors to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), airports and the end user – everyone benefits from EGNOS,” says Jean-Marc Piéplu,  Head of EGNOS Services Department at the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

With news that Airbus has delivered the first EGNOS-enabled A320neo to the popular low-cost airline EasyJet, soon even more passengers will be flying with EGNOS. The A320neo is the world’s most popular aircraft family for short-haul flights, claiming the greatest number of aircraft sold and delivered. 

Accurate guidance for safer landings

As an alternative to ground-based Instrument Landing System (ILS) navigational aids, EGNOS-enabled approaches, often referred to as localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV), utilise geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment GNSS signals. In doing so, it enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a decision height of only 200 feet above the runway as minimum. 

In addition to providing pilots with accurate guidance for safer landings (even in poor weather conditions), EGNOS is also more cost effective to install, maintain and operate than equivalent ground-based systems. This makes EGNOS particularly attractive to Europe’s many small and regional airports that simply cannot afford the high cost of ILS. 

“Having the ability to cost-effectively offer accurate vertical guidance makes these airports safer and more attractive to short-haul flights,” explains Piéplu “Moreover, EGNOS based procedures are mandatory in all instrument runways by 2024, and will be the main means for CAT-I by 2030 in EU.” 

Towards a more sustainable aviation sector 

Not only are these EGNOS-enabled approaches safer, they’re also more sustainable. “Having LPV in all airports give more choices for alternate airports, which means that the distance to be flown could be shorter, and results in less fuel being burned and more emissions being released,” adds Carmen Aguilera, Operational Market Development Officer at EUSPA. “EGNOS approaches, as enabler of PBN, allows shorter trajectories with respect to conventional approaches, which is more fuel efficient.”

Thanks to its lower decision height, EGNOS can help pilots better evaluate visibility conditions, which in many cases means avoiding the need to circle or divert – two manoeuvres that burn a lot of fuel. “Minimising diversions and aborted landings mean less fuel consumption, a win-win for both the environment and the airlines,” concludes Aguilera. 

EGNOS services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider (ESSP) under a contract with EUSPA.

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).

EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service, has revolutionised the way we fly: creating greater access to small and regional airports, increasing safety and facilitating more sustainable flight routes across Europe. 

“From the commercial, regional, general and business aviation sectors to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), airports and the end user – everyone benefits from EGNOS,” says Jean-Marc Piéplu,  Head of EGNOS Services Department at the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA).

With news that Airbus has delivered the first EGNOS-enabled A320neo to the popular low-cost airline EasyJet, soon even more passengers will be flying with EGNOS. The A320neo is the world’s most popular aircraft family for short-haul flights, claiming the greatest number of aircraft sold and delivered. 

Accurate guidance for safer landings

As an alternative to ground-based Instrument Landing System (ILS) navigational aids, EGNOS-enabled approaches, often referred to as localiser performance with vertical guidance (LPV), utilise geostationary satellites and a network of ground stations to receive, analyse and augment GNSS signals. In doing so, it enables aircraft approaches that are operationally equivalent to ILS CAT I, providing lateral and vertical guidance without the need for visual contact with the ground until a decision height of only 200 feet above the runway as minimum. 

In addition to providing pilots with accurate guidance for safer landings (even in poor weather conditions), EGNOS is also more cost effective to install, maintain and operate than equivalent ground-based systems. This makes EGNOS particularly attractive to Europe’s many small and regional airports that simply cannot afford the high cost of ILS. 

“Having the ability to cost-effectively offer accurate vertical guidance makes these airports safer and more attractive to short-haul flights,” explains Piéplu “Moreover, EGNOS based procedures are mandatory in all instrument runways by 2024, and will be the main means for CAT-I by 2030 in EU.” 

Towards a more sustainable aviation sector 

Not only are these EGNOS-enabled approaches safer, they’re also more sustainable. “Having LPV in all airports give more choices for alternate airports, which means that the distance to be flown could be shorter, and results in less fuel being burned and more emissions being released,” adds Carmen Aguilera, Operational Market Development Officer at EUSPA. “EGNOS approaches, as enabler of PBN, allows shorter trajectories with respect to conventional approaches, which is more fuel efficient.”

Thanks to its lower decision height, EGNOS can help pilots better evaluate visibility conditions, which in many cases means avoiding the need to circle or divert – two manoeuvres that burn a lot of fuel. “Minimising diversions and aborted landings mean less fuel consumption, a win-win for both the environment and the airlines,” concludes Aguilera. 

EGNOS services are delivered by the EGNOS service provider (ESSP) under a contract with EUSPA.

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).

Farming by smartphone. Creating artistic, personalised products using satellite imagery. Building a better back nine from space. And monitoring road safety issues without a human in sight. 

These aren’t clips from some sci-fi future. It’s all happening now – thanks to EU Space and 11 very innovative European start-ups.

The start-ups are the winners of the #myEUspace competition, a EUSPA initiative supporting the development of innovative commercial applications that leverage data coming from the EU Space Programme. 

Launched in September 2021 as part of the European Commission’s CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative and with over EUR 1 million in prize money on the line, #myEUspace is one of the biggest competitions ever organised by EUSPA. 

And the winners are…

Following an intense nine-week process of fine-tuning prototypes and products, refining business plans and making final pitches to a scrutinising panel of judges, the competition’s winners were announced at EUSPA’s Entrepreneurship Day. 

While the selected solutions cover such diverse sectors as location-based services, smart mobility, geomatics and precision agriculture, they all share a foundation in their use of data coming from Galileo, Copernicus or a synergistic combination of the two.

So, without further ado, let us introduce to you 11 of Europe’s hottest, most disruptive space-based start-ups:

Track 1:

• SANGENE: integrated GNSS-based passive radar for the detection and first localisation of obstacles.

• EO4ART: web application for artistic and personalised products based on satellite images acquired over a specific region of interest.

• ALTIWAVE: satellite-derived regional wave heights for the marine energy sector.

• Master Map: automatic road mapping status for maintenance optimisation.

• VirtualCrop: application for sustainable precision farming that turns phones into data gathering and analysis tools.

• RIGOROUS: efficient and effective development and deployment of solutions based on using Randomness-Intensive algorithms for near-real-time route optimisation.

Track 2:

• C-ITS Platform: increased road safety, powered by Galileo and Copernicus.

• E20.Green: intelligent platform powered by GNSS, AI, EO and IoT that enables golf courses and urban green spaces to effectively manage their assets, operations and land.

• SPAI: solution to easily integrate satellite analytics into the work practices of expert and non-expert users, effortlessly extracting the value of EO using AI.

• SOILSPECT: automatic monitoring of ground settlement happening at construction sites.  

• Agricircle: dashboard for monitoring the outcome of regenerative agriculture initiatives.

Defining the future today 

While the competition may be over, for these 11 start-ups, the work is just beginning. Armed with up to EUR 50,000 in prize money and ready access to additional sources of financing, mentoring and incubation, the winners will now work to further develop their products and services and move them towards commercialisation.

"Space data and services are driving innovation and enabling disruptive technologies in a wide range of sectors", says EUSPA Executive Director, Rodrigo da Costa. "Start-ups have been particularly enthusiastic in embracing the potential offered by the EU Space Programme. I would like to congratulate the winners and also the participants for the effort they put."

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).

Farming by smartphone. Creating artistic, personalised products using satellite imagery. Building a better back nine from space. And monitoring road safety issues without a human in sight. 

These aren’t clips from some sci-fi future. It’s all happening now – thanks to EU Space and 11 very innovative European start-ups.

The start-ups are the winners of the #myEUspace competition, a EUSPA initiative supporting the development of innovative commercial applications that leverage data coming from the EU Space Programme. 

Launched in September 2021 as part of the European Commission’s CASSINI Space Entrepreneurship Initiative and with over EUR 1 million in prize money on the line, #myEUspace is one of the biggest competitions ever organised by EUSPA. 

And the winners are…

Following an intense nine-week process of fine-tuning prototypes and products, refining business plans and making final pitches to a scrutinising panel of judges, the competition’s winners were announced at EUSPA’s Entrepreneurship Day. 

While the selected solutions cover such diverse sectors as location-based services, smart mobility, geomatics and precision agriculture, they all share a foundation in their use of data coming from Galileo, Copernicus or a synergistic combination of the two.

So, without further ado, let us introduce to you 11 of Europe’s hottest, most disruptive space-based start-ups:

Track 1:

• SANGENE: integrated GNSS-based passive radar for the detection and first localisation of obstacles.

• EO4ART: web application for artistic and personalised products based on satellite images acquired over a specific region of interest.

• ALTIWAVE: satellite-derived regional wave heights for the marine energy sector.

• Master Map: automatic road mapping status for maintenance optimisation.

• VirtualCrop: application for sustainable precision farming that turns phones into data gathering and analysis tools.

• RIGOROUS: efficient and effective development and deployment of solutions based on using Randomness-Intensive algorithms for near-real-time route optimisation.

Track 2:

• C-ITS Platform: increased road safety, powered by Galileo and Copernicus.

• E20.Green: intelligent platform powered by GNSS, AI, EO and IoT that enables golf courses and urban green spaces to effectively manage their assets, operations and land.

• SPAI: solution to easily integrate satellite analytics into the work practices of expert and non-expert users, effortlessly extracting the value of EO using AI.

• SOILSPECT: automatic monitoring of ground settlement happening at construction sites.  

• Agricircle: dashboard for monitoring the outcome of regenerative agriculture initiatives.

Defining the future today 

While the competition may be over, for these 11 start-ups, the work is just beginning. Armed with up to EUR 50,000 in prize money and ready access to additional sources of financing, mentoring and incubation, the winners will now work to further develop their products and services and move them towards commercialisation.

"Space data and services are driving innovation and enabling disruptive technologies in a wide range of sectors", says EUSPA Executive Director, Rodrigo da Costa. "Start-ups have been particularly enthusiastic in embracing the potential offered by the EU Space Programme. I would like to congratulate the winners and also the participants for the effort they put."

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).

EUSPA is revamping its online presence – and we need your help! Take part in our study and let us know how we can build a better website user experience for you.

When the EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) was launched in May 2021, it represented the start of a new era for EU Space. With an expanded mandate and new responsibilities, EUSPA has remained committed to helping the EU, its citizens and its businesses maximise the many social and economic benefits offered by the EU Space Programme.

Part of this commitment means making sure you can easily access the EU Space information you need when and where you need it – and that starts with our website. To build a better user experience, we have created a study in two parts to find out what you want to see and how you want to see it. Take our short online survey and participate in our tree testing study to provide us with your valuable insights. Read on to learn more.

An evolving space programme and organisation

Today, the EU Space Programme consists of:

• Copernicus, Europe’s Earth Observation system
• Galileo, the EU´s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS)
• EGNOS, the EU’s regional satellite-based augmentation system (SBAS)
• GOVSATCOM
• The Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme and the Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) services

Read more: GOVSATCOM adds secure governmental communications to the EU Space Programme

Together, these core components enable a wide range of critical services and everyday applications, making the EU Space Programme indispensable to the lives of Europeans.

The EU Space Programme also provides essential infrastructure that gives the European economy an important competitive edge and plays a key role in Europe’s digital transformation. Copernicus, as the number one world provider of space data and information, coupled with Galileo’s impressive 20 cm accuracy, means that EU space technology and data are a major enabler in the GNSS and Earth Observation downstream market. A market, that on a global scale, is expected to reach almost EUR 500 billion in revenue over the next decade.

With so much growth on the horizon, in addition to managing an increasing workload, promoting innovative downstream applications, scaling the market share of EGNSS and Copernicus and creating new synergies across the EU Space Programme requires that EUSPA, as an organisation, evolve. That is why we are currently in the process of establishing ourselves as a matrix organisation. By streamlining our operations and maximising efficiency, this change in structure will allow us to better meet our expanded mandate and growing responsibilities.

We need your help!

Even with its expanded mandate, new responsibilities and an updated organisational structure, EUSPA’s mission remains the same: linking space to user needs. To ensure we continue to meet that mission, we need your support.

You can help us improve our website to better serve your needs in two ways:

1. By taking our short survey, you will ensure that we are providing the type of information and content you are looking for when you visit the EUSPA site. Your input will be used to tailor the type of online content we provide.
2. Our tree testing study, which should take no more than 10 minutes of your time, will help us better understand how you navigate our site and how easily you can find the information you are looking for. We’ll use your input to design an enhanced user experience for our online presence.

Because we want to gather input from as many different users as possible, we also ask that you share our survey within your own network. Simply copy and paste this link (https://bit.ly/3sRBhlM) into your preferred social media channels, email and messaging apps.

Together, we can make the link between space and users even stronger!

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).

Dňa 16.6.2022 sa uskutoční opakovaná odborná príprava držiteľov oprávnení na projektovanie pozemkových úprav