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Located in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, the Galileo Reference Centre (GRC) is a cornerstone of the Galileo service provision. From Initial Services to full operational capability and beyond, it provides EUSPA with an independent service facility to evaluate the quality of the signals in space and the overall performance of the different Galileo services. In doing so, it helps the EUSPA ensure the delivery of world-class navigation services so users can better rely on and benefit from Galileo. EUSPA is responsible for the management of the GRC, including its development and operations. The GRC helps ensure that Galileo users are provided with very high-quality signals for use by an array of the new navigation applications, but it also monitors, where feasible, other GNSSs.

Read this: The Galileo Reference Centre evolves to support the constellation’s growing needs (europa.eu)

The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) published a procurement on the “GRC Nominal Operations Support, Infrastructure Development, Evolution, and Maintenance”. To encourage large participation, EUSPA held a workshop to present the details of the call on 10 March 2022. Presentations delivered during this workshop are available here.

Q&A followed the presentation during this successful workshop. The questions and our answers can be found here.

With this procurement, EUSPA is looking for partners to provide services and supplies to support the agency in shaping the future versions of the GRC infrastructure to support the evolutions of several GNSS services.

Application deadline is on April 11 2022 at 23:59 CET.

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 world has a water problem. At present, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are 785 million people who lack access to clean water – that’s one in every 10 people on the planet. But the problem goes well beyond the water we drink; it also affects the food we eat. For example, water scarcity, due in part to the increase in droughts caused by climate change, means farmers have less water to grow their crops with.

In parallel, people are increasingly looking to our oceans, lakes and rivers for food – a shift that causes another problem: overfishing. According to some estimates, nearly 30% of all commercially fished species are now considered to be overfished. In the Mediterranean and Black seas, that number is closer to 88%.

With climate change set to exacerbate the water crisis, there’s an urgent need for new solutions.

Two of those solutions are Earth Observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Go fish

According to the latest edition of the EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Earth Observation is already being used to assess the location of fish stocks and to track the location of vessels in an effort to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing – an important component of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). 

Both Copernicus, for EO, and Galileo, for GNSS, are also being used to support Europe’s growing aquaculture sector. For instance, by providing information and data on environmental conditions and long-term weather forecasts, EO-based applications play a key role in selecting ideal locations to establish aquafarms. Once the aquafarm is up and running, Copernicus, together with Galileo, is used to optimise operations and provide aquafarmers with a wide range of insight and information.

Keeping an eye on our oceans’ health

While sustainable fisheries and aquaculture are important to securing food production, and are key components to the European Union’s Green Deal, they both depend on having healthy oceans. Here too, GNSS and especially EO play an important role.

Oceans, which account for about 71% of the Earth’s surface, are at the centre of climate change. That’s because oceans act as a natural carbon sink, essentially absorbing much of the carbon being emitted into the atmosphere. As the oceans absorb more carbon, their temperatures go up, which can lead to a whole host of problems, including rising sea levels, changes in fish migration, the killing of coral reefs and alterations to the world’s climate patterns.

To mitigate these issues, the Copernicus Marine and Climate Change Services monitor a number of key climate indicators, such as sea level, temperature, currents and salinity. This data can then be used to drive global climate policy decisions.

Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow in the sunlit surface waters of the ocean. When their concentration reaches a certain level, the bloom becomes visible from space.

For freshwater too

EO’s usefulness doesn’t stop with salt water, it’s being used to monitor the quality of freshwater sources too. Today, scientists and policymakers regularly use data coming from Copernicus satellites to, for example, measure water surface temperature, which can tell us a lot about a lake or river’s overall health.

This same data can be used to track how rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events increase a body of water’s acidity, cause a build-up of pathogens, and change its nutrient concentration. And because quality freshwater is essential to drinking water, this same data can play a key role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all

So on this World Water Day, as you’re enjoying a fresh glass of H2O, be sure to look up and remember how space-based solutions are working to ensure the healthy climate, healthy oceans, and healthy freshwater systems that make our water sustainable, safe and sanitary.

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 (https://www.euspa.europa.eu).

The world has a water problem. At present, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) there are 785 million people who lack access to clean water – that’s one in every 10 people on the planet. But the problem goes well beyond the water we drink; it also affects the food we eat. For example, water scarcity, due in part to the increase in droughts caused by climate change, means farmers have less water to grow their crops with.

In parallel, people are increasingly looking to our oceans, lakes and rivers for food – a shift that causes another problem: overfishing. According to some estimates, nearly 30% of all commercially fished species are now considered to be overfished. In the Mediterranean and Black seas, that number is closer to 88%.

With climate change set to exacerbate the water crisis, there’s an urgent need for new solutions.

Two of those solutions are Earth Observation (EO) and Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Go fish

According to the latest edition of the EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Earth Observation is already being used to assess the location of fish stocks, while GNSS is used to track the location of vessels in an effort to prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing – an important component of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). 

Both Copernicus, for EO, and Galileo, for GNSS, are also being used to support Europe’s growing aquaculture sector. For instance, by providing information and data on environmental conditions and long-term weather forecasts, EO-based applications play a key role in selecting ideal locations to establish aquafarms. Once the aquafarm is up and running, Copernicus, together with Galileo, is used to optimise operations and provide aquafarmers with a wide range of insight and information.

Keeping an eye on our oceans’ health

While sustainable fisheries and aquaculture are important to securing food production, and are key components to the European Union’s Green Deal, they both depend on having healthy oceans. Here too, GNSS and especially EO play an important role.

Oceans, which account for about 71% of the Earth’s surface, are at the centre of climate change. That’s because oceans act as a natural carbon sink, essentially absorbing much of the carbon being emitted into the atmosphere. As the oceans absorb more carbon, their temperatures go up, which can lead to a whole host of problems, including rising sea levels, changes in fish migration, the killing of coral reefs and alterations to the world’s climate patterns.

To mitigate these issues, the Copernicus Marine and Climate Change Services monitor a number of key climate indicators, such as sea level, temperature, currents and salinity. This data can then be used to drive global climate policy decisions.

Phytoplankton are microscopic plants that grow in the sunlit surface waters of the ocean. When their concentration reaches a certain level, the bloom becomes visible from space.

For freshwater too

EO’s usefulness doesn’t stop with salt water, it’s being used to monitor the quality of freshwater sources too. Today, scientists and policymakers regularly use data coming from Copernicus satellites to, for example, measure water surface temperature, which can tell us a lot about a lake or river’s overall health.

This same data can be used to track how rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events increase a body of water’s acidity, cause a build-up of pathogens, and change its nutrient concentration. And because quality freshwater is essential to drinking water, this same data can play a key role in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all

So on this World Water Day, as you’re enjoying a fresh glass of H2O, be sure to look up and remember how space-based solutions are working to ensure the healthy climate, healthy oceans, and healthy freshwater systems that make our water sustainable, safe and sanitary.

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 (https://www.euspa.europa.eu).

The best time to invest in space – EUSPA launches info session for fund managers.

According to the latest edition of the EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, in 2021, the GNSS and Earth Observation downstream market generated over EUR 200 billion in revenue.

What’s more, this market is expected to reach nearly half a trillion euros within the next decade. Add this up and what you have is a very lucrative investment opportunity.

But to take advantage of this opportunity, you need the right information and the right market intelligence – which is exactly what the Space Investments Capacity Building Programme is set to provide.

Organised by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), in collaboration with the European Commission, European Space Agency (ESA) and European Investment Fund (EIF), this series of five workshops is designed to provide venture capitalists, fund managers and other investors with in-depth information on the space sector, including:

• Results from the latest European space market and investment studies
• Advice from the EIF on fund setup, investment strategy and building an investment team
• A platform to discuss business models and best practices
• Opportunities to network with other fund managers
• Details on the European Commission’s EUR 1 billion CASSINI Facility, an InvestEU initiative offering capital for establishing space-focused investment funds

The first workshop, scheduled for 28 March 2022 from 14:00 – 17:00 CET, will focus on how EU space technology – including Galileo and Copernicus – can be used to support the construction sector, optimise the green transformation and maintain critical infrastructure.

“If you want to become an active investor in this exciting field or simply want to gather more information before deciding to raise a new fund, then this capacity building programme is for you”, says Fiammetta Diani, EUSPA Head of Market Downstream and Innovation.

The event will be held live at EUSPA’s headquarters in Prague, as well as online. Attendance is free, but registration is required. For participants able to attend physically in Prague, please send an email to market@euspa.europa.eu to secure your place in the venue. Questions related to the workshop series or requests for additional information can be directed to this email address as well.

Mark Your Calendars: Space Investments Capacity Building Programme 2022

• Episode 1: Infrastructure lifecycle support from space, EUSPA, Prague, Monday 28 March 2022
• Episode 2: Security and defence (in and from space), COM, Brussels, Monday 2 May 2022
• Episode 3: Consumer space solutions: well-being, education and entertainment, EUSPA, Prague, Monday 23 May 2022
• Episode 4: Access to space (launchers, ground systems, modular technology, etc), ESA, Paris, Tuesday 7 June 2022
• Episode 5: Fund setup, investment strategy, investment team, exit strategy, EIF, Luxemburg, Monday 27 June 2022

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 best time to invest in space – EUSPA launches info session for fund managers.

According to the latest edition of the EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, in 2021, the GNSS and Earth Observation downstream market generated over EUR 200 billion in revenue.

What’s more, this market is expected to reach nearly half a trillion euros within the next decade. Add this up and what you have is a very lucrative investment opportunity.

But to take advantage of this opportunity, you need the right information and the right market intelligence – which is exactly what the Space Investments Capacity Building Programme is set to provide.

Organised by the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), in collaboration with the European Commission, European Space Agency (ESA) and European Investment Fund (EIF), this series of five workshops is designed to provide venture capitalists, fund managers and other investors with in-depth information on the space sector, including:

• Results from the latest European space market and investment studies
• Advice from the EIF on fund setup, investment strategy and building an investment team
• A platform to discuss business models and best practices
• Opportunities to network with other fund managers
• Details on the European Commission’s EUR 1 billion CASSINI Facility, an InvestEU initiative offering capital for establishing space-focused investment funds

The first workshop, scheduled for 28 March 2022 from 14:00 – 17:00 CET, will focus on how EU space technology – including Galileo and Copernicus – can be used to support the construction sector, optimise the green transformation and maintain critical infrastructure.

“If you want to become an active investor in this exciting field or simply want to gather more information before deciding to raise a new fund, then this capacity building programme is for you”, says Fiammetta Diani, EUSPA Head of Market Downstream and Innovation.

The event will be held live at EUSPA’s headquarters in Prague, as well as online. Attendance is free, but registration is required. For participants able to attend physically in Prague, please send an email to market@euspa.europa.eu to secure your place in the venue. Questions related to the workshop series or requests for additional information can be directed to this email address as well.

Mark Your Calendars: Space Investments Capacity Building Programme 2022

• Episode 1: Infrastructure lifecycle support from space, EUSPA, Prague, Monday 28 March 2022
• Episode 2: Security and defence (in and from space), COM, Brussels, Monday 2 May 2022
• Episode 3: Consumer space solutions: well-being, education and entertainment, EUSPA, Prague, Monday 23 May 2022
• Episode 4: Access to space (launchers, ground systems, modular technology, etc), ESA, Paris, Tuesday 7 June 2022
• Episode 5: Fund setup, investment strategy, investment team, exit strategy, EIF, Luxemburg, Monday 27 June 2022

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).