zprávy

On 6 April, the GNSS world marks Beacon Awareness Day (406 Day), a day intended to remind Search and Rescue 406MHz beacon owners to test their beacons, check their batteries and update their Cospas-Sarsat or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) registration. Started in 2013 by US beacon manufacturer ACR Electronics, the day is also an opportunity to raise awareness on the benefits and responsibilities of owning such 406 MHz beacons as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Perhaps most importantly, 406 Day is a chance to share the stories of those whose lives were ‘saved by the beacon’ and to encourage others to #getabeacon.  

Register your beacon: register your beacon with the COSPAS-SARSAT database

In conjunction with 406 Day, the GSA is officially launching its Galileo sSAR service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the upgrade of the international satellite-based COSPAS-SARSAT system. Within the Galileo/SAR service coverage area, the service will be available at sea, in the mountains, across the desert and in the air and available to help SAR operators respond to a distress signal faster and more efficiently.

Did you know?

• Six kilos – the weight of the SAR transponder on a Galileo satellite – can make the difference between life and death
• Over the past three years, satellites helped save an average of six lives every day
• Galileo satellites relay ANY distress call coming from a SARSAT-enabled beacon without costs or need for a subscription

Helping to save lives

The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic forward link distress alert and a unique return link alert (available end of 2018) that informs the sender that their message has been received. This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea or in the mountains from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Furthermore, the localisation of the distress beacon has improved from 10 km to less than 5 km.

Watch this: Reaching you faster when every minute matters video

The net result of the improvements offered by the Galileo SAR service is that more lives are saved. In fact, in January 2017, the Galileo SAR service helped rescue eight people within the French MCC zone alone. “Not only does the improved capacity offered by the Galileo SAR service help save lives, thanks to the reduced time to acquire a signal, it also makes Search and Rescue operations – more efficient for emergency responders,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Thus, it is our pleasure to take part in the 406 Day initiatives to raise awareness of the Galileo SAR service and to help all operators support and promote the use of 406 MHz beacons.”

Call for proposals

The GSA, in close collaboration with the European Commission recently launched a call for proposals to develop 406 MHz beacons with the return link capability. The deadline for this call is 31 May.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

On 6 April, the GNSS world marks Beacon Awareness Day (406 Day), a day intended to remind Search and Rescue 406MHz beacon owners to test their beacons, check their batteries and update their Cospas-Sarsat or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) registration. Started in 2013 by US beacon manufacturer ACR Electronics, the day is also an opportunity to raise awareness on the benefits and responsibilities of owning such 406 MHz beacons as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Perhaps most importantly, 406 Day is a chance to share the stories of those whose lives were ‘saved by the beacon’ and to encourage others to #getabeacon.  

Register your beacon: register your beacon with the COSPAS-SARSAT database

In conjunction with 406 Day, the GSA is officially launching its Galileo's SAR service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the upgrade of the international satellite-based COSPAS-SARSAT system. Within the Galileo/SAR service coverage area, the service will be available at sea, in the mountains, across the desert and in the air and available to help SAR operators respond to a distress signal faster and more efficiently.

Did you know?

• Six kilos – the weight of the SAR transponder on a Galileo satellite – can make the difference between life and death
• Over the past three years, satellites helped save an average of six lives every day
• Galileo satellites relay ANY distress call coming from a SARSAT-enabled beacon without costs or need for a subscription

Helping to save lives

The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic forward link distress alert and a unique return link alert (available end of 2018) that informs the sender that their message has been received. This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea or in the mountains from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Furthermore, the localisation of the distress beacon has improved from 10 km to less than 5 km.

Watch this: Reaching you faster when every minute matters video

The net result of the improvements offered by the Galileo SAR service is that more lives are saved. In fact, in January 2017, the Galileo SAR service helped rescue eight people within the French MCC zone alone. “Not only does the improved capacity offered by the Galileo SAR service help save lives, thanks to the reduced time to acquire a signal, it also makes Search and Rescue operations – more efficient for emergency responders,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Thus, it is our pleasure to take part in the 406 Day initiatives to raise awareness of the Galileo SAR service and to help all operators support and promote the use of 406 MHz beacons.”

Call for proposals

The GSA, in close collaboration with the European Commission recently launched a call for proposals to develop 406 MHz beacons with the return link capability. The deadline for this call is 31 May.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

On 6 April, the GNSS world marks Beacon Awareness Day (406 Day), a day intended to remind Search and Rescue 406MHz beacon owners to test their beacons, check their batteries and update their Cospas-Sarsat or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) registration. Started in 2013 by US beacon manufacturer ACR Electronics, the day is also an opportunity to raise awareness on the benefits and responsibilities of owning such 406 MHz beacons as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Perhaps most importantly, 406 Day is a chance to share the stories of those whose lives were ‘saved by the beacon’ and to encourage others to #getabeacon.  

Register your beacon: register your beacon with the COSPAS-SARSAT database

In conjunction with 406 Day, the GSA is officially launching its Galileo sSAR service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the upgrade of the international satellite-based COSPAS-SARSAT system. Within the Galileo/SAR service coverage area, the service will be available at sea, in the mountains, across the desert and in the air and available to help SAR operators respond to a distress signal faster and more efficiently.

Did you know?

• Six kilos – the weight of the SAR transponder on a Galileo satellite – can make the difference between life and death
• Over the past three years, satellites helped save an average of six lives every day
• Galileo satellites relay ANY distress call coming from a SARSAT-enabled beacon without costs or need for a subscription

Helping to save lives

The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic forward link distress alert and a unique return link alert (available end of 2018) that informs the sender that their message has been received. This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea or in the mountains from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Furthermore, the localisation of the distress beacon has improved from 10 km to less than 5 km.

Watch this: Reaching you faster when every minute matters video

The net result of the improvements offered by the Galileo SAR service is that more lives are saved. In fact, in January 2017, the Galileo SAR service helped rescue eight people within the French MCC zone alone. “Not only does the improved capacity offered by the Galileo SAR service help save lives, thanks to the reduced time to acquire a signal, it also makes Search and Rescue operations – more efficient for emergency responders,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Thus, it is our pleasure to take part in the 406 Day initiatives to raise awareness of the Galileo SAR service and to help all operators support and promote the use of 406 MHz beacons.”

Call for proposals

The GSA, in close collaboration with the European Commission recently launched a call for proposals to develop 406 MHz beacons with the return link capability. The deadline for this call is 31 May.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

On 6 April, the GNSS world marks Beacon Awareness Day (406 Day), a day intended to remind Search and Rescue 406MHz beacon owners to test their beacons, check their batteries and update their Cospas-Sarsat or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) registration. Started in 2013 by US beacon manufacturer ACR Electronics, the day is also an opportunity to raise awareness on the benefits and responsibilities of owning such 406 MHz beacons as Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) and Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs). Perhaps most importantly, 406 Day is a chance to share the stories of those whose lives were ‘saved by the beacon’ and to encourage others to #getabeacon.  

Register your beacon: register your beacon with the COSPAS-SARSAT database

In conjunction with 406 Day, the GSA is officially launching its Galileo's SAR service. The Galileo SAR service is Europe’s contribution to the upgrade of the international satellite-based COSPAS-SARSAT system. Within the Galileo/SAR service coverage area, the service will be available at sea, in the mountains, across the desert and in the air and available to help SAR operators respond to a distress signal faster and more efficiently.

Did you know?

• Six kilos – the weight of the SAR transponder on a Galileo satellite – can make the difference between life and death
• Over the past three years, satellites helped save an average of six lives every day
• Galileo satellites relay ANY distress call coming from a SARSAT-enabled beacon without costs or need for a subscription

Helping to save lives

The Galileo SAR service is comprised of two components: an automatic forward link distress alert and a unique return link alert (available end of 2018) that informs the sender that their message has been received. This combination, along with the increased positioning accuracy provided by Galileo, has reduced the time it takes to detect a person lost at sea or in the mountains from three hours to just 10 minutes after the distress beacon is activated. Furthermore, the localisation of the distress beacon has improved from 10 km to less than 5 km.

Watch this: Reaching you faster when every minute matters video

The net result of the improvements offered by the Galileo SAR service is that more lives are saved. In fact, in January 2017, the Galileo SAR service helped rescue eight people within the French MCC zone alone. “Not only does the improved capacity offered by the Galileo SAR service help save lives, thanks to the reduced time to acquire a signal, it also makes Search and Rescue operations – more efficient for emergency responders,” says GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides. “Thus, it is our pleasure to take part in the 406 Day initiatives to raise awareness of the Galileo SAR service and to help all operators support and promote the use of 406 MHz beacons.”

Call for proposals

The GSA, in close collaboration with the European Commission recently launched a call for proposals to develop 406 MHz beacons with the return link capability. The deadline for this call is 31 May.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The unique Galileo Public Regulated Service (PRS) offers a dedicated authenticated and encrypted service for governmental authorised users in areas such as public safety and security, critical infrastructures, and defence. The PRS session at the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit on 16 March provided an overview on the current status of PRS implementation in Europe and a glimpse of its potential applications.

“Integrity is a major driver for backup systems for GNSS,” said Dr. Stefan Baumann of IABG and moderator of the PRS session. He noted that the capabilities of PRS brought authorised users a more reliable and robust positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system.

The European Commission’s DG GROW reminded the audience that PRS was part of the Galileo Initial Services declared on 15 December 2016. The main task now is to make the transition to exploitation. PRS offers increased continuity of service in crisis situations and its signal structure is much more resistant to interference than the Galileo open service signals.

The European Commission is looking forward to the full deployment of the Galileo constellation by 2020, working in concert with the ground elements of the system such as the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) near Paris and the Competent PRS authorities (CPAs) that must be established in Member States in order to access and control the use of PRS within their borders.

To follow the publication of the EU’s Space Strategy in 2016, it is likely that the range of security-related space applications will increase in the future and there could be increased demand for the more secure and robust PNT service offered by PRS.

Half of European Member States have already established CPAs, and other third countries outside the EU have expressed interest in accessing the system.

Fully functional

Charles Villie is PRS Manager at the GSA in Prague. He described PRS as “an encrypted navigation service designed to be more resistant to jamming, involuntary interference and spoofing… offering continuity of service, including higher availability of the signal in space and providing an independent authenticated position, velocity and timing service.”

“Today all PRS functionalities are available,” he continued. “The whole infrastructure is functional and operational. Now authorised governments can test their procedures for real and users can check PRS functionalities themselves.”

He admitted that to boost user acceptance would require the demonstration of excellent performance with a robust and secure service that offers unlimited uninterrupted access, adding that test activities are planned in 2017.

Villie also gave an overview of the development of PRS receivers. Receiver concepts had been developed and validated via PRS pilot projects under the Horizon 2020 programme.

User viewpoints

The PRS session concluded with the views of three representatives of Member State CPAs. Lukas Schmid spoke for the German CPA and saw many applications for PRS with police and security services. He thought that server-based solutions for Galileo PRS providing authenticated positioning, tracking and timing information, and available as of today, would significantly simplify challenges such as the tracking of tagged terrorist suspects.

Schmid also described the Hali Berlin project that synchronised green traffic lights for emergency vehicles. Using PRS helped to secure the application and greatly reduced the time for emergency vehicles to get to incidents while also reducing the number of accidents involving emergency vehicles.

The German government sponsored a special prize for PRS applications as part of the European Satellite Navigation Competition. Schmid said that he looked forward to joint test activity with Belgium and other Member States and further miniaturisation and simplification of PRS receiver technology.

The head of the French CPA is Colonel (Armament Corps) Philippe Bertrand. The CPA established within SGDSN was part of an organisation that will ensure the interoperability of Galileo PRS with military GPS for the French Ministry of Defence (MoD). This reduces costs and risks by using people who are already familiar with GNSS technologies.

During 2016, Colonel Bertrand’s CPA unit had been deeply involved with the French MoD and the French Space Agency (CNES) in validation of PRS, including monitoring and security tests. “It is very clear that PRS’s navigation performance is really good,” he stated. Tests in operational environments are now being performed regularly with the GSMC.

“It is key that the programme gains full operational capability by 2020 and provides a very high level of security,” he concluded. “If these expectations are met then the PRS user communities will come.”

This was echoed by the final speaker Massimo Mercati, an advisor to the Italian CPA. He felt that the Member States would be key players in PRS and believed that full FOC would be achieved in 2020.

During a final Q&A in the session, the relative accuracy of PRS was discussed. Colonel Bertrand reiterated his results on PRS navigation performance in a set of different operational environments saying that: “the navigation performance was very good and very interesting.” He believed that navigation performance would be a key and important feature of PRS.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

The GSA-funded POSITION project has helped put Poland on the European GNSS map. After helping numerous start-ups take their GNSS-based products and services from idea to reality, they are now shifting their focus to marketization. 

With a significant concentration of high-tech professionals and a large, untapped industrial sector, Poland has positioned itself as an attractive market for European GNSS (E-GNSS). To ensure the industry takes advantage of the many opportunities that Poland offers, the GSA-supported POSITION project has worked to increase E-GNSS market penetration and general awareness within the country. Specifically, the project focuses its efforts on start-ups and early stage investment opportunities for Polish companies looking to utilise E-GNSS technology.

“When the project launched, the penetration of E-GNSS in Poland was very low, and most investors and companies were generally unaware of the potential presented by E-GNSS applications,” says POSITION Project Coordinator Dr Krzysztof Kanawka. “Furthermore, start-ups and SMEs were unable to access capital within Poland, which limited their expansion and their ability to implement new technology – including E-GNSS.”

Poland has started up

Thanks to the numerous networking opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors organised by the project over the last several years, this is now all starting to change. The transition can be seen in the number of successful start-ups that have come out of the project. For example, Aerobits, the winner of the 2016 Galileo Masters Poland Prize, developed an integrated technology that facilitates safe and shared airspace use by both manned aircraft and drones. Its ability to both receive and decode functions for Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) and GNSS signals makes it possible to identify all manned aircraft within the direct vicinity of a given UAV.

ChipCraft, another POSITION-supported start-up, is a single-chip dual frequency solution for precise positioning. The company says that their inspiration came from seeing many applications requiring precision better than one metre and reliable positioning, but the cost and size of getting the levels required kept them out of the market. To fill this gap, ChipCraft provides a high-quality, dedicated, integrated system on a chip (SoC) for precise positioning. It sees applications in telemedicine and wearable electronics as its core market. 

In the maritime sector, Navdec developed an autonomous ship as a means of avoiding at-sea collisions. As over 80% of at-sea collisions are the result of human error, the Navdec system takes the human factor out of the maritime navigation equation. Its navigation decision support system uses GNSS positioning, in combination with other technologies, to qualify encounter situations in accordance to collision regulations and provides the navigator with ready-to-use avoidance solutions.

Building on experience

These start-ups, along with other POSITION supported companies, are all at a critical stage in their development. They each have a marketable GNSS-enabled device or service in hand, now all they need is an additional round of funding in order to get these devices and services to market.

“We have used the experiences gained during the POSITION project as the foundation from which to launch a range of new activities in Poland, including the Space2ac acceleration programme,” says Kanawka. The accelerator was launched in the summer of 2016 with six teams from Europe, each active in various satellite data domains (incl. GNSS) and all working towards market entry and customer acquisition. In 2017 and 2018, Space3ac plans to turn its attention to linking large industry players with small technological entities, particularly in the field of intermodal transport.

Funded under the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation, the POSITION project is a collaboration between Polish venture capital fund Black Pearls Investments (BPI) and Munich-based consultancy SpaceTech Partners.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

Vážená verejnosť, nielen odborná ale aj laická, je našou povinnosťou aj na tomto mieste informovať o závažnej skutočnosti, ktorú sme sa dozvedeli na základe emailového oznámenia verejného obstarávateľa (Odbor verejného obstarávania, Ministerstvo vnútra Slovenskej republiky) dňa 23.3.2017.
Citujem: "Verejný obstarávateľ Vám v...

With both the European Union’s (EU) global flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, now delivering services to users around the world, for the first time the EU - represented by the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) - will have a strong presence at the 33rd Space Symposium event, held 2-6 April in Colorado Springs, USA.

The first week of April sees the opening of the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A. This much-anticipated annual event will bring together more than 10,000 space leaders from around the world to discuss, address and plan for the future of space.
The Space Symposium over the years has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum, but this year attendees will see a stronger international presence with the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) featured prominently throughout the four-day program (3-6 April).

According to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the larger EU profile at the event this year reflects the December 2016 Declaration of Galileo Initial Services.

EU Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska and GSA Executive Director Carlos des Dorides are among the EU officials presenting the EU’s flagship space programmes at the upcoming 33rd annual Space Symposium.

“While Copernicus has been in operation since 2014, the 2016 Galileo declaration means that it has moved from a system in testing to one that is now operational,” explains des Dorides. “This transition puts Galileo at the centre of discussions on how to leverage and incorporate Galileo signals and services in devices serving a wide range of applications.”

Along with Mr. des Dorides, the European Union Space Programmes will be represented at this year’s Space Symposium by EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commission Deputy Director General, Pierre Delsaux, and European Commission Director for Galileo, Matthias Petschke.

The European Union will also host a stand at the Symposium exhibition for attendees to meet EU officials and learn more about the services offered by the EU Flagship Space Programmes, Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus. Space Symposium attendees are also invited to a meet and greet reception at the EU exhibit stand on Tuesday evening (4 April) from 6-8 p.m.

GSA also partners in Space Generation Fusion Forum 2017

For the first time, the GSA will partner in the Space Generation Fusion Forum, providing insights on the ‘Space to Earth’ track. 2017 marks the sixth edition of the event. Held in conjunction with the Space Symposium, the two-day Fusion Forum (2-3 April) will gather young adults from various areas of space – government, industry, and academia.

As part of GSA participation, it has awarded a Space Generation Fusion Forum scholarship. The ‘Young GSA – New Navigation Horizons Scholarship’ invited European students and young professionals to share their views in a 30-second video and 400-word essay on the possibilities that Galileo in a multi-GNSS world can bring to society, business and European integration.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With both the European Union’s (EU) global flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, now delivering services to users around the world, for the first time the EU - represented by the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) - will have a strong presence at the 33rd Space Symposium event, held 2-6 April in Colorado Springs, USA.

The first week of April sees the opening of the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A. This much-anticipated annual event will bring together more than 10,000 space leaders from around the world to discuss, address and plan for the future of space.
The Space Symposium over the years has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum, but this year attendees will see a stronger international presence with the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) featured prominently throughout the four-day program (3-6 April).

According to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the larger EU profile at the event this year reflects the December 2016 Declaration of Galileo Initial Services.

EU Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska and GSA Executive Director Carlos des Dorides are among the EU officials presenting the EU’s flagship space programmes at the upcoming 33rd annual Space Symposium.

“While Copernicus has been in operation since 2014, the 2016 Galileo declaration means that it has moved from a system in testing to one that is now operational,” explains des Dorides. “This transition puts Galileo at the centre of discussions on how to leverage and incorporate Galileo signals and services in devices serving a wide range of applications.”

Along with Mr. des Dorides, the European Union Space Programmes will be represented at this year’s Space Symposium by EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commission Deputy Director General, Pierre Delsaux, and European Commission Director for Galileo, Matthias Petschke.

The European Union will also host a stand at the Symposium exhibition for attendees to meet EU officials and learn more about the services offered by the EU Flagship Space Programmes, Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus. Space Symposium attendees are also invited to a meet and greet reception at the EU exhibit stand on Tuesday evening (4 April) from 6-8 p.m.

GSA also partners in Space Generation Fusion Forum 2017

For the first time, the GSA will partner in the Space Generation Fusion Forum, providing insights on the ‘Space to Earth’ track. 2017 marks the sixth edition of the event. Held in conjunction with the Space Symposium, the two-day Fusion Forum (2-3 April) will gather young adults from various areas of space – government, industry, and academia.

As part of GSA participation, it has awarded a Space Generation Fusion Forum scholarship. The ‘Young GSA – New Navigation Horizons Scholarship’ invited European students and young professionals to share their views in a 30-second video and 400-word essay on the possibilities that Galileo in a multi-GNSS world can bring to society, business and European integration.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).

With both the European Union’s (EU) global flagship space programmes, Galileo and Copernicus, now delivering services to users around the world, for the first time the EU - represented by the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) - will have a strong presence at the 33rd Space Symposium event, held 2-6 April in Colorado Springs, USA.

The first week of April sees the opening of the 33rd Space Symposium in Colorado Springs, Colorado, U.S.A. This much-anticipated annual event will bring together more than 10,000 space leaders from around the world to discuss, address and plan for the future of space.
The Space Symposium over the years has become widely known as the premier U.S. space policy and program forum, but this year attendees will see a stronger international presence with the European Commission and the European GNSS Agency (GSA) featured prominently throughout the four-day program (3-6 April).

According to GSA Executive Director Carlo des Dorides, the larger EU profile at the event this year reflects the December 2016 Declaration of Galileo Initial Services.

EU Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska and GSA Executive Director Carlos des Dorides are among the EU officials presenting the EU’s flagship space programmes at the upcoming 33rd annual Space Symposium.

“While Copernicus has been in operation since 2014, the 2016 Galileo declaration means that it has moved from a system in testing to one that is now operational,” explains des Dorides. “This transition puts Galileo at the centre of discussions on how to leverage and incorporate Galileo signals and services in devices serving a wide range of applications.”

Along with Mr. des Dorides, the European Union Space Programmes will be represented at this year’s Space Symposium by EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commission Deputy Director General, Pierre Delsaux, and European Commission Director for Galileo, Matthias Petschke.

The European Union will also host a stand at the Symposium exhibition for attendees to meet EU officials and learn more about the services offered by the EU Flagship Space Programmes, Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus. Space Symposium attendees are also invited to a meet and greet reception at the EU exhibit stand on Tuesday evening (4 April) from 6-8 p.m.

GSA also partners in Space Generation Fusion Forum 2017

For the first time, the GSA will partner in the Space Generation Fusion Forum, providing insights on the ‘Space to Earth’ track. 2017 marks the sixth edition of the event. Held in conjunction with the Space Symposium, the two-day Fusion Forum (2-3 April) will gather young adults from various areas of space – government, industry, and academia.

As part of GSA participation, it has awarded a Space Generation Fusion Forum scholarship. The ‘Young GSA – New Navigation Horizons Scholarship’ invited European students and young professionals to share their views in a 30-second video and 400-word essay on the possibilities that Galileo in a multi-GNSS world can bring to society, business and European integration.

Media note: This feature can be republished without charge provided the European GNSS Agency (GSA) 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 GSA website (http://www.gsa.europa.eu).