Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC)’s Post

++ European Space Agency - ESA and African Space Agency Hold Historic Meeting to Strengthen Space Cooperation ++ A historic moment is taking place in Paris: the first meeting between the ESA and the African Space Agency Council. As Dr. Tidiane Ouattara, President of the Council, highlighted, this meeting marks a decisive step in strengthening the space partnership between Africa and Europe. This initiative, made possible by the support of the technical assistance team to the GMES and Africa program, as well as the commitment of MEDEF International (MEDEFi), the international branch of MEDEF, reflects their desire to promote sustainable cooperation by bringing together the dynamic forces of the African and European private sectors to build a common space future. #techafricanews #africa #space #agency #strengthening #partnership #private #sectors #sustainable #cooperation

[𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗮 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟭. 𝗝𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱] 🛰 Slovenia signed an agreement on the basis of which Slovenia will become a full member of European Space Agency - ESA on 1. January 2025. This is an important milestone for Slovenian space industry as well as an achievement for the Ministrstvo za gospodarstvo, turizem in šport / Ministry of the Economy, Tourism and Sport. 🎯 Full membership of the Republic of Slovenia will: 1) Open the door for the 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 in which the Slovenian space sector has not been able to participate so far. These are two programs that represent the core of the ESA: the fundamental technological research program and the scientific program. 2) Enable Slovenian companies to upgrade 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗘𝗦𝗔 𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 and acquire 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀. 3) Enable equal 𝗰𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮 with other ESA members in adopting 𝗸𝗲𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. 4) Increase the 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗮 as an important player in international space. ℹ More information (in Slovene) 👇 https://lnkd.in/dNEC6wQi

🌿 ESA’s representative to The World Bank, Fabio Cian, represented European Space Agency - ESA at the 2nd EU-Caribbean Global Gateway Conference on Sargassum in Grenada, as part of a World Bank-IFC delegation. 🌊 This critical gathering brought together 300+ key stakeholders to address the growing sargassum crisis and explore innovative opportunities for the Blue Economy. 🌎 Prime Minister Mitchell of Grenada presented a comprehensive vision for sargassum management, including a Regional Secretariat and Value Chain Hub. 🌱 By fostering collaboration and leveraging Earth Observation (EO) technology, ESA is helping turn environmental challenges into sustainable opportunities for the Caribbean. #AcceleratingImpact Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eQ_RwMws The World Bank, European Space Agency - ESA Christoph Aubrecht, Yves Barthélemy, Alex Chunet, Fabio Cian, Anika Ruess

🤝 ESA has agreed with the EU to strengthen Europe's competitiveness through space at the conclusion of the #SpaceCouncil held in Brussels. The statement highlights the contributions that space makes to European competitiveness and societal challenges. It outlines measures to boost the competitiveness of the European space industry, while stating that space is a backbone for European action on the world stage. 🌐 🔎 Read the details here: https://lnkd.in/eXhq3yE7

The #collaboration between ASI and EgSA will facilitate #investments in the #space sector by the #industries involved in this sector, which together with the space agencies, could develop projects and #initiatives of common interest at a Mediterranean level, in #Africa and internationally.

🛰️ The European Commission’s Action Plan, sets forth a roadmap for the European-African space partnership driving inclusive green development in Africa using space technology, #Earth Observation (EO) data and #SatelliteNavigation (#SatNav) data. 🌍 The first of the three pillars of the joint Africa-EU initiative focuses on strengthening African institutional and innovation space cooperation. It seeks to cultivate an ongoing dialogue between European and African stakeholders and support space-related projects as well as better informed decision-making processes with satellite data. This includes bolstering the African Space Agency, deploying #EGNOS and #Galileo services in Africa, and forging new partnerships. Actions would enhance governance, foster transparency to underscore the positive impact of space initiatives and promote gender-inclusive outreach within EO and SatNav. 🤝 In alignment with the efforts of The Commission Action Plan, the first session of the AU-EU Space Dialogue took place in Senegal in October 2023 as EU-Africa cooperation in space continues to grow. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dkzEN_dE Our consulting drives impactful change for government agencies and space programs worldwide: https://lnkd.in/dT6-_shj Stay tuned for more on this cross-continental space cooperation initiative!

ESA’s fleet of dedicated #exoplanet #missions is ever growing. In 2019, #Cheops, the CHaracterising ExOPlanet Satellite was launched. The telescope is on a quest to characterise known exoplanets, refining their radii, masses, bulk compositions, and even atmospheres. Upcoming missions #Plato (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) and #Ariel (Atmospheric Remote-Sensing Infrared Exoplanet Large-survey) are set to join the fleet in 2026 and 2029 respectively. These two missions will aid to the characterisation of known and the discovery of new exoplanets. #Plato will focus on observing Earth-like planets in long orbits around their Sun-like stars. #Ariel is set to study the atmospheres of a huge variety of exoplanets.

[CASC Highlights Collaborative Efforts in Advancing Space-related Activities in Africa] According to the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), China’s aerospace industry has significantly fostered expertise exchanges, data sharing, and technology cooperation with the international community over the past year. These endeavours have advanced the joint high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative and the community-building goal. CASC highlighted various milestones regarding China’s multilateral and bilateral space cooperation, including releasing the Rules for Management of International Cooperation in Lunar Samples and Scientific Data to the international community in August 2023. In addition, the country disclosed its intention to accept international applications for research samples from the Chang’e-5 lunar mission and unveiled opportunities for international collaboration on the Chang’e-8 mission. These initiatives aim to facilitate collaborative research, applications, and global distribution of scientific advancements. The International Civil Aviation Organisation recognised China’s BDS as a secure, comprehensive, and reliable satellite navigation system, incorporating it into its standards to provide safe and effective services for global civil aviation. In addition, the BDS has become one of four global satellite navigation systems recognised by the UN, along with the United States GPS, Russia’s GLONASS and the European Union’s Galileo. It currently serves users in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. The EgyptSat-A, jointly designed and developed by China and Egypt, was successfully launched in 2019. It marked the first international cooperative satellite project under the comprehensive assistance mode. It will improve Egypt’s industrial system, from satellite development and ground facility construction and operation to satellite data processing, sharing, and application. CASC aims to support African nations in areas such as the digital economy, poverty alleviation, disaster prevention and mitigation, natural resource monitoring, water resource utilisation, and ecological environment protection to ensure overall inclusive growth on the continent. Source: https://lnkd.in/edvdRpQX #galaxyaerosgh #space #spaceexploration #spacenews

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Rei Hirayama Japanese space companies are tapping into the immense potential of the African space industry, showcased at the recent US-Africa Commercial Space Stakeholders Meeting in Azerbaijan. The dialogue emphasized the value of transparent processes and ongoing communication for successful global partnerships, bolstering emerging markets in the space sector. Collaboration between Japanese and African space industries can drive progress in agriculture, disaster management, and telecommunications, addressing crucial challenges through space technology. This aligns with the overarching goal of international cooperation, empowering African nations to strengthen their capabilities and achieve self-sufficiency in space technology. The exponential increase in satellite launches across Africa, from five countries with satellites in orbit in 2017 to over 20 countries with 125 satellites by 2023, underscores the region's substantial interest and investment in space technology. With the global space industry's value exceeding $4 trillion, expanding economic influence in new markets necessitates mutual reciprocity, transparency, and trust-building. The African space industry, valued at $19.49 billion in 2021, is forecasted to grow by 16.16% to $22.64 billion by 2026. For Japanese space companies, Africa represents a promising frontier for collaboration, contributing to the continent's technological and economic advancement. As the significance of space technology continues to rise worldwide, strategic engagement with diverse stakeholders is essential for driving innovation and fostering sustainable partnerships. #SpaceIndustry #JapaneseCompanies #AfricanSpace #InternationalCooperation #TechDiplomacy #SpaceTech #EconomicDevelopment #GlobalPartnerships #Innovation #SatelliteGrowth #IHISpace #AfSA

What's the future of Earth Observation in Europe? Let's discuss...