Europe's New System Global Monitoring for Environment and Security - Benefits for Society and Industry at the Same Time

Paper number

IAC-07-E3.3.01

Author

Mr. Mathias Spude, EADS Astrium, Germany

Year

2007

Abstract

Since 2003 Europe launched its new system GMES through two complementary activities. On the one hand, the European Union EU decided on a data and information distribution system based on user requirements. The objective is to make available geo-information using space borne data in a tailor made way to the decision makers and end users in Europe. This layer of GMES is purely on political, government level, reflecting the classical quality of space activities enabling and being used for the benefit of government and public tasks. On the other hand, the European Space Agency ESA decided on the development of a new space segment covering three "Sentinel" Earth Observation satellites and the corresponding ground system.

The European Space Industry is involved in two ways: First, the European Space industry is developing, testing and putting into operation the space segment containing the satellites and the ground segment. These activities represent the rather classical role of Space industry. Second, the European Space industry is involved in the generation of user driven geo-information and has created subsidiary companies this purpose. This layer of GMES bears the industrial and economic dimension of GMES, enabling industry to make profit and create economic welfare.

The paper looks at the compatibility of the implementation of governmental tasks by developing and exploiting GMES at State level, and of the attraction for space industry to participate in GMES by developing the space and ground hardware and by creating information services. The paper screens the institutional set up of the government level and presents the potential GMES benefits for the European citizens. Similar, the industrial set up is analyzed and the industrial benefit is shown. It also assesses the compatibility of both levels of benefit and concludes by demonstrating the attraction of the GMES scenario.

Abstract document

IAC-07-E3.3.01.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-E3.3.01.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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