EU Space Policy

Latest news from the EU about European Space Policy

GMES/Copernicus - European Earth Observation Programme — 11 December 2012, 23:42 CET

Copernicus is the new name of the European Commission’s Earth Observation Programme, previously known as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security). The new name was announced today by Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani during the Competitiveness Council. In a world facing an increased risk of natural and other disasters Copernicus aims to monitor the state of the environment on land, at sea and in the atmosphere and also to improve citizens' security. At the same time, Copernicus is a driver for economic growth and employment, with the potential to create up to 85 000 new jobs over the period 2015-2030, according to a recent study.

Europe Space Agency sets EUR 10 bn space budget — 21 November 2012, 16:25 CET

Members of the European Space Agency (ESA) on Wednesday approved a multi-year budget of 10 billion euros, ESA director general Jean-Jacques Dordain said, hailing this as a "big success."

Space debris threatens ISS: report — 26 September 2012, 21:13 CET

The International Space Station is in danger of being hit by two pieces of debris from an old Russian satellite that had previously hit a US craft in 2009, a news report said on Wednesday.

Russian rocket sends European weather satellite into orbit — 17 September 2012, 22:50 CET

The European meteorological satellite Metop-B was put into orbit Monday by a Russian Soyuz rocket launched from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, the space agency Roskosmos said.

Poland joins European Space Agency — 13 September 2012, 15:47 CET

Poland on Thursday becomes the 20th member of the European Space Agency, the country's economy ministry announced.

Barroso hails Neil Armstrong as 'inspiration for all' — 26 August 2012, 20:45 CET

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso hailed Neil Armstrong on Sunday as "a source of inspiration for all mankind" a day after the world's first man on the moon died aged 82.

European Union launches latest space regulation efforts — 06 June 2012, 22:37 CET

Europe's rule-making bureaucracy is moving forward with plans to introduce some earthly order to the unruly heavens, unveiling its latest efforts to regulate outer space.

Czech Republic approves EU Galileo agency move to Prague — 03 May 2012, 17:25 CET

Czech Republic politicians have approved the transfer to Prague of the EU agency in charge of Europe's Galileo geopositioning system, lawmakers said Thursday.

EU leaders urge N. Korea to scrap rocket launch plan — 28 March 2012, 05:42 CET

European Union leaders Wednesday voiced "grave concern" at North Korea's missile and nuclear weapons programmes and called on it to scrap a long-range rocket launch scheduled for next month.

EU 'deeply concerned' over N. Korea rocket launch — 17 March 2012, 20:07 CET

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton joined international condemnation of North Korean plans to launch a satellite next month, using a long-range rocket.

EU signs orders for new Galileo space satellites — 03 February 2012, 10:55 CET

The EU on Thursday signed contracts with German and French engineering firms to build and launch another eight satellites for its Europe's Galileo geopositioning system.

European Commission communication: Towards a space strategy for the European Union that benefits its citizens — 12 April 2011, 23:18 CET

Space policy is an instrument serving the EU's internal and external policies and responds to three types of needs: social, economic, and strategic. The space sector directly contributes to achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, namely smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Space policy thus forms an integral part of the "Industrial Policy" flagship initiative and the Strategy calls on the Commission to strive "to develop an effective space policy to provide the tools to address some of the key global challenges and in particular to deliver Galileo and GMES".

Galileo midterm review - guide — 21 January 2011, 00:13 CET

The European Commission presented its midterm review on the development of Europe’s satellite navigation programmes Galileo and EGNOS. Recent progress in the development of Galileo, including the signature of four major contracts and the testing of the first four operational satellites, means that the satellite navigation system will deliver initial services in 2014.

EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service — 01 October 2009, 16:51 CET

The European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS) is a satellite-based augmentation system that improves the accuracy of satellite navigation signals over Europe. The accuracy of current GPS signals is improved from about ten metres to two metres. EGNOS is Europe’s first venture into satellite navigation.