ESA outlines upcoming projects at FIA2024
Above: ESA’s UK facility ECSAT.
Courtesy ESA
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher will be in the UK at FIA on 22nd and 23rd July 2024, to discuss the ambitions and challenges of Europe in space as well as plans for ESA’s UK facility ECSAT, which plays a pivotal role leveraging space to improve life on Earth.
Rosemary Coogan, ESA's new UK astronaut and John McFall, UK astronaut reserve and part of ESA’s feasibility study 'Fly!' to improve and overcome the barriers spaceflight presents for astronauts with a physical disability, will also be present.
Other ESA Directors participating at FIA include Prof. Carole Mundell, Director of Science, Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth Observation Programmes and Laurent Jaffart, Head of ESA/ECSAT in Harwell and Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications.
ESA/ECSAT in the UK is home to ESA’s Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications which uses space to securely connect everybody, everything everywhere at any time. This includes ESA’s Moonlight programme to develop an infrastructure – including a dedicated constellation of lunar satellites – to deliver communications and navigation services for future lunar missions. Located in Oxfordshire, ECSAT also hosts ESA’s flagship 5G/6G Hub, a research and demonstration facility that spurs industry collaboration to advance the 5G digital transformation and prepare for the development of 6G.
ESA’s Directorate for Earth Observation, which includes a Climate Office team in Harwell, will inform about the recent, first results of the most complex Earth Explorer mission ever launched, EarthCARE. EarthCARE comprises strong UK contributions from industry, science and user communities. To be noted is also the upcoming launch of the new Arctic Weather Satellite and of Phisat-2. Phisat-2 aims to demonstrate how AI technologies can advance observing Earth from space (industry prime Open Cosmos UK).
With the recent success of Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket Ariane 6, ESA has restored independent access to space for Europe. Ariane 6 made its inaugural flight from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana on 9th July. Join us at FIA as we celebrate this historic milestone for Europe.
