Kourou/Brussels, 26/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - Considerable quantities of data will be generated by Copernicus, the ambitious European terrestrial observation programme (which has again been expanded with another successful Sentinel 1-B launch). What to do with this data will undoubtedly constitute one of the biggest challenges to the future of European space strategy, expected out this October.
Sentinel 1-B's launch was initially planned for 22 April but was postponed three times (see EUROPE 11539). Together with Sentinel 1-A, it will provide a comprehensive mapping of the Earth every six days, with the assistance of a high sensitive radar system. Over time, massive quantities of upstream and free data (the CNES estimates 6 PB in data production by 2017) will be jointly generated with other Copernicus satellites, such as Sentinel-2 and 3 satellites, which will focus on land and ocean surveillance and Sentinel-4 and 5, focusing on atmospheric monitoring.
The challenge facing the programme involves ensuring that this large mass of upstream data can find economic outlets, explained Simonetta Cheli, head of public and institutional relations at the European Space Agency (ESA), to EUROPE. Another source at the institutions explained that the programme would be an economic fiasco if it did not help expand the vast range of commercial applications and uses "The member states believe that the return on investment can only come through fiscal revenues generated by new entrepreneurial activities created by spatial big data". The investment/return ratio is estimated to be around 10.
The use of space data is therefore included on the list of the "space strategy for Europe" roadmap adopted by the European Commission last December. In this connection, the Commission also launched a public consultation on 19 April (see EUROPE 11535). This initiative does not just involve Copernicus and a number of its services that will already be operational but also the European Galileo navigation system, which is expected to be fully up and running by 2020.
Space strategy: shift to redefinition of ESA/Union relations. In addition to the question of data use, the strategy is also expected to include the question of governance between the ESA and the European Union. The two undertakings are extremely different in both their objectives and the way they operate. The number of member states differs, as does the decision-making process and budgetary cycles. Currently, the Commission awards orders to the ESA, with an order book of exact charges detailed within it. The ESA is subsequently committed to developing and manufacturing the products requested in cooperation with other aerospace sector businesses, such as Thales Alenia Space. As in the example with Sentinel-1B, the ESA grants satellite ownership to the Commission, as from the moment when the Soyuz launcher leaves terra firma. Ms Cheli stated "We are very satisfied with our cooperation with the Commission in these two programmes".
In keeping with the terms of the new prerogatives allocated to the Union under the terms of the Lisbon Treaty (TFUE, Art. 189), the scope for applying the EU space strategy can now, however, be considered as further extended. The first question at the next informal meeting of European ministers responsible for space related questions will be posed on 30 May in The Hague and will focus on this theme. Another source indicated that "If we choose a global strategy, we will need to extend governance between the Commission and the ESA". Several different observers have pointed out that the current negotiations were going in this direction. The two parties would effectively like to reach an agreement on the question of a single European strategy.
One member of the European Space Agency said that the problem is because the Commission intends to present a strategy in October, despite the fact that the ESA strategic ministerial meeting will take place in December. Another European source pointed out that "What is important at the moment is to agree on the relationship between the EU and the ESA on the objectives and the question of governance will arise later". This same source subsequently pointed out that the question would arise during the 2014-2020 mid-term review period for the Galileo and Copernicus programme, which are in June and December 2017 respectively.
Whether the ESA can, in the long term, become a fully-fledged Union agency is still an open question. One source explained to EUROPE that the European GNSS Agency (GSA), which has been in charge of EGNOS and the future of Galileo since 2014, could form the essential structure for this agency. Whatever transpires, another source from the institutions pointed out that the question would at least, for the time being, remain blocked at a member state level, particularly by the United Kingdom. The latter set up its own new UK Space Agency in 2010 and would not look kindly on the emergence of another agency of this kind at a European level.
The future of European launchers and the emergence private sector players. The independence of access to space represents another key question for Europe. Nonetheless, the question of launchers was missing from the Commission roadmap. The latter was keen to point out that the EU is the sector's number one customer. "In the case of Ariane 6 and Vega C (the future launches will be operational in 2020 and 2019 respectively, Ed), we are hoping to get a firm commitment on the European launchers as part of the space strategy" explained Stéphane Israel, the CEO of Arianespace, during a press briefing on Saturday 23 April in Kourou. According to another source working in the space industry, there is a fear that the European launchers will see their share of the European market shrink, once new foreign players emerge, such as SpaceX, which will be able to take part in the Commission's call for tenders. It should be pointed out that the European launchers have so far been unable to penetrate the US market.
The Commission also referred to the treaties and the obligation of applying the competition principle in the calls for tender. The latter is subsequently expecting a substantial reduction in Arianespace costs. The French company therefore proposed halving operating costs by using the incremental method rather than seeing it completely abandoned. For the time being, it is unable to change its strategy given the strong support it has received, which has also been recently bolstered by its client base, in the development of the Ariane 6 launcher, which Mr Israel informed EUROPE, had been both simplified and modulated. (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)