19/01/2023 (Agence Europe) – The EU Space Programme Agency (EUSPA) and the ‘Centre National d’Études Spatiales’ (CNES) signed a framework contract on Thursday 19 January confirming EUSPA’s intention to re-assign to CNES the responsibility for providing SAR-Galileo services (search and rescue), maintaining assets in operational condition, coordinating with host sites and interfacing with the Cospas-Sarsat community. The contract, with a budget of almost €137 million for 10 years, provides for the implementation of specific contracts linked to the development of SAR-Galileo, the first of which is set at just over €48 million for 5 years. Since 2016, CNES has been in charge of the operation of the SAR-Galileo services for the European Union and has been identified as the future operator of the Emergency Alert Service, which should start operating in 2024. (CG)