Global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) are essential in our daily lives, and their use is rapidly increasing together with a growing need for more resilient and ubiquitous services. Today, Europe is at the forefront of satellite navigation thanks to EU programmes EGNOS and Galileo, with ESA leading their design and development.

To ensure continued leadership, the agency would like to draw on the competence and experience available in Europe, engaging all players in the field to shape the future of navigation.

ESA is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input on future navigation demonstrator missions and supporting R&D activities, with the goal to accelerate innovation and define and validate new system concepts. The purpose of the demonstrators is to de-risk new disruptive technologies that hold great promise before introducing them into operational programmes.

The RFI will not only help ESA Navigation to identify impactful activities that will drive the future of navigation, but also boost European industry competitiveness, stimulate the development of future user applications and motivate the standardisation of new technologies.