Copernical Team
European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA)
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EUSPA is the only European Union agency dedicated to space. Our unique mission is to serve as the essential link between space technology and user needs, translating the European Union’s investment in space into valuable, reliable services for European citizens.
EUSPA is responsible for operational management of the EGNOS and Galileo satellite navigation programmes and for ensuring the continuous provision of their services. This involves the management, operation, maintenance, continuous improvement, evolution and protection of the systems’ infrastructure, including upgrades and obsolescence management. The Agency is also responsible for developing future generations of the systems, the evolution of their services, and for activities related to th extension of their coverage.
Our responsibilities also include overseeing the operation of such key service facilities as the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) in France and in Spain, the European GNSS Service Centre (GSC) in Spain, the Galileo Reference Centre (GRC) in the Netherlands, the Galileo Control Centres (GCC) in Italy and Germany and the Galileo Integrated Logistic Support Centre (GILSC) in Belgium.
An important element of our work at EUSPA is to support the development of downstream and integrated applications based on Galileo, EGNOS and Copernicus, including through the Fundamental Elements funding mechanism and Horizon Europe. We also support the development of fundamental technological elements, such as Galileo-enabled chipsets and receivers, and provide the European Commission with expertise, including in preparing research priorities related to the downstream space market.
Another key part of our work is communications, market development and promotion of Galileo and EGNOS, and of the data, information and services offered by Copernicus, to promote user uptake of these data and services with a view to maximising their socio-economic benefits.
A core task for EUSPA is security of the EU Space Programme. This includes security accreditation of all components of the space programme, through the Security Accreditation Board. EUSPA is also responsible for the operational security of Galileo and EGNOS, which is provided through the Galileo Security Monitoring Centre, and for the provision and delivery of the Galileo Public Regulated Service for governmental users.
EUSPA has been entrusted with coordination of user-related aspects of the European Union Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM), in close collaboration with Member States and other involved entities.
The EC may also entrust the Agency with tasks related to the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) programme, particularly regarding programme security and the delivery of Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) services. In addition, the EC may entrust EUSPA with tasks related to the Quantum Communication Initiative (QCI) and the broader Secure Connectivity Initiative.
At the heart of our work at EUSPA are our efforts to support an innovative and competitive EU space sector, to ensure that space continues to drive innovation-based growth in Europe, delivering services and applications that meet the challenges that we face and supporting the implementation of priority EU policies.
Glittering moon rises ahead of super blood moon
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A glittering full moon rose over New Zealand on Wednesday night as people there and around the world waited for a cosmic event known as a super blood moon.
It's when a full lunar eclipse coincides with a supermoon, which is when the moon is particularly close to Earth and appears brighter than normal.
For about 15 minutes, as the moon moves fully into Earth's shadow, the moon will appear to turn red.
Europa's interior may be hot enough to fuel seafloor volcanoes
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Jupiter's moon Europa has an icy crust covering a vast, global ocean. The rocky layer underneath may be hot enough to melt, leading to undersea volcanoes.
New research and computer modeling show that volcanic activity may have occurred on the seafloor of Jupiter's moon Europa in the recent past—and may still be happening. NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission, targeting a 2024 launch, will swoop close to the icy moon and collect measurements that may shed light on the recent findings.
Alpha Data Launches new Space Development Kit
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Alpha Data, in collaboration with Xilinx and Texas Instruments, has launched a new Space Development Kit, the ADA-SDEV-KIT3, which will help users to rapidly test the hardware and software setups that look to incorporate the Xilinx Radiation Tolerant Kintex UltraScale XQRKU060 Space-Grade FPGA.
Alpha Data's new Space Development Kit, the ADA-SDEV-KIT3, is a development kit for the Xilinx R Plasma jets reveal magnetic fields far, far away
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For the first time, researchers have observed plasma jets interacting with magnetic fields in a massive galaxy cluster 600 million light years away, thanks to the help of radio telescopes and supercomputer simulations. The findings, published in the journal Nature, can help clarify how such galaxy clusters evolve.
Galaxy clusters can contain up to thousands of galaxies bound together by gr Slew of dwarf galaxies had simultaneous 'baby boom' of new stars
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Three dozen dwarf galaxies far from each other had a simultaneous "baby boom" of new stars, an unexpected discovery that challenges current theories on how galaxies grow and may enhance our understanding of the universe.
Galaxies more than 1 million light-years apart should have completely independent lives in terms of when they give birth to new stars. But galaxies separated by up to 13 m Milky Way not unusual, astronomers find
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The first detailed cross-section of a galaxy broadly similar to the Milky Way reveals that our galaxy evolved gradually, instead of being the result of a violent mash-up. The finding throws the origin story of our home into doubt.
The galaxy, dubbed UGC 10738, turns out to have distinct 'thick' and 'thin' discs similar to those of the Milky Way. This suggests, contrary to previous theories NASA Interns help to solve the Terminator Problem via GLOBE Challenge
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Taking pictures of the clouds above is a popular pastime for photographers of all stripes. NASA Spring 2021 interns were invited to do it for science by participating in a data challenge to help solve the terminator problem.
What is the terminator problem? The solar terminator (or "twilight zone") is the line that separates the daylit side of a planet from the dark night side. From Earth's US Space Command chief in Seoul as two sides deepen space cooperation
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The U.S. Space Command chief met with the head of South Korea's military in Seoul after the two countries agreed to strengthen space cooperation at the White House Friday.
Gen. James Dickinson met with South Korean Defense Minister Suh Wook to discuss partnerships in space from a defense perspective, Yonhap reported Monday.
The two sides indicated "continued efforts" are needed to maintai Enabling human control of autonomous partners
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A major benefit of increasingly advanced automation and artificial intelligence technology is decreased workload and greater safety for humans - whether it's driving a vehicle, piloting an airplane, or patrolling a dangerous street in a deployed location with the aid of autonomous ground and airborne squad mates. But when there's a technology glitch and machines don't function as designed, human