Reports

From November 2020 to July 2021, Eurisy and DotSPACE hosted a series bringing together research, government and industry experts to talk about their innovative solutions related to climate. Throughout the Space Opportunities for Climate Challenges series, various examples have been showcased proving that satellite solutions can contribute to the green transition. For example, satellite remote sensing can rapidly reveal where to reverse the loss of biological diversity. Variables such as vegetation productivity or leaf cover can be measured across continents from space and can help forest managers to implement more sustainable ways of working. Furthermore, space is relevant for the management of maritime-related matters, as it is for smart mobility and urban planning. When it comes to energy, space can play a pivotal role in the decarbonisation of our economy. The daily space data stream also provides insights about air and water quality, as well as irrigation systems, and even tourism.

This publication calls on potential users and decision-makers to look at these satellite services in order to implement their climate adaptation policies more easily.

Eurisy aims at seizing the interest of the space community towards arts to launch a project specifically dedicated to “Space for Arts”. Today, the availability of new technologies and digital tools allows for unexpected synergies among artists and space experts. Indeed, the space sector is including arts among its areas of interest, as shown by the organisation of a session dedicated to Contemporary Arts Practice and Outer Space within the International Astronautical Congress. This interest is motivated by the multiplication of photographic, video and graphic experiences (also including VR and 3D), inspired or powered by space. Satellite imagery in particular, has been not only used to show the artistic beauty of the planet, but also to capture large artworks from the sky.

This paper provides a short introduction on how aerial photography and satellite imagery have changed our way of looking at the Earth, inspiring art movements and allowing for the discovery and appreciation of ancient and more recent artworks.

Recently, Eurisy launched the initiative Space4Maritime. The objective is to identify and understand the needs of European maritime end-user communities, facilitating the dialogue with the space industry and the uptake of satellite services. In this frame, Eurisy started a series of interviews with end-users identified in the blue world. The result of these interviews is the core of the paper. The overall objective is to identify the existing operational solutions applicable in the maritime domain through practical examples, as well as the bottlenecks that harness the potential of satellite applications for the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy.

The paper will mainly address service providers and public authorities, providing them with a set of recommendations on how to foster cooperation with maritime operators. But it also targets potential new end-users interested in adopting satellite solutions in their workflow. The case studies will be complemented further by additional information collected through desk research and the organization of thematic webinars.

The improvement of STEAM education in secondary schools is the core objective of the Erasmus+ funded project “GIS4Schools”, which aims at promoting a new innovative approach to foster the teaching of STEAM subjects in secondary schools across four different European countries: Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Spain. The project intends to introduce the education of GIS and satellite technologies for Earth Observation- rarely adopted in secondary schools- and applying them to the thematic area of Climate Change.

The paper will illustrate the genesis of the project, and more specifically, the process leading to the development of training packages for secondary schools’ teachers and pupils. Furthermore, the paper will explore which methodology and pedagogic approach must be adopted to transfer new knowledge from teachers to pupils. The paper will also describe how the teaching of GIS and satellite technologies for Earth observation in secondary school can impact pupils’ perception of STEAM subjects and how this can impact their future academic careers. Specific attention will also be dedicated to the description of the innovative tools developed and applied for monitoring and evaluation.

What’s the interest of realising an artwork that can only be appreciated in its entireness from the sky? Apparently, none. Nevertheless, giant artworks perceivable only from above have been realised since the most ancient times, while the history of architecture counts endless examples of sophisticated buildings, castles, gardens and the like, which plan or ichnography can be only seen clearly by watching at them downward from above.

This article wants to provide our readers with a short introduction on how aerial photography and satellite imagery have changed our way of looking at the Earth, inspiring art movements and allowing for the discovery and appreciation of ancient and more recent artworks, be them nature-made or man-made.

The COVID-19 pandemic heavily impacted different aspects of our life. Since the early outbreak technology is being brought to the forefront to limit infections, enabling effective recovery responses, providing reliable information to a diverse set of stakeholders, and observing the effects of the lockdown. This report aims at presenting five examples of satellite-based solutions tackling a wide range of challenges that enabled citizens and public authorities to make informed decisions during the global pandemic outbreak. To conclude this overview, a list of recommendations to favour the uptake of satellite-based solutions by public authorities has been defined.

The report contains the main messages from the Space for Cities Workshop “From innovation to operation: A talk about concrete uses of satellite data and services to support cities’ resilience and sustainability”. It covers the opportunities and challenges related to the uptake of operational satellite-based services in cities as presented by the different speakers during the workshop.

The 2020 UN/Austria Symposium “Space Applications for Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action” took place from 1-3 September 2020.

The event aimed to showcase concrete climate action cases through demonstrations of applications using space solutions. Users of space applications presented lessons learnt and experts discussed the role of space applications in climate-related policies. On the 2nd of September, Eurisy gave a presentation on the basis of this abstract.

Eurisy and the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) decided to join forces to organise a webinar on the legal consequences related to the use of tracing apps during the first phase of the de-confinement. Find out which existing space-based apps can help track the spread of COVID-19, and what the legal issues are with regard to privacy. The purpose of the webinar was to present the audience operational space-based apps that could help trace patients, as well as to reflect upon data protection and other challenges. Read the full report here.

On the occasion of the United Nations International Year of Plant Health 2020, Eurisy and Euphresco join forces to promote the operational use of Satellite Remote Sensing to detect, monitor and fight plant pests.

Despite the proven potential of satellite data to guide and instruct on ground surveillance activities and other phytosanitary measures of the National Plant Protection Organisations, practical use of Remote Sensing for Plant Health is still very limited in Europe. To favour the transfer of space technologies to the Plant Health community, Remote Sensing data must be made easily available to National Plant Protection Organisations and be adapted to their needs. For this to happen, new sensors, platforms, and information flows are to be built.