FP6 research activities

The primary objective of the space work programme under the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) has been to support the European strategy for space with appropriate application-oriented research activities in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).

These research activities have fostered the exploitation of the technical capabilities of the space community with the objective of seizing market opportunities and meeting the demands of our society. Because of the capacity of space-based infrastructures to offer simultaneous services to the whole European region, the expansion of the EU was able to draw direct benefits from the envisaged applications and capabilities.

An optimal combination of space-based systems and terrestrial infrastructure, as well as the integration of future space-based information and communication systems and services, created further application perspectives. Against this background, the following areas were supported by the thematic priority: satellite navigation, positioning and timing systems for the Galileo programme, Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and satellite telecommunications.

Emphasis was put on activities complementing those of the space agencies relating to the integration of terrestrial and space systems and services in view of validation of end-to-end services. The selected research areas (Galileo, GMES and satellite telecommunications) supported this general objective and have specific objectives in view of their respective application fields:

• Galileo as strategic European infrastructure to radically change the transport sector and foster related services
• GMES to establish operational capabilities providing information to the user community
• satellite telecommunications to provide affordable and economically viable services to the largest possible customer base.

Within the three areas, GMES has been qualified as the central pillar of the space work programme. Navigation and satellite telecommunication are important areas also providing enabling technologies in support of the GMES priority themes. All areas of the space-related section of the work programme were closely co-ordinated with the ESA.