|
|
| |
| Overview |
 |
 |
 Within the broad field of communications, satellites are successfully used for broadcast,
mobile, and broadband communication. They play an important role for the competitiveness
of the European Union (EU) in the field of communication technologies and support
the autonomy of Europe in space matters.
Europe has always retained a major presence in both manufacturing satellites as
well as launching and operating satellites and providing satellite services. Satellite
communications has been an area in the satellite field that has been commercially
successful so far, and this has been helped and pump primed by the research and
development (R&D) programmes of the European
Space Agency (ESA)
and by the EU’s framework programmes. European research carried out a large
number of successful activities in satellite communications (ESA and EU projects,
European
Co-operation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research (COST)
actions, the Advanced
Satellite Mobile Systems Task Force (ASMS-TF),
etc.). Their efforts have made it possible to create a solid industrial base and
to give Europe recognised capabilities and capacities. However, these actions
show only limited collaboration and lack of critical mass. Compared to the leading
power in space, the United States, where the use of space systems is not only
a technological instrument, but a strategic, political and economic instrument
guaranteeing the American leadership, Europe in the past has shown only limited
interest in developing a common European approach to put its resources together
and cooperate intensively even without the support from ESA.
The primary goal of SatNEx, the Satellite Communications Network of Excellence,
is to achieve long-lasting integration of the European research in satellite
communications and to develop a common base of knowledge. "Networks
of Excellence"
have been introduced as a new instrument within the 6th
IST framework program,
and SatNEx is one of the first consortia to implement the new ideas and to overcome
the fragmentation of European research. Through co-operation of outstanding universities
and research organizations with excellent expertise in satellite communications,
SatNEx will build a European virtual centre of excellence in satellite communications
and contribute to the realization of the European Research Area (ERA). SatNEx
includes an Advisory Board incorporating representatives of European space
industry, satellite service providers, and standardization and regulation organizations.
SatNEx will collaborate with these players and put together a critical mass of
resources and expertise needed for making Europe a world force in the field of
satellite communications.
The network is considered to be the central and instrumental strategic incubator
for the development of new concepts and ideas that, once transferred to the industry,
will enable to compete and possibly to take the lead in this business of fundamental
importance.
Universities and research institutes can play a crucial role in supporting European
industry, using SatNEx as a structure facilitating the identification of needs,
generation of new ideas and concepts, coordination of activities, and development
of new knowledge in the strategic field of satellite communications. Another objective
of the network is to disseminate the expertise generated to researchers and students.
It is intended to make this expertise available to staff and students of all institutions
and using specialists’ facilities of these institutions as well as giving
research students the possibility to spend periods of time in any organisation
of the network. Especially young researchers at the beginning of their career
(i.e. doctoral students) will benefit a lot from direct contact with other researchers
and the resulting knowledge exchange. Besides training and lecture material will
be made available to all researchers and students in the network. Via training
courses and skills development, SatNEx will achieve knowledge transfer to both
the research community and the satellite industry and business.
 SatNEx Project Summary (also available from the CORDIS server)
|
| |
|
EUROPEAN SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE (SatNEx)
Coordination: DLR Oberpfaffenhofen []
© ,
Rosenheim 2004 |
| |
|
|
|
|
