The EU space programme

The Regulation establishing the Space programme of the Union, which entered into force on 1 January 2021, lays down the objectives of the Programme, the budget for the period 2021 – 2027, the forms of Union funding and the rules for providing such funding, as well as the rules for the implementation of the Programme. This Regulation also establishes the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) that replaces and succeeds the European GNSS Agency established by Regulation (GSA).

The EU Space Programme consists of the following components: Copernicus, a civil Earth observation system offering free and open geo-information data and services to citizens; Galileo, a civil global navigation satellite system (GNSS), succesor to the EGNOS programme; Space Situational Awareness (SSA), a space surveillance and tracking system and Govsatcom, a satellite communications service under civil and governmental control.

The financial envelope for the implementation of the Programme for the period 2021 – 2027, including for the associated risks is EUR 13,2 billion. The distribution of the amount shall be broken down in the following categories of expenditure: EUR 8 billion for Galieo and EGNOS, EUR 4,81 billion for Copernicus and EUR 392 million for SSA and Govsatcom.

Copernicus

Copernicus is Europe's ambitious Earth observation programme which monitors our Earth for the benefit of all European citizens. The programme provides information services based on Earth observation data from satellites and data from Earth.

Galileo

This autonomous Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is under civil control and is based on a constellation of satellites and a network of ground stations. It offers positioning, navigation and timing services, as well as integrates the needs and requirements of security.

Space Situational Awareness (SSA)

SSA is a programme that covers the monitoring, understanding and possibly predicting of those aspects of the space environment that pose a potential threat to space and ground assets, and to humans.

GovSatcom

The purpose of this initiative is the provision of satellite communication capacities and services to the EU and its Member State authorities managing security critical missions and infrastructures.