Have your say on the evolution of the Copernicus Contributing Missions

Are you an SME planning to operate Earth Observation satellites or services? Have your say on ESA’s ‘Request for Information’ (RFI) on the evolution of the Copernicus Contributing Missions before the 26^th of October.

The aim of this open consultation is to interact, gather information and possibly identify innovative and agile solutions from the European space industry on how the Copernicus Contributing Missions can be reshaped to facilitate the on-boarding of SMEs.

The emergence of new entrepreneurs and commercial initiatives for new satellite constellations in the VHR Earth Observation data landscape will contribute both to reinforcing the competitiveness and increasing European autonomy with VHR data provision.

To this extent, the aim of the Copernicus Programme is to gradually increase the share of commercial European VHR data up to 80% by 2027 (for both on-demand and systematic CCM data supply), which adequately responds to the requirements of the Copernicus services. This, in turn, is expected to stimulate the maturity of European New Space actors, SMEs and start-ups.

As this RFI focuses on the Commercial Contributing Mission, it is open to:

• European commercial providers of Very High Resolution (VHR) EO data, more precisely Optical and SAR data within the VHR1 and VHR2 resolution classes as defined within the Copernicus programme,
• other European commercial providers of data (e.g. data within HR1 category or non-optical and non-SAR data) which could complement the data provided by the Sentinels if those data are demonstrated to enhance the quality and the robustness of the Copernicus Services
• the European data operators of VHR ground segment elements (typically acquisition stations).
• Other relevant European data service coordinators/operators

For further information on eligibility to share your company's view and ideas in the RFI, please check: https://ideas.esa.int/servlet/hype/IMT?documentTableId=45087648410027592&userAction=Browse&templateName=&documentId=463263a5b8a5d3516af83ea8ecee4cc5