Safety and Security Applications

ARTES ‘Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S)’ supports four distinct user domains: safety of transport such as air traffic, rail and road; protection of critical infrastructures such as telecommunication networks controlling energy and water supply; provision of secure communications for space missions, such as Copernicus; secure governmental satcom services such as civil protection and border control. 4S mid-term key targets (2020-25) include the deployment of a European satcom component as an integral operational part of the Single European Sky air traffic management solution (Iris project); the critical design of the Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) space component as a precursor mission to the European Quantum Communications Infrastructure (SAGA Project); the extension of a secure European Data Relay System over the Asian region (EDRS-Global Project); the Phase 2 of the ESA GOVSATCOM Precursor Programme (GOVSATCOM). 4S long-term targets (2026-30) prepare next-generation solutions, such as an integrated next-generation safety and security service for the transport sector (air, land, sea).

4S supports increased European autonomy and a level playing field for the European space industry considering the institutional support in the US and China. 4S is in cooperation with national public entities and EU institutions and in partnership with industry in a growing global security market estimated at €22.2 billion by 2040.
Earth observation offers capacities to observe, understand, decide and act during critical situations such as natural or human-made disasters and regional conflicts. Earth observation brings a significant contribution to various actors, including civil protection, humanitarian aid agencies, NGOs or blue security forces (customs, police, gendarmerie, justice).

The emergency and security services of the Copernicus programme already provide support for technical and humanitarian assistance, activity reports, rapid mapping and critical infrastructure monitoring. In the security field at large, the main challenge is to leverage new potential capabilities of Earth observation at space, ground segment and downstream application level, in order to broaden the user base with new services meeting evolving needs. The activities foreseen in this respect will be carried out under the FutureEO programme.