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4 | GSTP Annual Report 2011 → YeAr in review From invention to innovation Often used interchangeably, invention and innovation are not the same. While an invention is a new and promising idea, innovation is a mature idea whose early promise has been fulfilled – found valuable and put to work. ESA’s challenge is to turn inventions into innovations, and do it in a systematic way. To successfully accomplish this, ESA relies on its tools, the Technology Programmes, which serve both to help define ESA´s future technology needs and eventually fulfil them. The ESA’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP) relies on technological innovation to accomplish ESA´s main goals: enabling novel space missions and applications of the future, boosting Europe’s industrial competitiveness, fostering innovation, and increasing and preserving our non-dependence in space technology. The GSTP converts promising engineering concepts into a broad spectrum of mature products – everything from individual components, to subsystems, up to complete satellites – right up to the brink of spaceflight or beyond. Its objective is to bridge the gap between having a technology proven in fundamental terms and making it ready for ESA and National Programmes, the open market and, eventually, space itself. The GSTP allows such transitions by developing technology concepts into engineering models or ‘breadboards’, which involves testing their performances in all conceivable scenarios. The GSTP Programme, as its name suggests, supports general technology, covering all ESA Themes 1 except for Telecommunications, which has its own ARTES Programme. The GSTP is an optional programme, open for ESA Member States (including Canada as an Associate Member State) which choose whether to participate or not, and up to which level. 1 Earth Observation, Space Science, Robotic Exploration, Human Spaceflight, Space Transportation, Navigation, Security and Generic Technologies and Techniques
The past year 2011 has seen a continuation of the GSTP efforts to achieve the previously described objectives. This GSTP Annual Report 2011 presents a brief description of this work, together with some examples of the corresponding achievements. These efforts and achievements are illustrated throughout this report under the form of successful technology developments, as well as innovative projects progressing under the Programme’s support. In particular, a set of general technology activities closed and initiated during the year 2011 are presented showing the progress in some areas like fuel cells, the development of new devices in support to astronauts and the support of the GSTP to Earth Observation data management. Furthermore, within the frame of the GSTP Programme, the objective of the permanently open Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for market-oriented activities is to support the competitiveness of European industries, enhancing their position to face the worldwide space market in the near term. Nine AO activities were initiated and seven were closed in 2011, including pixel detectors, the use of GNSS-R signals for Earth Observation, and augmented reality for astronaut operations, among others. The GSTP In-Orbit Demonstration facilitates to fly either dedicated demonstration satellites –Such as the PROBA or EXPERT re-entry vehicle, or non-mission critical guest payloads in flight opportunities. Additionally, it is worth mentioning the Nodding Mechanism, which was developed and launched in 2011 as part of the Space Station Precursor Technology Initiative. The Nodding Mechanism allows astronauts to take exceptionally sharp pictures of the Earth at night from the ISS Cupola. The development of the Space-Based Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) payload was also initiated in 2011 and will allow to vastly expand the scope and improve service efficiency of the current ground-based air traffic surveillance ADS-B systems. Promoting the Programme is a task to accomplish and a key to succeed on finding new opportunities for Europe. The Technology Events, coordinated by GSTP, are regularly held in participating States as one of the Programme tools to strengthen relations with Industry and make it aware of the current ESA opportunities on technology. Particularly three Technology Events took place in 2011: one in Norway in March, one in Sweden in April, and one in Finland in November. ESA’s participation included representatives of TRP, CTP, GSTP and ECI. These events were organized by the corresponded National Delegations, and included both presentations and face-to-face meetings. Overall, the GSTP efforts in supporting technology in 2011 were remarkable, representing 81 new activities (worth around 57 M€), 57 activities closed (worth around 28 M€), and around 260 other activities running during the year (worth ~208 M€). All the activities were to develop breakthrough technology and to support innovative projects and in-orbit demonstrators like ADS-B, and other underdevelopment missions like PROBA 3 and PROBA V. All this has been achieved with the participation of 18 ESA Member States, Canada as Associate Member State and an annual budget of ~80 M€. GSTP Annual Report 2011 | 5
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