REA teams up to provide policy-feedback on Future Emerging Technologies in Space

REA units Fostering Novel ideas: On 2 March, FET-Open and Space Research joined forces to organise a common workshop on “Future and Emerging Technologies in SPACE”.
 

Marko Curavic, Head of Unit in B1, Timo Hallantie, Head of Unit in A5, and Edmund Williams, Head of Technology Coordination and Planning Office in ESA delivered the main presentations.

Afterwards, project officers presented a series of 11 FET Open projects, which are potentially relevant for Space. These projects, representing around €39 m of EU funding, focus on scientific domains such as imaging, energy storage, new materials and artificial intelligence. These areas were of clear relevance for REA Space unit and ESA colleagues who had the opportunity to discover their objectives, the connection to Space research and the key contacts for each project.

According to the participants, this workshop was an opportunity to promote joint working, exchange knowledge on qualitative research and open up discussions with relevant stakeholders.

The event raised awareness and enabled the development of future synergies. A concrete collaboration between both REA units will follow up the event. This collaboration includes the exchange of research expertise, the invitations to space-related events relevant to beneficiaries, and the early recognition of projects potentially relevant to space.

The main output will be the inclusion of certain FET-Open projects in the Space Technology road-mapping activity that unit B1 performs as one of the major policy feedback contributions to DG GROW and ESA.

This event was very well received and sets a precedent for mutually beneficial collaboration between different REA services within Policy Feedback.