Brussels, 29 January 2025 – The SESAR Joint Undertaking (SESAR JU) and European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) to strengthen their collaboration on delivering the Digital European Sky and making aviation safer, more sustainable and resilient.
The cooperation combines the expertise of both organisations to advance research and innovation, helping the aviation sector tackle key challenges like environmental sustainability, airspace capacity, security, and operational efficiency. By fostering synergies between the two programmes, the agreement seeks to ensure that Europe remains at the forefront of aviation and space technology innovation.
The scope of the cooperation will be on exchanging information and jointly promoting research and innovation activities addressing satellite technologies for aviation. It will also seek out opportunities for complementarity between EU funding programmes and the inclusion of space data in future funding activities related to ATM and aviation. Advancing innovative, space-based solutions and their market uptake, as well as new business opportunities, are key elements in the agreement, particularly in the areas of precise satellite navigation for commercial aircraft (e.g. performance-based navigation) and drone traffic management (U-space).
The memorandum aligns with the objectives of the recently updated European ATM Master Plan, which provides a strategic roadmap for modernising Europe’s air traffic management. By integrating space-based technologies into ATM, the cooperation will help to achieve a more connected, sustainable, and secure aviation system, paving the way for the full realisation of the Digital European Sky.
Welcoming the agreement, Andreas Boschen, Executive Director of SESAR JU, said:
“This agreement with EUSPA represents a significant milestone in our efforts to deliver the Digital European Sky and make air traffic management fit for the 21st century. By integrating space-based technologies into ATM, we can unlock new opportunities to optimise operations, reduce environmental impact, and ensure the resilience of the European sky.”
Rodrigo da Costa, Director General of EUSPA, echoed these sentiments:
“This Memorandum of Cooperation is a key step in integrating EU space technologies like Galileo and Copernicus into Europe's air traffic management. Partnering with SESAR JU allows us to enhance the safety, sustainability, and resilience of European airspace while fostering innovation and creating new opportunities for growth across the aviation sector, supporting the vision of the Digital European Sky.”
