The ASTRO+ project is part of the European Commission’s Preparatory Action for Security Research (PASR) initiative which brings together 22 partners drawn from public authorities, industry, universities, institutions and think-tanks from nine European countries. Co-ordinated by Astrium, ASTRO+ is designed to demonstrate how space technologies and capabilities can enhance the security of Europe's citizens.
A security situation simulated in Poland in February 2006 demonstrated how ASTRO+ can support the requirements of operations on the ground by facilitating access to data from satellites, using high-performance equipment, and ensuring co-ordination between players to improve the overall efficiency of the crisis management system.
Astrium has extensive expertise in technologies which are vital to ensure that the security systems planned at a European level are fully effective. The company has developed complete, end-to-end solutions for satellite-based telecommunications, observation and navigation to meet the needs of in-theatre operations. These integrated solutions provide not only the system aspect (space and ground segments) but also the services element, covering areas such as mapping and communications.
ASTRO+ is a first step to conclusively demonstrating the crucial contribution of the space segment in the field of security. It should pave the way towards a further research and technology programme, aiming to establish synergies with other R&T, commercial and defence applications, and to create networking between space industry and research, to build up multi-disciplinary applications.
