OBSERVER: The EU Space Programme Explained

OBSERVER: The EU Space Programme Explained
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Thu, 28/08/2025 – 12:42

The European Union’s Space Programme is the first integrated framework of its kind, bringing Europe’s investments in Earth Observation, satellite navigation, and secure connectivity under a unified legislation. From Copernicus data helping to monitor climate change and supporting disaster response, to Galileo signals powering smartphone navigation and helping synchronise banking networks, to EGNOS services ensuring safe and fuel efficient aircraft landings, the Programme already positively impacts the daily lives of millions of Europeans. Newer components such as Space Situational Awareness (SSA), GOVSATCOM, and the forthcoming IRIS² constellation extend that impact to space safety and secure connectivity. In this Observer, we explore how the Programme has developed, what each of its components delivers, and how new initiatives such as the EU Space Act are preparing Europe for the future of space.

 

 

The EU Space Programme was not created in a single step. It is the product of decades of investment and policy choices. Its roots go back to the late 1990s with the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, which later became Copernicus, and to the early 2000s when Europe launched Galileo to establish its own satellite navigation system. In 2021 these efforts were brought together under the EU’s integrated Space Programme, which is the Union’s first ever programme of this kind. By investing in independent capacity for navigation, Earth Observation, secure communications, and space safety, the EU has built assets which underpin strategic autonomy, resilience, innovation, and competitiveness.

The EU Space Programme is built around four pillars: Earth Observation, Satellite Navigation, Protection of space assets and Secure Communications. Earth Observation delivers data and services through Copernicus, which provides free and open data on the planet’s land, oceans, and atmosphere as well as on climate change, emergency management and security. Satellite Navigation powers Galileo and the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service (EGNOS), which provide highly accurate positioning, navigation, and timing services. Protection and Secure Communications are ensured through Space Situational Awareness (SSA), Governmental Satellite Communications (GOVSATCOM), and the newly initiated Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²). Together, they form the operational architecture of the Programme, ensuring Europe has the tools to support climate action, digital innovation, economic growth, security, and defence.

 

European cooperation at its heart

The EU Space Programme is the result of close European coordination and cooperation. It brings together the European Commission, which sets the political direction and manages the budget; the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), responsible for operations, service provision, and fostering market uptake; and the European Space Agency (ESA), which provides its technical expertise in satellite design, procurement, launch and operations. A network of Entrusted Entities further supports the Programme by operating specific services or elements within the components. For example, the Copernicus component has six thematic services, each implemented by a different Copernicus Entrusted Entity.

This governance model allows Europe to pool resources, align priorities, and deliver space-based services which benefit citizens, businesses, and public authorities across the Union. It is a uniquely European approach: collaborative, civilian-led, and geared towards long-term resilience and competitiveness.

Organisational structure of the Copernicus Programme, showing its three components: 1. Space, which includes technical coordination by ESA, Sentinel missions led by ESA and EUMETSAT, and contributing missions from Member States and Partners; 2. Services delivered by the Entrusted Entities; 3. In-Situ coordinated by the European Environment Agency with Member States. The European Commission oversees the programme with input from the Copernicus User Forum and Committee.
Diagram showing the structure of the Copernicus component, with its six thematic services implemented by various Copernicus Entrusted Entities. Credit: European Union. 

Copernicus: Europe’s Eyes on Earth

Copernicus is the Earth Observation (EO) component of the EU Space Programme, looking at our planet and its environment for the benefit of all European citizens. Rooted in the 1998 Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative, it combines satellite data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites and Contributing Missions with in situ (ground, air, and sea) measurements to provide a detailed picture of the state of the Earth. Since the launch of Sentinel-1A in 2014, Copernicus has grown into a constellation which will include 20 satellites in orbit before 2030, delivering terabytes of free and open data every day.

The Copernicus Services transform these data into actionable information through six thematic areas: Atmosphere, Marine, Land, Climate Change, Security, and Emergency. Together, these services support a wide range of applications, from monitoring air quality and soil properties to tracking ocean pollution, mapping wildfires, supporting agriculture, and assessing climate risks. Much of this information is made available through the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem (CDSE), which provides free and immediate access to Copernicus Sentinel data, Copernicus Service products, and additional Earth Observation datasets from ESA, EUMETSAT, and Copernicus Contributing Missions among others.

The information provided by Copernicus is used daily by policymakers, public authorities, scientists, and businesses. It supports EU priorities such as the European Green Deal, climate action, disaster risk management, and sustainable development. It also creates new opportunities for European companies, particularly SMEs and start-ups, which make up nearly 96% of the Earth Observation industry. 

Copernicus is more than data. It is Europe’s operational capacity to observe, understand, and respond to environmental and security challenges. By making all its products freely available worldwide, Copernicus not only supports EU citizens and institutions but also contributes to global efforts to manage climate change, biodiversity loss, and natural disasters.

Illustration of Earth with two orbital paths around it, showing multiple satellites orbiting the planet, representing Copernicus satellites.
Copernicus, with its network of satellites orbiting the Earth, acquires high resolution images and information about our planet. Credit: European Union.

Satellite Navigation: Galileo and EGNOS

When the Galileo programme was launched, the European Union recognised that an independent navigation capacity was essential for transport, communications, emergency services, and security. Galileo was created to provide Europe with a sovereign, high-precision satellite navigation system under civilian control.

With a current constellation of 27 satellites, Galileo provides global positioning data with an accuracy exceeding that of GPS. It supports everything from smartphone navigation to timing services essential for banking and power grids. Galileo includes a highly-secure Public Regulated Service (PRS) reserved for governments and security actors, Galileo Search and Rescue (SAR), part of the international Cospas-Sarsat system, the High Accuracy Service (HAS), which provides positioning down to the decimetre level, and Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA), which transitioned to operational status in July 2025.

Complementing Galileo is EGNOS, the European Geostationary Navigation Overlay Service. Unlike Galileo’s global reach, EGNOS is a regional system which improves the accuracy and integrity of satellite navigation signals (including GPS) across Europe and its neighbourhood, providing critical integrity and precision for sectors such as civil aviation, where accurate vertical positioning is essential for safe landings.

Illustration of Earth with 30 Galileo satellites orbiting at 23,000 km altitude. Text on the left reads: '30 Satellites orbiting 23,000 km above the Earth'
Launched in 2005, Europe’s Galileo supports everything from smartphone navigation to timing services essential for banking and power grids. Credit: European Union.

Protection and Secure Communications: SSA, GOVSATCOM, and IRIS²

Space Situational Awareness (SSA) is Europe’s “eyes on space”, ensuring the safety and security of satellites and services which economies, societies, and citizens rely on every day. It has three sub-components: Space Surveillance and Tracking (to safeguard satellites from debris and collisions), Space Weather (to protect against solar storms and other phenomena), and Near-Earth Objects (to monitor asteroids and meteorites). Together, these capabilities protect EU space assets from collisions and space weather, while monitoring asteroids and comets which could pose a threat to Earth. In this way, SSA contributes both to the protection of Europe’s satellites and to global safety. You can learn more about SSA in our recent Observer article and Podcast.

In times of crisis, first responders, military, security actors, and governments worldwide require communications channels which are secure, resilient, and accessible. This is where GOVSATCOM comes in. Developed to serve the needs of EU and national authorities, GOVSATCOM is a framework for pooling and sharing secure satellite communications capacities across Member States and EU institutions.

Rather than launching an entirely new constellation, GOVSATCOM builds on partnerships with existing national and commercial systems. It provides a guaranteed level of service, particularly in emergency, maritime, or remote settings where terrestrial networks are unavailable, and ensures the long-term availability of reliable, secure, and cost-effective communications for public authorities managing security-critical missions and infrastructure.

The next step in that evolution is IRIS², the EU’s new sovereign multi-orbit constellation initiative. Launched in 2022 and developed under a concession contract with the SpaceRISE industrial consortium, IRIS2 will comprise around 300 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). Designed to provide secure connectivity for governments, critical infrastructure, businesses, and citizens, it will also ensure broadband access in underserved regions and areas of strategic interest to the EU such as the Arctic and Africa. 

IRIS² is not just a technical upgrade. It represents a major step towards Europe’s digital sovereignty and secure connectivity. By combining EU funding with private investment, the initiative is creating a state-of-the-art system which will serve governmental applications such as border and maritime surveillance, crisis management, and secure communications for EU institutions, while also enabling commercial services in transport, energy, finance, and healthcare. 

Illustration of Earth with around 300 satellites orbiting at various orbits. Text on the left reads: 'Around 300 satellites at various orbits.
The IRIS² constellation will consist of around 300 satellites in MEO and LEO, supported by strategically located control centres across the EU. Credit: European Union.

Looking Ahead

The EU Space Programme is more than the sum of its parts: it is a strategic asset which underpins Europe’s environmental, digital, and security ambitions. Alongside the Programme, the European Commission has also put forward the EU Space Act, a proposal to create a harmonised framework for space activities across the Union. Focused on safety, resilience, and sustainability, it is designed to support Europe’s space sector as it grows more competitive and more essential to daily life.

As space becomes ever more central to our future, Europe is preparing to be at the forefront of this new era. With the EU Space Programme at its core, the Union is advancing with a clear focus on autonomy, resilience, and competitiveness, ensuring that space remains a driver of progress and cooperation for decades to come.

Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius standing at a podium with a blue banner reading 'Commission européenne European Commission.' Behind him is a large screen displaying an image of Earth from space with European Union flags and the text 'European Space Act and Vision for the Space Economy.
Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, unveiling the EU Space Act and the Vision for the European Space Economy, Brussels, 25 June 2025. Credit: European Union.

 

Illustration of the EU Space Programme featuring Earth surrounded by satellites in orbit, with the title 'The EU Space Programme Explained' highlighted on the left.

Thu, 28/08/2025 – 12:00