ATLAS-1, Belgian Space Policy and ?

A personal viewD. Fonteyn

DG Research programmes and aerospace applications

NOT

Historical overviewList of achievements

BudgetsBUT

Earth observation in BelgiumParallel with own scientific

experience

Belgian Space Policy since end 80’s:• Space policy implemented through ESA• Priority on Earth Observation• Climate “Global Change”• Scientific expertise• In response to societal challenges• Examples:

– Spacelab, EURECA(ORA)– MIRAS, SPOT VEGETATION

VEGETATION:• Multilateral international cooperation• National research programme supporting this

priority (land)• SPOT-Vegetation processing and archiving

facility• Towards operational capacity

Example: Brazil deforestation

VEGETATION:• National research programme• Processing, archiving and distribution• Other Belgian priority: Technology

development (PROBA), small missions

Converging into

“Full” Belgian “small” mission in ESA framework

Platform, instrument, PI, operations= Belgian

Belgian contribution to GMES

Launch: 2013

Satisfying a large user community

ATLAS-1, data quality vs ~ week coverage

0-D → 2-D model chemical composition

ESA/EnvisatPriority for BelgiumScientific Expertise !!

Research satellite NRT data

3-D → 4-D Var chemical data assimilation → NRT 9 day forecast

Scientific knowledgeand

instrument developmentMars

ModellingMars96, MarsExpress, Exomars

Earth Observation

ATLAS-1: NOW??BE small missions

Earth Observation

A limb remote sounding experiment on a micro-satellite proposed by the Belgian Institute for Space

Aeronomy

THE ALTIUS MISSION

Atmospheric Limb Tracker for Investigation of the Upcoming Stratosphere

Earth Observation

Development ALTIUSBE small missions

Technology meets scienceKeep momentum

Earth Observation

Scientific knowledgeBE small missionsTotal concept

Strong BE involvement GMESEnd User driven

Earth Observation

Weather story:TIROS 1: 1960Improvement quality weather forecast only 90’s30 – 40 year delay

GMES no time to wasteNot at the cost of R&D budget