Space Zone

PR 17 2012 - ESA will be highlighting the key roles that space plays today in our rapidly changing world when the Space Zone – the very popular feature of the Farnborough international airshow opens its doors 9–15 July.

ESA, together with the UK Space Agency, the Italian space agency ASI, the Russian space agency Roscosmos and industry, will participate in a series of events in the Space Zone that bring together key players to address how space can contribute to competitiveness and growth at a time of unprecedented economic challenge.

Tim Peake in Aquarius talks with UK space conference

An ESA exhibition will further demonstrate how space pushes the frontiers of knowledge, supports an innovative and competitive Europe, and creates technical innovation and new business.

The Space Zone is organised by ADS, the UK’s Aerospace, Defence and Security trade organisation.

There is a special Futures Day for students on Friday 13 July, and access for the general public on Saturday 14 July and Sunday 15 July.

Main events in the Space Zone

Tuesday 10 July, 11:00–12:30: Space Day Conference
The UK Space Agency hosts a conference of leaders from government, space agencies and the space industry focusing on the continued growth of the UK, European and international space sectors and the prospects for the ESA Council at Ministerial level, a critical moment of decision for European space, to be held later this year.

Speakers include David Willetts, UK Minister of State for Universities and Science; Francesco Profumo, Italian Minister of Education, Universities and Research and Chair of the ESA Council at Ministerial Level; Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General; Vladimir Popovkin, General Director of the Russian Federal Space Agency; Enrico Saggese, President of ASI; David Williams, Chief Executive of the UK Space Agency; and Andy Green, Co-Chair of the UK’s Space Leadership Council and CEO of Logica.

Thursday 12 July, 10:30–12:40: The Space Growth Agenda: Meet it or Beat it!
In 2010, the UK space industry announced an ambitious strategy to create an industry worth £40 billion by 2030, and 100 000 new jobs in the process. Find out whether the space industry is delivering on its plan and how it is refining its strategy to meet the prevailing economic winds.

Speakers will include Lord Stephen Green, UK Minister for Trade and Industry; Catherine Mealing-Jones, UK Space Agency Director of Growth, Applications and EU Programmes; Magali Vaissière, ESA Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications; Volker Leibig, ESA Director of Earth Observation; Keith Robson, University of Surrey Director of Research and Enterprise Support; and Richard Peckham, Chair of UKspace and ADS Vice-President.

Friday 13 July: Futures Day
A day of activities across the airshow for young people from UK schools and universities to explore today’s innovation and discover how science, technology, engineering and mathematics can allow them to be on the leading edge of the future. Come and meet ESA astronaut Timothy Peake and learn firsthand what it takes to have the right stuff, whether in space or on Earth.

Media registration

Media interested in attending events in the Space Zone must be accredited to attend the airshow. Accreditation can be requested via the FIA website:
http://farnborough.com/media-centre/trade-accreditation

The deadline for applying is 29 June.

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 19 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, of whom 17 are Member States of the EU. ESA has Cooperation Agreements with nine other Member States of the EU and is negotiating an Agreement with the one remaining (Bulgaria). Poland is in the process of becoming ESA’s 20th Member State. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country.

ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities. Today it launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space.