Global communications underpin modern society and represent an important commercial sector. Satellites are a fundamental part of global telecommunications networks, providing all kind of services, efficiently and seamlessly, over almost every region of our planet.
By promoting the research and development of a wide range of new technologies and system concepts, ESA acts as a catalyst for European industry to develop and exploit emerging products, services and markets.
ESA supports the deployment of new satellites and programmes, such as Alphasat and Alphabus, the next generation of large platforms for high-power telecommunications satellites, and SmallGeo, a small geostationary satellite platform.
The European Data Relay Satellite, EDRS, is an independent European system for transmission of large data quantities, and IRIS is a new air-to-ground communications system for air traffic management.
ESA also develops applications to provide solutions to a wide range of needs and challenges faced by citizens and society at large.
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