Innovation
The IT Department tests and introduces new and innovative technologies for ESA. In its role as a change agent, the IT Department selects appropriate products for the Agency to respond to customer needs, collaborates with other scientific institutions, and offers opportunities to young people to promote innovation.
The IT Department teams up with other important scientific institutes, like CERN and EMBL, in the Helix Nebula the Science Cloud project. This big data initiative is developing online opportunities for scientists to share data, collaborate globally and store and access the wealth of existing scientific information.
ESA has collaborated with NASA since 2013 in hosting the International Space Apps Challenge. The International Space Apps challenge is a global “hackathon” event that collects teams of engineers at various event locations to solve problems and innovate for challenges on Earth and in space. Challenges make use of publicly available space data, such as from satellite campaigns, and the expertise available on site at each event. ESA proudly offers several challenges each year, and supports the young participants by being on hand to answer questions, mentor and provide project direction. This innovative activity is developed on the principles of international collaboration. Solutions are shared globally as open source technology, available to people all over the world.
