ESA's main telecommunications initiative is the ARTES (Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems) programme. ARTES constitutes a very flexible tool that allows ESA member states and the Agency to perform their respective roles in an optimal manner. Each element within the ARTES programme is geared to progress the technological base behind European and Canadian space industry, forming the foundation for new telecommunications applications. ARTES has already proven to be a robust and flexible legal framework that allows quick responses to the needs of industry.
The ARTES initiative is comprised of a wide number of activities, ranging from market studies and competitivity analyses to full system development and technology led activities. ARTES is divided into a number of elements, each of which has a distinct purpose and a different programmatic declaration. In this manner different modalities of participation can be incorporated within the programme. New elements are generated in response to market re

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Satellite communications is no new fashion. But in fast moving world of mobile phones, internet and multimedia, the latest trends are all important-yesterday's technology is quickly superseded.
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The telecommunications market is a huge, multi-billion Euro business-even after the burst of the dot-com bubble. The current turmoil in the telecom industry actually shows how important it is for businesses to be able to adapt and respond quickly to changing market conditions.
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ESA's 21st century satellite communications strategy has been developed with this in mind. It is designed to adapt to changing circumstance and trends, whilst at the same time acting as catalyst for imagination, advanced concepts and development of new technologies.
This vision is brought together under a program called ARTES, for Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems. Since its inception a few years ago, it has already proved to be a suitable approach for quick responses to the changing needs of Europe's indust