SWF Co-Hosts European Satellite Day 2012: Mayday! A Day Without Satellites

Monday, October 01, 2012

The inaugural European Satellite Day 2012: Mayday! - A Day without Satellites took place on 27th September at the Committee of the Regions in Brussels under the patronage of Antonio Tajani, Member of the European Commission. The event was organized by Forum Europe and co-hosted by the European Satellite Operators' Association, the European Space Agency (ESA), Secure World Foundation, EUMETSAT, Committee of the Regions, NEREUS, and Télécoms Sans Frontières in partnership with The European People's Party (EPP), Eurospace, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC) and Galileo.

Some of the fundamental applications and uses of satellites that were showcased included:

  • The importance of global information availability through media broadcasting anytime anywhere
  • The reliance on weather forecasting and the longer term understanding of climate change thanks to meteorological satellites
  • The criticality of satellite communications when disaster strikes to support emergency response and relief efforts when terrestrial systems are destroyed or overloaded
  • The vital role that satellite plays in synchronising power grids and financial markets worldwide
  • The indispensable communications ability delivered by satellite for ships on the high seas & for secure communications
  • Delivering equal access to services and opportunities through satellite broadband in remote / difficult to reach regions
  • The positive impact that satellites are making on communications in developing nations

This high-level conference and exhibition was followed by an EPP hearing on "Communication & Monitoring Capabilities in Disaster Management" hosted in the European Parliament by MEP Elisabetta Gardini (more information on this will be available shortly).

Copies of the presentations made on the day are now available to download from the event website on the Networking page, details of which have already been sent to all participants. In addition, photos taken at the event are now also available on the event website here. Please check back regularly as more pictures will be uploaded shortly.

For more information click here.