EUSPA takes on the Space Surveillance and Tracking helpdesk as of 2023

EUSPA takes on the Space Surveillance and Tracking helpdesk as of 2023

The EU Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) will take responsibility for the Programme’s Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) Front Desk operations service, following a Commission’s Decision of 03 June 2022. 

The responsibility will be transferred from the European Satellite Centre (SatCen), who currently operates the service, to EUSPA’s Galileo Security Monitoring Centre (GSMC) in Madrid, which will now serve as the SST Front Desk. The Front Desk is the main interface for the delivery of SST information and services, including activities related to user coordination, service performance, engagement and promotion. 

The EU established the SST as a means of mitigating the increasing risk of collision between European operators’ space assets, such as Galileo satellites, and other spacecraft and debris. To do this, the system uses a network of nationally owned ground-based sensors and other infrastructure to survey and track artificial space objects orbiting Earth. 

The SST is part of the Space Situational Awareness (SSA) component of the EU Space Programme and plays a key role in ensuring the safety and security of the European economies, societies and citizens who rely on space-based applications. As such, transferring the system’s Front Desk to EUSPA aligns with the Agency’s mission of linking space to user needs and further strengthens the resiliency of the EU Space Programme.  

In preparation for the transfer, EUSPA is working closely with SatCen to design, procure, validate and implement the necessary IT infrastructure. The two organisations are also cooperating on the handover of the relevant operational information and related competencies. EUSPA is currently in the process of onboarding the necessary talent to manage the service. 

In addition to its SST Front Desk responsibilities, EUSPA is preparing the system’s security monitoring jointly with the European Commission and the EUSST Consortium, particularly as to establishing the security requirements needed to shape the SST network. The Agency will also operate the security monitoring of the network.  

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