The European Space Agency (ESA) and the technology company Altair have signed an agreement to promote the development of commercial Earth observation products and services. This collaboration will focus on companies supported by ESA’s Φ-lab, the InCubed program, ESA-PhiLabNET, the ESA Business Incubation Centers (ESA BICs), and ESA’s Technology Brokers, within the EPIC initiative for commercialization.
The ESA Φ-lab plays a crucial role in fostering innovation and commercialization in the European Earth observation sector, providing technical, commercial, and financial support to both emerging and established companies. Furthermore, its work goes beyond funding and consultancy, promoting strategic partnerships that offer essential business and commercialization services.
The partnership with Altair, established under the ESA-Altair Space Acceleration Program, represents a significant step in this mission. Altair, a software and cloud solutions company with expertise in simulation, high-performance computing (HPC), data analytics, and artificial intelligence, has become a key partner in developing innovative space products. Its technology has been utilized by large corporations and startups to design and optimize satellites, launch vehicles, sensors, antennas, probes, and rovers.
The collaboration between Φ-lab and Altair aims to drive the growth of a dynamic commercial Earth observation ecosystem through the use of digital engineering tools, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. Additionally, it seeks to enhance visibility and access to Earth observation-based services.
Giuseppe Borghi, head of the Φ-lab division, emphasized the importance of this collaboration: “This partnership with Altair marks a significant milestone in our mission to push the boundaries of exploration and technological development in Earth observation. Together, we aim to leverage high-performance computing and data analytics to advance groundbreaking projects, creating new possibilities in the field of space research and strengthening Europe’s position as a leader in innovation in Earth observation.”
With this agreement, ESA and Altair provide an opportunity for both startups and large companies to benefit from advanced expertise and technological tools in a rapidly growing sector, paving the way for a new era of greater sustainability and innovation in space exploration.
via: Philab