The European Space Agency (ESA) is making strides in its plans for the initial phase of a groundbreaking Earth observation satellite system that will cater to both civil and military applications. Following a meeting of the ESA Council on June 12, ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher announced the council's approval of an “enabling resolution” for the European Resilience from Space (ERS) program. “This is a legal document that formally is a request from the member states that we should prepare the program with all the legal documents,” he explained. This resolution paves the way for member states to formally commit to and fund the program at the ESA ministerial conference scheduled for late November.
The primary focus of ERS will be the development of a satellite system capable of delivering frequent, high-resolution images. This system, referred to as the Earth Observation Government Service (EOGS), is a top priority for the European Commission. Aschbacher confirmed last month that ESA will collaborate with the commission on this endeavor. While the exact cost remains to be determined, Aschbacher estimated ESA’s first phase, involving optical and radar imaging satellites with onboard processing and a ground segment, to cost around one billion euros ($1.16 billion). He further indicated that ESA’s overall program package for the ministerial conference currently holds an estimated cost of 23 billion euros. “This is the level of size that we’re discussing with the member states right now,” he stated. “This is, as with all our program proposals, in evolution, so the figures may be different in October, they may be different in November.”
EOGS, a term currently used by the Commission, is subject to change. It will integrate into a larger “system of systems,” encompassing a new low Earth orbit positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) system and the IRIS² secure connectivity constellation. The ESA Council meeting also featured a presentation by Andrius Kubilius, the European Commissioner for Defence and Space. In his prepared remarks, Kubilius stressed the need for all-weather imaging capabilities with a temporal resolution of 30 minutes—a significant improvement over the current once-daily imaging provided by European systems. He announced the commission’s intention to release a “High-level User Requirements Document” by this fall, detailing the specifications for EOGS. This document, he emphasized, will serve as a “political mandate towards ESA” for the system’s development.
Kubilius highlighted the strong collaboration between the commission and ESA in planning this system. “I have an excellent cooperation with the ESA Director-General. We have set up a joint task force. Our teams work closely so that we can optimize resources and link initiatives.” Aschbacher echoed this sentiment, drawing parallels to the establishment of Copernicus two decades ago. “I see a lot of parallels coming up now in making sure that you can work between these two institutions in a good way,” he noted. “If there is a will, there is a way, and if both parties are committed to it, then we can make it work with all the complications that will arise along the way.”
One significant challenge is the disparity between ESA and EU memberships. This could create complexities as the EU adopts a more assertive stance on defense. Kubilius’s speech underscored Europe's need to strengthen its defense capabilities, including space systems, in response to Russian threats and perceived shifts in US focus. Renato Krpoun, head of the Swiss Space Office and chair of the ESA Council, underlined the importance of ESA-European Commission cooperation and the urgency of this new program. “Of course, the devil lies in the details,” he added. “But I think, as the member states have shown in the past, they always find compromises in the interest of Europe.”