The health, entertainment and commercial benefits of sporting events are well-documented but mitigating the environmental impact of major sporting competitions is a growing priority for the sector. Preventing deforestation, fighting climate change, protecting biodiversity, reducing pollution and carbon emissions, and growing the circular economy are all on the agenda, and a recent collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) aims to put the technology of space applications at the service of sustainability in snow sports.
The announcement was made during the ESA Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) conference, ‘Towards a space-powered economy’, where the two organisations signed a Memorandum of Intent focused on the development and implementation of space applications to facilitate innovation to mitigate the challenges facing the sector.
“The connection between sports events and sustainability is becoming increasingly important, as the industry plays a key role in advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals” said Davide Coppola, Head of ESA’s Space Applications Initiatives Section. “This collaboration not only fosters innovation, but also has the potential to make a substantial impact on the broader events industry, supporting its efforts to achieve essential sustainability targets in a large scale.”
“Issues like the climate crisis and loss of biodiversity do not pertain to any specific area of society: they are the fundamental challenge of our lifetime, for all of us, and can only be addressed through collective effort. This is our reasoning when entering a partnership like this with ESA, which brings the highest level of human knowledge and technology to our common mission of making the world – and snow sports, for that matter – much more sustainable,” says FIS Sustainability Director Susanna Sieff.
The collaboration announcement comes ahead of ESA’s ‘Space for Sustainability in Sports and Mass Events’ funding opportunity that opens in February 2025. A webinar outlining the scope of the opportunity will be held the same month and over the course of the coming weeks, ESA and FIS will work to outline the first joint activities under the collaboration agreement.
Additionally, the Memorandum of Intent anticipates the potential implementation of space applications to address other future common topics of interest such as athlete performance, safety and security around events, and recreational snow sports experiences.
The collaboration with the FIS is the latest in a series of sports and events-related initiatives undertaken as part of the BASS programme, which has already supported a number of successful projects looking at inclusivity in sports, safety and security at major events, traffic and crowd management at major tournaments and more. Collaborations with UEFA the Italian Taekwondo Federation, Swiss Timing and more continue to facilitate projects across many sports, from sailing and football to cycling, athletics and golf. The open call Space for Olympic Games continues to offer funding opportunities across the sector.
As part of the work around space and sport, ESA has produced a market report outlining the commercial opportunities and use cases for digital transformation and sustainability in sport.
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The European Space Agency (ESA) has signed a Memorandum of Intent (MoI) with Prototypes for Humanity (P4H), an Art Dubai Group programme. This partnership seeks to leverage space technology to tackle pressing global challenges and drive sustainable development on a global scale. It will also enable the demonstration and validation of innovative projects by piloting solutions within the UAE market, harnessing local partnerships and resources to maximise impact and scalability. The MoI was signed by Geraldine Naja, Director of ESA's Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness Directorate and Tadeu Baldani Caravieri, P4H Director, during the Towards a Space-Powered Economy conference, held at ESA’s ECSAT facility in Harwell, UK, on November 26, 2024.
Prototypes for Humanity is an international platform dedicated to promoting and supporting innovation across diverse disciplines of science and humanities. It focuses on solutions that deliver tangible positive impacts for society and the planet. Through its collaboration with ESA, P4H will strengthen its ability to connect changemakers with ESA’s expertise, tools, and resources. In turn, ESA will work with P4H’s global network to apply space technologies to areas such as green energy and climate resilience, advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“This partnership highlights the power of multisectoral collaboration between space and non-space players,” said Nick Appleyard, Head of the Applications and Solutions Department at ESA. “The cooperation with P4H will allow the creation of innovative solutions that deliver real-world impact, fostering sustainability and progress across sectors.”
Davide Coppola, Head of ESA’s Space Applications Initiatives Section, added “through this partnership, we aim to combine groundbreaking ideas with space technologies to tackle critical sustainability challenges. This collaboration will empower innovators and industries to create transformative solutions with tangible benefits.”
“Prototypes for Humanity is proud to partner with ESA to amplify the impact of visionary projects,” said Tadeu Baldani Caravieri. “Together, we will connect innovators with the expertise and tools they need to address challenges at the intersection of technology, creativity, and sustainability.”
This partnership marks a significant milestone for both organisations, as they unite to advance innovation and sustainability on a global scale.
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April, 11 / 2025
This call invites proposals for feasibility studies for space-based solutions and services to enhance transparency, sustainability and resilience across the cotton value chain and wider textile industry. Solutions should address environmental costs of current agricultural practices, identify opportunities to improve livelihoods of farmers and support the creation or restoration of protected areas.
The CEO Water Mandate—a partnership between the UN Global Compact and the Pacific Institute—and the European Space Agency (ESA) today announced significant progress in their joint initiative to leverage space technologies and innovative digital tools for advancing water security and resilience.
The “Digitising Water Resilience in Basins” initiative addresses the urgent global challenge of insufficient data and shared understanding of freshwater resources, including water stress, quality, and accessibility.
As part of its goal to achieve positive water impact in 100 priority basins by 2030, the CEO Water Mandate is leading the development of a cutting-edge digital monitoring platform for 100 of the world’s most water-stressed basins. The platform aims to provide actionable insights into water basin conditions, helping businesses track their contributions to water resilience goals.
During COP28 in December 2023, the partnership announced the selection of its first cohort of projects, marking a transformative step in utilising space technologies, digital innovation, and IoT to enhance water basin monitoring. Over the past 18 months, these projects have yielded breakthrough results, providing:
Davide Coppola, Head of Space Applications Initiatives at ESA, emphasised the transformative potential of this collaboration:
“I am delighted to see the initial outcomes of this initiative, confirming how space technologies, combined with digital tools and IoT, can illuminate water stress drivers and intervention impacts—even in the most remote regions. Our collaboration with the CEO Water Mandate and WRC unlocks new opportunities for cross-sectoral cooperation and innovative business models, paving the way for far-reaching socio-economic benefits.”
Jason Morrison, Head of the CEO Water Mandate and President of the Pacific Institute, highlighted the importance of space technology in water management:
“This partnership with ESA is revolutionising access to water-related data. By integrating satellite observations with innovative technologies, we are opening new frontiers in understanding and protecting freshwater resources worldwide.
The partnership has achieved several milestones:
Future Development: Plans for expanded corporate support and additional projects are underway.
The CEO Water Mandate-ESA partnership represents a groundbreaking step toward global water resilience. By combining space-based observations with digital tools, the initiative is advancing efforts to protect water sources and ensure water security for future generations.
A new portable 3D imaging system is set to revolutionise patient care, with initial trials demonstrating significant improvements in diagnosis accuracy of fractures in extremity limbs outperforming conventional 2D X-rays. The system, developed by UK-based Adaptix under ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions Programme (BASS) with the support of the UK Space Agency, could also offer greatly reduced costs for care providers, as well as improved accessibility for patients and low levels of radiation.
With traditional 2D X-rays failing to detect up to 40% of scaphoid fractures in the wrist, anyone who has suffered the pain and inconvenience of a missed diagnosis will know all too well the physical, psychological and financial impacts of a delayed recovery. The limitations of traditional 2D X-ray images mean that smaller fractures are often missed or require the use of more complex and expensive scanners to confirm diagnosis, like CT, which delivers a high radiation dose, or MRI which are very slow. By contrast, the Adaptix system uses a process known as digital tomosynthesis, which offers a multi-layered 3D view of the problem area to improve the speed and accuracy of diagnosis.
Digital tomosynthesis offers a completely different way imaging from the traditional 2D X-ray tube by firing X-rays in a sequence from many different positions. Adaptix’s journey started with miniature electron emitters using technology that was simultaneously being developed for a number of Space missions. The latest Adaptix system fires X-rays from over 30 positions in a rapid sequence lasting a few seconds giving a quick, low-cost, 3D image which provides a significantly higher level of detail, even on complex fractures, than is possible with a 2D image.
Dr Steve Wells, Adaptix CTO, said ”2D X-ray is the most common type of imaging but gives a fundamentally limited view of our 3D bodies. The aim of Adaptix is to transform radiology by replacing 2D X-ray with a low-cost, low-dose mobile 3D system available at the point of care”
The benefits of the Adaptix system to the patient are manifold and extend far beyond the promise of more accurate diagnoses. Near real time image results available in a matter of seconds mean quick diagnosis and treatment, and the potential to scan through a cast not only saves time but also reduces discomfort for patients. Where fractures or disease are suspected in the foot or ankle, the Adaptix system is able to image the affected area with the patient standing in a weight-bearing position rather than prone, allowing medical experts to assess the damage more effectively.
Radiation levels are similar to those produced by existing 2D X-ray systems and far lower than those incurred from CT scanners. As the system is fully portable – the size and weight of a suitcase – unlike other imaging equipment it can easily be installed in existing radiology rooms and the improved quality could mean that the images could be confidently read by less specialised staff, for example during out of hours cases.
But it’s not only people with broken bones who stand to benefit from this new technology. As part of the project with ESA, Adaptix have also developed and sold many portable 3D X-ray machines for veterinary centres. For the human imaging system, five initial demonstrations were completed in Europe and the US as part of the project, encompassing children’s hospitals, an orthopaedic clinic and general medical facilities. In each trial the initial feedback has been very promising and the equipment has already been installed at many veterinary surgeries in the UK and US.
Quoc Hoang, MD, Musculoskeletal Radiologist, New Orleans VA Medical Center on reviewing an Adaptix wrist image wrote: “Great image. Might be the first time I’ve seen the carpal trapezoid bone in isolation. Degenerative changes are well seen.”
Arnaud Runge, Technical Officer for ESA on the project with Adaptix said, “This new technology has the power to transform patient care, and the ‘low cost, low dose’ portable model means that it appeals to a wide range of functions, from A&E units through to remote surgeries, dental practices, veterinary providers and many more. It has been an exciting project to work on and we look forward to seeing it rolled out across healthcare – the low radiation dose also means that we could even see the system used in space in the coming years.”
Chris White-Horne, Deputy CEO & Chief Delivery Officer at UK Space Agency said:
“We all use space technology in our daily lives, from mobile devices and navigation to online banking and weather forecasting. But beyond these uses, it is increasingly crucial in the healthcare sector.This project from Adaptix, which employs technology developed for space missions, has the potential to dramatically reduce the cost of X-rays for healthcare providers and exposure to radiation, while improving patient access. The UK boasts a thriving space applications sector where many non-space companies leverage space technologies for a competitive advantage, while showcasing innovations that can benefit people’s lives.”
With US FDA regulatory clearance for a first version of the Orthopaedic device received in January 2023 and Adaptix setting up manufacturing facilities in Scotland, interest is building from the USA and a growing number of veterinary and dental practices. Going forward, research is underway to extend the capabilities of the technology to cover other areas of the body including bedside 3D lung imaging. The future looks very bright for this compact, powerful technology, as it is poised to transform mobile imaging across the medical world. It brings a host of new possibilities to 3D X-ray imaging that previously would not have been feasible, such as care at home, ambulances and even the bedsides of ICU patients. The recovery of many fracture patients are set to be improved by the ESA-backed Adaptix technology, providing a transformative diagnostic tool for medical professionals and bringing a multitude of benefits to patients around the world.
All eyes were on space at Harwell this week, as more than 200 delegates from across Europe and beyond joined ESA’s Business Applications and Space Solutions (BASS) conference “Towards a Space-Powered Economy”. The two-day event had a packed agenda with more than 50 speakers and a common ambition – to bring the added benefits of space to our businesses, economies and communities, and help mitigate the impact of climate change on our growing populations and natural environment.
With support from skilled ESA Technical Officers, the vast majority of BASS projects enjoy commercial success, and more than 50% generate sales before project completion. Those attending the conference had the opportunity to hear about a wide range of projects making use of satellite technologies and data in sustainable solutions to global challenges, as 20 companies from across Europe pitched their business concepts to a distinguished judging panel. With ideas ranging from movable bus stops to methane gas reduction, organic cotton monitoring to illegal logging prevention, competition was stiff and the judges had a difficult task. The winners, announced at the conference, were the UK’s Trade in Space, whose ORCAS project focuses on helping smallholders access global markets directly and has already protected and enhanced more than 1,000,000 family incomes. Second place went to Finland’s ICEYE’s disaster monitoring service with Italy’s i-EM in third for their OCTAGON project providing connected green energy solutions for the simulation and the management of smart grid components.
Day two opened with a flurry of distinguished speakers, starting with ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher who outlined the importance and potential of the space sector for world economies and emphasised the significant role played by commercialisation programmes such as BASS in ESA’s agenda.
“The space economy is growing extremely fast and is expected to rise from 500bn EURO today to more the 1tn EURO in the next decade. ESA is supporting the development of space companies and looking to provide the right conditions and frameworks for them to grow, so this is an important event to help make this work” said Mr Aschbacher. “The UK is very engaged and a strong partner for ESA in the commercialisation of space.”
UK Minister Sir Chris Bryant MP joined on screen to share his ambitions for the sector and Geraldine Naja, Director of Commercialisation, Industry and Competitiveness at ESA, echoed these sentiments and spoke of the significant contribution BASS and the wider commercialisation agenda is making to the green transition, and how sustainability is at the centre of the programme’s work.
“We have to be leading innovation and change in the space sector to ensure that our industry will be competitive” said Ms Naja. “You can see from today’s event that there is such wide participation in terms of entities represented, it is a great opportunity for networking, creating new partnerships and, eventually, creating new space applications and services.”
As is fitting for a space agency, there were a number of important launches to celebrate during the conference. Whilst the focus of the event was very much on future potential, it was also a chance to celebrate the important work carried out to date. The new BASS Societal Dossier, unveiled at the event, analyses the impact of the 500 million Euro invested in more than 1,000 companies since 2010. Also newly published, the updated Green Dossier details how BASS projects are contributing to sustainability goals and the green transition across multiple sectors.
Over the two days of inspirational speakers and stimulating panel discussions, there was also plenty of opportunity for networking, forging new collaborations and strengthening existing partnerships. Two new Memoranda of Intent (MOI) were signed at the event, the first with Prototypes for Humanity, an initiative by the Art Dubai Group supporting the most promising innovations towards commercial viability through partnership with government, industry and potential investors. The second MOI was signed with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), outlining common objectives around improving sustainability and circularity in sport, protecting the environment and reducing emissions. The agreement originally signed between ESA and the UN’s CEO Water Mandate in 2023 moved to its next phase at the conference, with a joint commitment to build on the success of the Digitising Water Resilience initiative which has already generated a series of commercially successful projects helping to protect vital water resources around the world.
Reflecting on the event as the last buses departed, Nick Appleyard, Head of Space Solutions at ESA, said “At BASS we are committed to developing products and services because they are actually needed, not just because we have the technical capability to do so. Events such as these are vital as they bring all the parties together – entrepreneurs, investors, experts and end-users - and I am delighted to see so many important connections being made here this week. We are already looking forward to next year’s event; now it’s over to industry to bring us their ideas and to innovate.”
Pitch companies:
