Alan Brunstrom
Head of the Applications Business Office
ESA.

Biography
Alan's 30 year career in the space industry began at Inmarsat, where he launched new mobile communications systems into aeronautical, maritime and land mobile markets. For the next decade he was an independent advisor on satellite-related business to the international financial community and to consultancies such as PwC and KPMG.

Since 2009 Alan has helped ESA to develop its new European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) at Harwell. This reflects his belief that the future of the industry depends upon stimulating market-led applications and services, rather than a technology-driven approach.

Alan has an Honours degree in geography from Emmanuel College, Cambridge.

Abstract


Most people are unaware how much their daily lives depend upon space-based systems. Some of the applications are obvious when one thinks about it: satellite television in our homes and satellite navigation in our cars ? but there are a myriad other ways in which space can help us.

The space sector has been growing strongly throughout the recent global economic crisis, at an annual rate of around 9%. Most of this growth comes not from building and launching rockets and satellites but from very down-to-earth services that use space technologies. The European Space Agency (ESA) has set up programmes to support this growth and the social and economic benefits that space can bring.

The Integrated Applications Promotion programme, or IAP, co-funds the development of new services and applications that combine two or more space technologies with conventional, terrestrial ones. This typically means earth observation, navigation or telecommunications systems integrated with earth-based sensors, operational processes and ITC. The applications address real world issues in almost every area of human life.

The IAP programme is open to large and small consortia of companies and institutions drawn from one or more of ESA?s Member States. Proposals can be submitted at any time through a continuously open call. ESA works iteratively with companies to develop their ideas, with a focus not just on the technology but on the business case and the delivery of a sustainable new service.
See http://artes-apps.esa.int for more details.