City planners have a new tool at their disposal for mapping urban spaces – satellite data. While traditional methods such as manual photography and drones have been used in the past, satellite data offers unique benefits such as large coverage area, cost-efficiency, and high levels of automation.
The SPACE4Cities project, launched in February 2024, aims to utilize European satellite data to create replicable solutions for better management of public spaces. Funded by the European Commission’s Horizon Europe program through the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA), SPACE4Cities is a pioneering effort in incorporating space applications into the management of public spaces.
The project will be utilizing a Pre-Commercial Procurement process to purchase Research & Development services from multiple suppliers simultaneously. This approach allows for the exploration of highly innovative solutions that are not currently available in the market. To facilitate this, SPACE4Cities has announced the launch of its Open Market Consultation, beginning on June 4, 2024.
The use of space data and services is projected to contribute to over 55 billion euros in the EU alone by 2033. As a European project, SPACE4Cities stands out for its explicit connection between public spaces and space applications, utilizing data from Copernicus and/or Galileo. The project takes a holistic approach to addressing public space challenges, going beyond the traditional focus on security.
In addition to addressing the gap in public procurements for space downstream technologies, SPACE4Cities also aims to tackle major challenges faced by European cities and improve the daily lives of citizens. The technological capabilities and skills developed through the Pre-Commercial Procurement will also contribute to the EU’s strategic autonomy.
The project’s early stages have already seen collaboration with five top-innovative European cities: Helsinki, Amsterdam, Ghent, Guimarães, and Athens (Attica Region). These cities have defined use cases to enhance the management of their public spaces and grouped them into three challenges: Climate adaptation and resilience, Sustainable mobility, and Urban planning.
During the five-month Open Market Consultation, SPACE4Cities is seeking insights from solution providers, including SMEs, large companies, NGOs, and research organizations. All stakeholders interested in the challenges are encouraged to contribute to the state-of-the-art analysis of space applications and provide feedback on the challenges’ content, requirements, budget, and timeline for the Pre-Commercial Procurement.
Renske Martijnse-Hartikka, Senior Project Manager at Forum Virium Helsinki and Coordinator of SPACE4Cities, emphasizes the importance of participating in the Open Market Consultation. “Providers are welcome to explain what is currently being done on the market and how they can innovate. They can also comment on the feasibility of our Pre-Commercial Procurement process and start thinking about their tender submission at the beginning of 2025,” she says.
Alan Mandrillon, Space Project Manager at Aerospace Valley, adds that “SPACE4Cities is proud to be the first Pre-Commercial procurement stimulating both Earth Observation and Global Navigation Satellite System technologies, thus fostering their combination in meeting European cities’ needs as well as the space sector.”
For additional information, please contact Renske Martijnse-Hartikka, Senior Project Manager at Forum Virium Helsinki, at +358 40 683 7979 or renske.martijnse-hartikka@forumvirium.fi.
1Source: EUSPA EO and GNSS Market Report, Issue 2, copyright © European Union Agency for the Space Programme, 2024.
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