Thales Alenia Space is one of the sponsors of the European Space Expo, a traveling exhibition, free to the general public, which is in Paris from June 20 to 29. The aim of this exhibition is to help people across Europe discover what space contributes to our daily lives. Organized by a consortium led by Spacetech, on behalf of the European Commission, this exhibition spotlights major European programs in all key areas, including telecommunications, satellite navigation (Egnos, Galileo), space exploration and environmental management.

Thales Alenia Space is showcasing its expertise in civil, military and dual telecom applications, as well as for constellations. For example, the Iridium Next constellation of 81 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) is gearing up for the launch of the first batch, slated for September 12th, 2016.

The main subjects at the exhibition are connectivity and how to reduce the digital divide.

Today, the digital divide is more than ever a major issue for society. More than 4 billion people – most of whom live in developing countries – are not connected to the internet, or have only sporadic connections. In the 42 least-connected countries [representing 2.5 billion people], it is still very difficult to access the internet via conventional land-based networks. Furthermore, access to broadband internet in many Western countries, including France, is still very limited in certain areas.

A very economically attractive alternative to reduce the digital divide worldwide is offered by very-high-throughput satellites – and that happens to be one of Thales Alenia Space’s areas of expertise. The advantage of satellite-based solutions is that they are able to offer internet access across an entire territory, independently of the quality of terrestrial infrastructure, at very similar network connection costs. The new generation of satellites also offers unprecedented operational flexibility, because they are faster, more agile and more cost-effective. This means they can offer solutions addressing a wide range of user needs, including data transmissions for both individuals and businesses. More info, click here.

Another topic spotlighted at the exhibition is of course climate change. Whether monitoring land, sea or air, satellites provide a key contribution to the data that underpins the models used to predict the impact of climate change. This data has become increasingly accurate over the years, enabling us to better understand our climate, including how it changes and possible long-term impacts. The European environmental monitoring program Copernicus is one of the stars of this exhibition. Thales Alenia Space is prime contractor for the Sentinel-1 and 3 missions (each including four identical satellites), responsible for the ground segment on the Sentinel-2 mission, and also supplies several instruments for Sentinel-6, making it a major partner in this program that provides invaluable input to European decision-makers. More info, click here.

Venus, Mars, Mercury, Titan, asteroids and comets… Thales Alenia Space has always been at the forefront of Europe’s fantastic journeys to explore the Solar System.

Two major missions with Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor, one scientific, one exploration, are being highlighted during the exhibition: Herschel/Planck (2009), considered to be one of the leading space observatories ever developed in Europe; and of course ExoMars. Europe’s Mars exploration mission has been front-page news in recent months. The 2016 mission is already en route for the Red Planet, and the second mission has been confirmed for launch in 2020.

The aim of this two-pronged mission is to answer the question asked by David Bowie in his avant-garde album from 1971, Hunky Dory: “Is there Life on Mars?” What was only science fiction in the early seventies will become a reality in the coming years, as we begin to get concrete answers about the possibility of life on Mars. These two exploration missions will study the Martian atmosphere, and then the planet’s soil in the second mission, to discover any traces of life … and help answer a question that people have asked since time immemorial: are we alone in the Universe? Are there extraterrestrial forms of life? One of the first measurements will be to detect traces of methane, an essential component of life, and then to determine if it’s of biological or geological origin. Subsequently, the mission will search for sub-surface bacteria, enabling us to perhaps finally state, “Yes, there is life on Mars!”

ExoMars is the latest step in a long-term exploration process that will probably lead to humans taking their first step on the Red Planet. The first manned flights to Mars could start towards 2030-2040 – and Thales Alenia Space is already gearing up for these missions by carrying out advanced tests in its labs in Turin, Italy. In the meantime, the world is holding its breath while awaiting the 2016 ExoMars mission’s arrival in Mars orbit later this year. On October 19, 2016, the Schiaparelli descent module is scheduled to land on Mars. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you informed on all the latest developments in this exciting interplanetary voyage. More info, click here

Photos copyrights: © Thales Alenia Space - Master Image Programmes - ESA/Pierre Carril
Video copyright: © Thales Alenia Space/Master Image Programmes