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SME4SPACE COVID-19 Information section

In order to help European Space SMEs in this very complex and hard situation, SME4SPACE decided to open the present section.

In this section, all the support measures and initiatives in favour of European Space SMEs from ESA, EC and Member States are listed and/or described, with also a brief report of the survey conducted by SME4SPACE on urgent actions/needs and concerns of European Space SMEs.

Moreover, you can find below direct links to the relative COVID-19 sections of SME4SPACE Working Members.

SME4SPACE first results and propositions from COVID-19 survey proposed to ESA, European Commission and relative Member States

Hereafter, SME4SPACE presents a summary of the results of a rapid survey on urgent actions/needs and concerns of the European Space SMEs.
The survey was conducted from 20 to 24 March 2020.
The survey was distributed to all SME4SPACE Members and to our broader mailing list and also posted on SME4SPACE website as well as on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The survey was distributed to all SME4SPACE Members and to our broader mailing list and also posted on SME4SPACE website as well as on LinkedIn and Twitter.

The survey received 113 replies from 18 European (both ESA and EC Member States) Countries with also Canada.

Among the major problems that European Space SMEs are facing, we find:

  1. Cash flow constrain
  2. Workforce availability
  3. Supply problem

Among the proposed urgent actions, we highlight:

  • Advance payment increasing (even at milestone level and after the project start)
  • Flexibility
    • stick on the schedule vs postponement of deadlines/milestones (without any eventual penalty)
    • To extend projects duration in order to complete the activity
    • Enable CCNs in ESA projects related to additional costs caused by the current situation
    • Anticipate payments, review Milestone Payments Plans, fractionating milestones
    • Neutralization of contractual penalties
  • Financial support:
    • Space Dedicated Venture Capital
    • Short term loans and R&D grants;
    • give SME access to credits
    • Enable full tax deduction for capital increase by current shareholder(s)
    • Intervention of Government and European Institution in support to SME in term of Funds.
    • Funding support to maintain economic viability
    • Financial support to help start-ups/SME’s cover staff costs following contract cancellation and delayed investments.
    • EC to keep level of budget allowed to Space for next years. Decisions have been taken based on this. A reduction of the budget allowed would be a disaster for our business.
    • ESA and EC can easily release payments on already implemented grants / contracts / project milestones early

Download the full presentation with the results of our survey

SME4SPACE link to COVID-19 survey

ESA and European Commission measures

We have just sent to ESA and European Commission the results of our survey and we expect that these will be taken in consideration.

For the time beeing, the following measures have been already adopted:

SME4SPACE Working Members’ COVID-19 sections

Aerospace-Valley COVID-19 Section (in French)

AIPAS COVID-19 Section (in Italian)

COVID-19 Madrid Aerospace Cluster Section (in Spanish)

UKSpace Coronavirus COVID-19 Links and News Updates (in English)

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Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of UN COPUOS

At the meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee of UN COPUOS, Croatia has its representatives as observers.

The regular meeting of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee is attended by OSCE Ambassador Mario Horvatić, Jasminka Dinić and Iva Baković as members of the delegation. Croatia has observer status but should be admitted to a permanent membership at the session in June.

The meeting is also attended by A3 member Mirta Medanić as part of the SGAC (Space Generation Advisory Council) delegation.

The list of participants can be found at:
http://unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2020/aac_105c_12020crp/aac_105c_12020crp_2_0_html/AC105_C1_2020_CRP02EFS.pdf

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Brijuni Conference

We invite you all to the Brijuni Conference 2020 that will be held on April 22-24 2020 in the Brijuni National Park, Croatia. The Conference topic is “Deep Space Communication, Navigation and Propulsion” and for more details please visit our web page http://www.brijuni-conference.irb.hr/.

The focus is on scientific and technical aspects of deep space communication, navigation and propulsion, with the emphases on novel ideas. The conference is also a meeting place of science and technology and programmatic aspects might also be discussed. Ample afternoon time is meant for making contacts, discussing projects or arranging business. Poster sessions are organized reviewing R&D results or displaying products. The conference is targeting scientists and engineers in Space, companies that are developing cutting edge technology and importantly students and young scientists.

Slobodan Danko Bosanac
president
Adriatic Aerospace Association

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Northwestern’s Polytechnic University prof. Yi Li visit to A3

Prof. dr. Yi Li from Department of Astronautics at the Northwestern Polytechnic University in Xian visited us 5-7 December. During the visit we discussed future collaboration in space research.

Prof. Li visited two institutions, our members. At the Ruđer Bošković Institute dr. Mile Ivanda showed prof. Li the research they do in the laboratory for Synthesis of New Materials. Director of the Institute dr. David Smith hosted prof.  Li when they presented the ongoing research at both institutions. Prof. Li also visited Algebra University College where he met the Dean prof. Mislav Balković and delivered in front of the packed audience lecture on NPU and the work in his Department. The visit by all accounts was very successful.

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PERUN I – First Croatian Satellite

The first A3 project is construction, assembly and launching Croatian CubeSat 2U satellite with camera as the main payload. It was named after Perun, the god of thunder and lightning (the thunderbolt), the supreme deity in the pantheon of Slavic Gods, according to Slavic mythology. We took Perun as the name because the symbol of the God Perun is similar to our logo of the project.

PERUN project will be realized by a large number of young engineers and scientists led by experienced staff at universities and scientific institutions through project reviews and advice. Such engineers and scientists will not only learn the theory of space engineering but will get a welth of hands-on experience. Students who gain knowledge in aerospace often use it in other high technologies – biomedicine, mechanical engineering, software engineering…

The main misson is to take pictures from the Space at height of 550km. Taken images will be used for educational purposes and data will be avaliable for all institutions, universities and schools to learn how to use them. Also from this we want to initiate the first Croatian Space program.

Invest in our crowdfunding

Take part in the project by donating and that together we can reach the Space. Looking down from there on Earth you can say “I did it!”. Any small amount is welcome and shall make that vision come true. On our part we have highly skilled engineers and very enthusiastic young people and on your part means of acquiring technology that we still have to master. We call it science/technology and investemnet sinergy.

The Croatian satellite

To watch Croatia from Space one needs camera, source of energy, remote communication and very importantly control of camera orientation. It looks simple but all these is test of Croatian knowhow in high tech for the Space environment. Yes, and perservirance of young people to learn about what lies ahead in their lives, Space era. This project shall make us the member of the World Space Club.

Sponsors: Algebra d.o.o., Geolux d.o.o., Ruđer Bošković Institute, Digital Talents d.o.o., IJEX GmbH, Scam marine d.o.o., Internal d.o.o., ATIR d.o.o.

For more information visit Perun I webpage.