Space: Cheli (ESA-ESRIN), new space economy strategic for innovation and growth

“Space is an increasingly strategic sector due to its potential for innovation, technological progress, economic development and much more ” said Simonetta Cheli, appointed in January 1, 2022, Director of the European Space Agency (ESA) Center for Earth Observation Programmes (ESRIN) in Frascati -the first woman to fill this role- after a 30-year career in the space sector . "Observation is a key activity for research, industry, communications, but especially for safety and wellbeing of people and the planet", she stated in an interview with the ENEA journal Energy Environment and Innovation (EAI), dedicated to “Research and Innovation for the space challenge”.

"ESRIN’s mission – Cheli explained - is to ensure that ESA's 16 Earth observation satellites work properly, as part of the Explorer and the Copernicus family of missions, to manage vast volumes of data also in the long term and provide full access to users. Furthermore - she said - we will ensure that construction and launch timelines of the 39 satellites being built are met and costs are contained ". "The challenges to face are innumerable, also due to the traditional role ESA plays as “link”  between the technical, scientific, political and institutional world and citizens, who must be able to benefit most from space technologies and related activities".

As the New Space Economy spreads, the role of private individuals grows, venture capital comes in and space is progressively “privatized” " new opportunities and potentials emerge, with the entrance of new players and private and commercial initiatives” said Simonetta Cheli. She continued: "ESA has already adopted a 'package' of initiatives in support of the New Space Economy and our new Director General has defined the priorities of the 2025 Agenda to include the marketing sector, like accelerating time-to-market of innovative ideas and helping new companies access venture capital". "Of course - she continued - these are business models completely different from traditional ones, entailing greater risks, a bit like in Silicon Valley, where out of 10 new businesses only three survived. Therefore a high failure rate is to be expected, but that's part of the game. "

The most important initiatives include the fight against global warming through the Climate Change Initiative (CCI), a program ESA has launched after the COP21 in Paris. "We monitor over 24 of the 50 climate variables defined by the United Nations relating to CO₂ emissions of anthropogenic origin, sea rise, temperature rise, air quality, ice mass, forest cover and so on”, said Cheli.

Finally, regarding her new appointment, Simonetta Cheli pointed out that "it was a natural but not expected career development prospect, since the appointment must be validated and shared by all the 22 ESA member countries and not Italy alone.

It gives me great personal satisfaction and pride in Italy's role and strong tradition in the space sector ", she said.

The whole interview is available at:  Perché ‘osservare’ la Terra è sempre più strategico

The issue of the magazine EAI is available at: “Ricerca e Innovazione per la sfida spaziale”:

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