Vigo leads the biggest European cooperation in nanosatellites

The University of Vigo will be responsible of the GEOCID European project, the contribution of the European Space Agency (ESA) Humsat program approved by the UN, to create a constellation of nanosatellites in cooperation with developing countries and applications in communications, telemedicine, monitoring climate change and education.

The University of Vigo which coordinates a global working group, is also part of the CalPoly University (California, USA) and Jordi Puig, a parent of nanosatellites, head the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM ) and CREACTEALC (Regional Center for Space Science and Technology Education for Latin America and the Caribbean) directed by Sergio Camacho, former head of the Office Space of the UN, not only in Europe will be responsible for the project but, as agreed by the ESA is also responsible for the coordination of nine European satellites to be launched into space.

"The project will lead by the University of Vigo," says Fernando Aguado, professor and researcher at the School of Telecommunications at the University of Vigo and the project coordinator, "because it combines international cooperation will promote the development of aerospace technologies in countries development and also what is the monitoring and creating a network of ground sensors that communicate via satellite for monitoring climate change with global coverage, applications to which is added the possibility of using the emergency broadcast system low-speed data with some users that would be the UN and member countries participating in the program Humsat.

The low cost, coupled with its ability to provide solutions to problems and that allows the development of space technology in all countries of the world, which Aguado calls "the democratization of space," according to the coordinator are factors determine the success of a project that also "known worldwide for synergies and profits for nanosatellites. The network would consist of at least 18 nanosatellites to form a constellation that would orbit over the planet at a distance of about 500 or 600 miles.

The role of universities in Europe

With the selection by ESA of the University of Vigo as a responsible European coordinator of the project and nine European nanosatellites are to be released, the academic institution Vigo becomes the first Spanish university to have this role at European level which supposes, said Clinton, "we will consolidate as a reference in the field of nanosatellites with the possibility of defining a complete system.

Eight research groups at the university Galician involving 30 teachers and 40 doctoral students and engineers school project of Industrial Engineering, Telecommunications and Informatics and the Faculty of Sciences, are the ones who formed this project that began to be forged in August 2008 from a first contact Jordi Puig and later with the UN "to which he moved," explains Aguado "to address the lack of coordination that existed at the time, a unified mission noncommercial satellites to help control climate parameters and humanitarian uses, would be a good mechanism to be supported by any country. "

From there the project was getting support from organizations like the UN, several countries like USA, Japan or Russia and space agencies such as the European Space Agency itself moved it to its members and cooperating and gave his approval after nationwide developer, in this case Spain, confirmed that it had the required financial guarantee. "The cost is very moderate," said Aguado, "half a million euros a year to be moved in recruiting engineers, on coordination and strengthen the competitive advantages of the University."

A dream fulfilled

With the confirmation of the European Space Agency a few days recently and still travel to Paris to present the project to UNESCO Fernando Aguado describes as "dream" the decision of the European Space Agency. "It is truly a dream," said while appreciating the work and the involvement of all persons involved in the project and institutional support received. "We must look forward and take responsibility," he said, while asserting that the decision of the ESA "is the translation of the work that I share with many others pode progressing.

A work that has already made important achievements as Xatcobeo design, the first pico-satellite Galician, or designation, a couple of months, of the University of Vigo as the European node of the global satellite network noncommercial, Gens and is open the involvement of universities that to t together make up the Vigo University System of Galicia, as well as businesses and institutions.

Source: University of Vigo