The ESA Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) strategic programme line is dedicated to innovative and secure satellite communication systems and their integration into public and private terrestrial networks, part of the ARTES 4.0 programme.

4S works on space-enabled secure satellite communication solutions for user communities, on land, air, and sea, that are made in Europe and Canada, bringing a safer and more resilient society.

How to work with ESA ARTES 4.0

Objectives of the ESA Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) programme line

Today, our communications rely on terrestrial networks that are highly integrated with each other. The failure of any one element has the potential to create a major service disruption to the whole network. This can in turn cripple essential governmental or institutional services, for example fire services, police, etc., or critical operations, such as transportation, finance, health, energy production and distribution.

Satellite communications offer a real solution for stand alone, large-scale, reliable, secure and sovereign global coverage connectivity. Designed in an appropriate way, they can also complement terrestrial networks and increase the overall robustness and resilience of our digital infrastructure.

Within the strategic programme line Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S), ESA works on innovative and secure satellite communication systems, and their integration with public and private terrestrial communication networks, to enhance safety, resilience and security within society.

ESA 4S Interactive Brochure

The role of Space Systems for Safety and Security

Space Systems for Safety and Security (4S) at ESA helps translate space assets into safety and security solutions. It supports critical applications on Earth that increase ESA member states’ resilience to natural disasters, man-made crises and cyber-attacks, ensure their secure, efficient and reliable digital transformation and foster their global autonomy.

Resilience

When a catastrophic event occurs, space can be the back-up solution and ultimately even the last lifeline. The 4S programme helps build a trusted telecommunication infrastructure that institutions and citizens can rely on for their critical services, even in times of disaster or crisis.

Security

Citizens and states rely on communications infrastructures to share personal or sensitive information. ESA 4S solutions help protect the systems that provide communication Servcices and keep data confidential and secure.

Autonomy

A secure and resilient infrastructure is meaningless if it is vulnerable to intervention from third parties. ESA's 4S programme strengthens the sovereign European supply chain to enable it to deliver timely secure satellite communication services and systems that third parties cannot take control of, especially at the most critical times.

What projects are we looking for?

For the best chance of success in securing funding via the ARTES 4.0 programme and provided all other conditions are met, submissions for the 4S programme line should be in line with the following specific requirements:

• Generate solutions for secure satellite communications to bring a safer, more resilient society. 
• Involving stakeholders, user communities, industrial, and institutional partners who can drive innovation, bring next-generation solutions to market and foster the technological autonomy of ESA member states. 
• Develop solutions for transport safety in air, on land and at sea, utilities and critical infrastructure protection, civil protection and border control.

Examples of the application of secure satellite communications

ESA's ARTES 4S programme works with institutions, end-users and industries to imagine future secure satellite communication systems, technologies and services which are tailor-made to users’ needs and to foster their use. 

Some examples of the applications of secure satellite communication include:

1) Critical communication for firefighters during wildfires

Climate change and the damage caused to nature by human activities increase the frequency and scale of forest fires. On the ground, firefighter work together with planes, helicopters and specialist vehicles to contain and extinguish these fires to the best of their abilities.

This coordination requires reliable means of communication that can reach into tight canyons and cover vast areas of remote forests. Mobile phone infrastructures can be very cost-efficient but has limited coverage in wilderness areas. Terrestrial communication networks can also be cut off during emergencies, as happened to the Californian firefighters in 2018. 

Satellite communications, with their global coverage and voice and data services on the move, are a key element of the solution.

2) Extreme reliability for rail transportation

Some countries already use autonomous trains to provide reliable rail services. These services are planned around and rely on numerous ground radio relays, spread along the tracks at great cost. Extreme-reliability satellite services, as required for passenger train services, could help deploy autonomous trains at faster speeds and lower costs.

How to work with ARTES 4.0 4S

We work with user communities, institutions and industries to translate space assets into resilient and secure applications on the ground, for land, sea and air, for transport, energy, water and environmental surveillance, for civil protection, border control and cyber security. To ensure continued independent access to space solutions, 4S widens the options for autonomous and sovereign hardware and software.

See the 'How to work with us’ page for all your opportunities to work with ESA on 4S and the other ARTES programme elements.

How to work with ESA ARTES 4.0