By the early 21st century space based systems have become an essential part in our daily lives. They have spurred the fast development of a sophisticated downstream economy around personal terminals and value-added services. Space systems are indispensable for the security and wellbeing of communities and countries, as they allow and enhance global-scale environmental and climate monitoring, meteorology observation and forecast, secure communications and early detection of hostile acts. Space science and exploration push the boundary of our understanding of the Universe, and allow for instance to predict and mitigate solar phenomena with dire consequences on Earth. Finally, robotic and human exploration of our Solar System caters for Humankind’s urge to go beyond – to know, explore and understand. None of the above is possible without first leaving the Earth atmosphere and reaching space. Therefore, a dependable and affordable access is more than ever a “must-have” for an increasing number of countries.
