Space Cafe Radio - Building Space Resilience: An Inside Look at ERS with Dr Josef Aschbacher and Dr Pascal Legai
Europe's Space Resilience Initiative Explained with Dr Pascal LegaiIn this episode of Space Café Radio, we take you deep into one of Europe’s most strategic space initiatives: ERS – European Resilience from Space.Host Torsten Kriening is joined by ESA Director General Dr. Josef Aschbacher and his Security Advisor Dr. Pascal Legai to unpack how ERS aims to give Europe independent, secure, and rapid access to intelligence from orbit – and why this matters now more than ever.Dr. Aschbacher explains how ERS is designed as a “system of systems”, federating national, commercial, and institutional capabilities into a resilient European framework. He outlines the ambition to move from fragmented assets to a coherent, interoperable architecture that can deliver near-real-time situational awareness for crises, defence, and security.Dr. Legai then takes us into the core of the concept:Why time-to-decision is the defining metric in today’s geopolitical environmentHow ERS will connect Earth observation, secure connectivity (IRIS²) and PNT into an integrated operational backboneThe distinction between technical governance (ESA) and political governance (EU) – and why that separation is crucialHow ERS will evolve into the broader EOGS – European Union Governmental Services visionWe also discuss:The funding reality behind the first ERS phase and expectations for the ESA Ministerial in BremenThe challenge of handling classified, sensitive, and commercial data across 27+ countriesWhat ERS means for Europe’s role between allies and competitors – and why credible capabilities are a prerequisite for credible partnershipsIf you want to understand how Europe plans to move from strategy to implementation on space security and resilience, this episode is your roadmap.Useful Links:ERS ProgramSpace Café Radio brings you talks, interviews, and reports from the team of SpaceWatchers while out on the road. Each episode has a specific topic, unique content, and a personal touch. Enjoy the show, and let us know your thoughts at
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