A satellite orbiting above Earth, collecting data from the surface, illustrates a flier with the details for the World Space Week UK launch event and the message 'Save the date, Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, Stormont, Belfast'. It includes the logos for World Space Week, Space4Climate, National Centre for Earth Observation, Matrix (Northern Ireland Science industry Panel) and NI Space (Northern Ireland Space).
Photo credit  |  Save the date for the UK launch of World Space Week

UK launch of World Space Week, October 3, Belfast

Events  |  25 June, 2024

Space4Climate, National Centre for Earth Observation and NI Space to host UK launch event for World Space Week, ‘Space and Climate Change: UK science and technology pioneering initiatives with global impact’

Space4Climate, National Centre for Earth Observation and NI Space are hosting a unique event to launch World Space Week 2024 in the UK. It will bring together national and regional leaders of space climate technology and innovation.

The theme of World Space Week this year (October 4th-10th) is ‘Space and Climate Change’ and it will be marked around the world.

Our collaborative event – ‘Space and Climate Change: UK science and technology pioneering initiatives with global impact’ – will take place at Stormont in Belfast, on the eve of World Space Week with an audience drawn from policy and industry. The UK’s Regional Space Clusters, Space4Climate members and National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO) experts will be represented. Collaboration with the European Space Agency, UK regional activities and Northern Ireland’s expertise will be showcased.

A key message will be opportunities – including funding and investment initiatives – for the take-up of trustworthy data from space for commercial applications, novel climate products and informing climate decisions and climate action. Real world case studies will be at the core of the event along with face-to-face networking with UK data suppliers, funders, investors, policy-makers and climate entrepreneurs.

Value of climate data from space

The aim of the launch, supported by the Northern Ireland Space Office (NISO), is to emphasise space and climate change expertise across the whole of the UK. The programme will demonstrate the value of space climate data in underpinning effective climate policy, actions, decisions and strategic planning across all sectors and the international role of UK leadership in these areas in the run-up to COP29, taking place in Azerbaijan in December.

Hosting the event in Northern Ireland builds on the legacy of the UK Space Conference that took place in Belfast in 2023.

Register to attend on eventbrite.

View the UK launch event on the World Space Week website.

For more events for the Earth Observation for climate community, see our calendar.

World Space Week 2024: Space and Climate Change Showcase: ‘UK science and technology pioneering initiatives with global impact’

PROGRAMME 

Master of Ceremonies: Robert Hill 

 

Time  Activity/Agenda 
13:30-14:00  Registration 
14:00   Welcome Remarks 

Minister for the Economy of Northern Ireland Conor Murphy, Northern Ireland 
14:15 – 15:00  Panel Session  

UK’s Pioneering Achievements and Ambitions in Space for Climate Action 

Chair: Krupa Nanda Kumar, Climate Services Development Manager, Space4Climate 

 

  • Rebecca Corey, EO Data Lead, UK Space Agency 
  • John Remedios, Director, National Centre for Earth Observation 
  • Rico Santiago, Head of Business Development, Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland 
  • Andrew Stanniland, CEO, Thales Alenia Space UK 
15:00 – 15:30  Presentations 

Championing public sector engagements featuring Regional Space Clusters 

 

Chair: Robert Hill, Manager, NI Space Cluster 

  • Christina Smith, Space Hub Yorkshire 
  • Susan Heaney, Northern Ireland Space Office 
  • Stuart Catchpole, Space East 
  • Louise Butt, Space South Central 
  • Rosie Cane, Space Wales 
15:30-15:45  Break – Tea and Coffee 
15:45 – 16:45  Presentations 

Translating space-based data into action 

Hear how different initiatives in the UK are accelerating the use of satellite Earth Observation data to actionable policy, projects, tools and products. 

 

Chair: Emma Hatton, Head of Geospatial Intelligence, Satellite Applications Catapult 

 

  • How to Use Observations from Space​ for Actionable Climate Information: Susanne Mecklenburg, Head of Division for Climate and Long-Term Action, European Space Agency 
  • EO DataHub: Federica Moscato, CEDA Head of Earth Observation  
  • Surveillance monitoring of Cyano Bacterial blooms in Lough Neagh​: Claire Young, Head of Branch for Marine Strategy and Catchments, DAERA Marine and Fisheries Division 
16:45-17:00  Official Launch of World Space Week 

Networking and light refreshments 

 

Professor Helen McCarthy, Chief Scientific and Technical Adviser, Northern Ireland 
17:00 – 18:00  Networking  
18:00  Close 

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