In line with the progression towards a service-oriented European space policy and programme, and as societal reliance on space infrastructure increases along with the sensitivity of many economic sectors to the effects of Space Weather (SWE), the all-round development and delivery of operational SWE services is a rapidly emerging issue-area that will become of crucial importance.
This report provides an in-depth investigation of the steps that need to be taken on the technical, market and organisational fronts in order to ensure a sustainable provision of operational SWE services within the European context. The study translates the complexity within SWE science, technologies, and plethora of connected institutions into a structured policy-oriented analysis that provides a clear-eyed view of the stakes and requirements associated with the delivery of operational SWE services.
To this end, the report firstly provides general observations on the importance of operational SWE services in Europe and on the issues associated with the establishment of sustainable services. Building on this, the demand and supply conditions are explored with respect to both the European and international contexts, and a fit/gap analysis of the technological, business and policy dimensions will be provided. Subsequently, the study reflects on different models for ensuring the smooth provision of value-adding services, including those centred on public institutions, private actors and international cooperation mechanisms. Finally, a cost-benefit analysis of the different models is provided to identify the optimal way forward.