Press Release: Majority of Europeans think space sector is a source of growth and contributor to scientific progress / European Satellite Navigation Galileo services will start at the end of 2014

Almost six out of ten Europeans think that space activities contribute to job creation in the EU, that investing in human space exploration can lead to medical progress or that space technologies have a role to play in avoiding threats such as asteroids, comets, and space debris collisions.

These are among the main conclusions of a new Eurobarometer survey about space activities presented in Brussels on 28 January 2014. The results show that Europeans increasingly recognise the importance of space for the EU and are generally positive about the current and future role of space technologies and space-derived services.

The European Commission also announced that Galileo, the EU satellite navigation programme (the European 'GPS') and Copernicus, the EU Earth monitoring programme, are in decisive phases this year. With the launch of six additional Galileo satellites, Europeans will soon be able to enjoy their own satellite navigation system.

The 28 January 2014 also marked the day of the 6th Annual Space Conference addressing the topic: 'What direction for Europe in space between now and 2020?'

• Primary Source

European Commission: RAPID: Press Release, IP/14/80: European Satellite Navigation Galileo services will start at the end of 2014 http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-80_en.pdf

European Commission: Public Opinion: Special Eurobarometer 403: Europeans’ attitudes to space activities http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_403_en.pdf

European Commission: RAPID: Speech, SPEECH/14/69: 6eme Conférence Annuelle sur la politique de l’espace http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-14-69_fr.pdf

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