Overview

Pioneer is ESA Telecommunications programme to support emergence of new providers of innovative space-based services. Pioneer helps develop the infrastructure of these new companies for low cost and quick access to space. The capability to deliver space-based services is validated through at least one Pioneer flight mission. 

Objectives

Pioneer objectives are to support industry competitiveness by:

i.    lowering the entry barriers faced by public and private entities wishing to demonstrate new and advanced technologies, systems, services and applications in a representative operational environment; and 

ii.    attracting entrepreneurs and service providers in the satcom market, thus furthering the adoption of new satcom solutions. 

Pioneer Private Partners

To reach the above objectives, the Agency supports the emergence of commercial entities interested in becoming one-stop-shop service providers for public and private customers. Pioneer private partners are expected to:

− act as a single interface point for their customers who want to demonstrate, validate or operate, in a representative environment, innovative solutions requiring new space segment elements 

− offer an affordable and timely access to space for testing, validating and operating innovative solutions that require new space segment elements 

− ensure that the operations and decommissioning of space infrastructure are compliant with relevant international standards and guidelines, including those related to space debris mitigation. 

The Pioneer private partners need to be equipped with: 

− capabilities and competences, including inter alia: end-to-end mission definition, design, assembly, integration and test, deployment, operation, decommissioning, frequency spectrum management, customer interface standardization and tools, etc.; 

− infrastructure building blocks, including inter alia: satellite platform and payload, communication tools and equipment for mission payload data and TT&C uplink and downlink, launch services, insurance services, ground control station for teleporting and communication infrastructure services, etc. 

Pioneer private partners are expected to maximise the re-use of existing capabilities and infrastructure building blocks. 

Validating the Service In-Orbit

As part of the Pioneer Programme, each of the Space Mission Provider is expected to build and launch one (or more) in-orbit validation Mission(s) with the purpose of demonstrating the respective service and as a showcase for future customers.

The private partner shall commit to implement and validate the infrastructure and service provision platform as well as to implement and operate the validation mission. The private partner shall furthermore provide the necessary function and performance validation data to the Agency.

Pioneer Projects :  7* Space Mission Providers * independent contracts 

	Sapion	Internet of Things service	3U	Launched in 2021	Open Cosmos, UK
	Striving	IOV service	~75 kg	Launch planned end 2022	Sitael, Italy
	IODA	Multi-mission platform adaptation			Airbus, France
	SAAS	Aviation, maritime and data services	3 to 6U	16 launched in 2018 to 2021 3 to be launched in 2022	Spire Global, UK
	Faraday 2G	IOV service	~50 to 150 kg	6U launched in 2021 Microsats to be launched in 2023	In-Space Missions, UK
	xSPANCION	Machine to machine and Internet of Things service	12 U	2 planned in 2023	AAC Clyde Space, UK
	Edison**	Optical space to ground service	6U	1 planned in 2023 (** Pioneer like ARTES CC)

Six companies are currently signed up to Pioneer as SMPs, working to develop their infrastructure for in-orbit demonstration and other services provision.

A seventh company, Space Inventor, based in Denmark, is providing a similar service – on a smaller-scale “project Edison” for now.