Major consultation with prospective users of EU GOVSATCOM services is under way

A European-wide survey aimed at identifying user needs and use cases for future EU GOVSATCOM services will be carried out by EU Member States and EU agencies within the ENTRUSTED project. The survey is addressed to governmental and institutional users managing security-critical missions, operations and infrastructures. Information will be collected between April and June. Survey results will provide user requirements for EU GOVSATCOM.

Governmental and institutional entities need to rely on satellite communications (SatCom) in many critical situations. SatCom is an essential capability when terrestrial communication systems are not available and communication links need to be ensured and secured. The new regulation for the next EU Space Programme 2021-2027 introduces Governmental Satellite Communications (EU GOVSATCOM) as a new programme component dedicated to secure, reliable and cost-effective satellite communication services for governmental and institutional users.

At this stage, it is important to understand detailed user- and operational requirements for specific EU GOVSATCOM services. Hence, a European-wide survey will be undertaken within the ENTRUSTED project, coordinated by the European GNSS Agency, which focuses strictly on the user perspective. “At the GSA, we are linking space to user needs. We are managing and supporting the ENTRUSTED Consortium, as we know that it is essential to reach out to the users and understand their requirements for EU GOVSATCOM services. That will be key to achieve our mission to create GOVSATCOM, a key component of the EU Space Programme” said Rodrigo da Costa, GSA Executive Director.

A survey, coordinated by the EU Satellite Centre, will assess the current and evolving needs of prospective EU GOVSATCOM users, as well as their use of existing secure SatCom capabilities. Information obtained from respondents will be used for deriving a set of prioritised user requirements and identifying relevant use cases. User requirements will be considered in the implementing regulations for EU GOVSATCOM, and will therefore inform the subsequent development activities.

More than 350 users have been initially identified by the ENTRUSTED Consortium, and this figure is expected to grow during the surveying period. Both users with current experience in the use of secure SatCom and potential users with no prior experience can take part in the survey. Any governmental and institutional user interested in the development of this new European programme is encouraged to contact the ENTRUSTED Consortium.

The ENTRUSTED survey offers a unique opportunity for users to voice their needs at an early stage of the EU GOVSATCOM implementation. More information about the survey can be found here.