Upcoming new COST Action

COST297 - ‘HAPCOS’ High Altitude Platforms for

Communications & Other Services

NEW!

Main Objective:

“To increase knowledge and understanding of the use of High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) for delivery of communications and other services, by exploring, researching and developing new methods, analyses, techniques and strategies for developers, service providers, system integrators and regulators.”

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Background & Current Status

Idea first mooted at CAPANINA mtg in Torino, Dec 2003

Proposal submitted Spring 2004 (by Tim Tozer, UoY)

Approved by TC-TIST ctte, Dec 2004

Now awaiting formal approval by COST CSO ctte (c. March 15th)

Hopefully this should be only a formality

We can commence once 5 countries are signed up This is done through national representatives They have each asked individuals in their country to declare willingness

to serve on Management Ctte (on basis to those identified previously)

Provisional date set for Kick-off meeting of Management Ctte

April 12th 2005(in Brussels)

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Key Features - COST297

4 year COST Action on HAPs and services - including, but not confined to: Platforms Communications Navigation Remote Sensing

Declared ‘Main Objective’:“To increase knowledge and understanding of the use of High Altitude Platforms (HAPs) for delivery of communications and other services, by exploring, researching and developing new methods, analyses, techniques and strategies for developers, service providers, system integrators and regulators.”

COST is about Research co-operation It funds travel and subsistence (and co-ordination activities)

And also Short Term Missions (e.g. scientist visiting another country)

It does not fund research directly

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Objectives of this Action

Increase knowledge- Concerning Applications, Opportunities

Co-ordinate with other

Actions-inc COST 272, 273, 280, 284 + others

Highlight opportunities and business models

Promote understanding- across HAP applications areas- externally

Identify concerns- System developers- Service Providers- HAP manufacturers

Share & develop ideas

3 main categories of activity: Research & Development

Workshops + Technical Visits

Dissemination Public Relations Promotion

To bring together:

HAP developers

Service developers in Communications,

Positioning / Navigation

Remote Sensing

....others...

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Benefits of this Action

Collaboration between research

teams- IST funded (Currently CAPANINA; others to come?)- ESA- others in Europe- Japanese NICT- Korean ETRI- Canadian?

Enhanced European competitiveness

Enhanced understanding across all

sectors

Will yield ‘critical mass’

More effective research

Facilitate future proposals

Encourage investment

Manufacturers

Service providers

Operators

Cross-disciplines

Innovation

Future prospects

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Scientific Programme: Potential R&D Topics

To link together activities in R&D.

Among principal identified topics to be addressed and researched:-

Platform operating parameters, dynamics, constraints

Antenna technology applied to HAPs- including pointing and steering mechanisms

Payload design and integration aspects- including power supply and conditioning

Optical communications link research and design

Network integration and Operational Support Systems

HAP operation and support

Trials methodologies, results and assessment

Operational cost analysis-through life costings, and business plan issues

Critical HAP technologies

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Scientific Programme: Activities

Workshops / Working Groups- on themes above- associated visits to laboratories etc.?- proceedings to be published

Technical visits

Short Term Scientific Missions- e.g. exchange of personnel

Participation in Seminars & Conferences- to be catalysed and exploited

Preparation of future bids- e.g. FP6 and beyond?

+ Virtually anything else the Action wishes to do!

Where possible, COST activities could be co-located with Conferences, Project meetings etc.

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Organisation, Management, Responsibilities

Other Bodies

Management Committee

Secretariat

WG 2HAPdevelopment

WG 1Communication

Aspects

WG 3Regulatory

Aspects

Other Bodies

Management Committee

Secretariat

WG 2Optical HAP links

WG 1Communication

Aspects

WG 3HAP

Developments

Other Bodies

Management Committee

Secretariat

WG 2HAPdevelopment

WG 1Communication

Aspects

WG 3Regulatory

Aspects

Other Bodies

Management Committee

Secretariat

WG 2Optical HAP links

WG 1Communication

Aspects

WG 3HAP

Developments

+ other Working

Groups as they evolve

Management Committee- Members currently being appointed- Chair to be appointed- Co-ordinator to be appointed

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Envisaged Initial Partners

 Member states  

Austria T.U. Wien

Germany DLR

  Contraves Space AG

Hungary Budapest University of Technology & Economics

Italy Carlo Gavazzi Space S.p.A.

  Euroconcepts s.r.l.

  Politecnico di Torino

Ireland National University of Galway

Slovenia Jozef Stefan Institute

Spain Universitat Politecnica Catalunya

Switzerland CSEM

UK The University of York

  Lindstrand Balloons

  Barclay Associates

  BTexact Technologies

  QinetiQ

 

Cooperating states  

Israel Ben Gurion University of the Negev

  Creative Technologies Israel.

Other States  

Japan NICT

Korea KARI (Korean Aerospace Research Institute)

Canada ALCATEL

Russia GEOSCAN

 

This list is not comprehensive or complete.

We do need to expand, with more countries and people signing up to COST297.

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Way Ahead COST297 set for final formal approval Immediate priority to ensure at least 5 countries signed up to

Management Ctte Urgent action to contact your national co-ordinator

- if not already done so

Should provide valuable opportunities for all Comments and feedback please! Additional participants invited + All ideas for specific activities welcome Please contact:

Tim Tozertct@ohm.york.ac.ukTel: +44 (0)1904 432347Fax: +44 (0)1904 432335