Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation
Κυπριακός Οργανισμός Εξερεύνησης Διαστήματος
Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation - Logo - Sep 2016.png
AbbreviationCSEO
FormationNovember 2012; 9 years ago (2012-11)
TypeNon-governmental
Legal statusNon-profit
PurposeFosters International Collaboration.
Promotes Space Exploration - R&D, Education and Industry.
Location
Area served
Global
FieldsSpace Exploration
Membership
1000+ members internationally,
300,000+ social media followers
LeaderGeorge A Danos
Key people
George A Danos (President),
Marcello Coradini (Council Chair)
Websitehttps://www.spaceexploration.org.cy

The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) is a non-governmental, nonprofit, science organisation, based in Cyprus, with a global scope of service and activities.[1][2] Its main functions are outreach,[3][4][5] education,[6] research,[7] development,[8] space advocacy,[9][8] and international cooperation[10][11] in the field of space exploration, astronautics and astronomy. The organisation promotes and facilitates international scientific collaboration in space exploration, and fosters domestically collaboration with other space-faring nations in science, space and planetary missions.[1][12][13][14][15][16][17] It was founded in 2012[8] and has over 1000 registered researchers,[17] members and volunteers and over 300,000+ followers on social media.[17] Its president is George A Danos, and the chair of CSEO's international council is Prof , ESA's head of solar system and robotic exploration (1987–2010).

CSEO is the official representative of Cyprus to:

CSEO is member / partner of:

CSEO's board and council are comprised with distinguished individuals that are highly decorated for their contribution to space exploration.[31]

Notable achievements and awards[]

CSEO's research paper submitted by its team MarsSense, has been recognised and nominated in the best four in the world for an international award, at SpaceOps 2014 (at JPL, NASA in May 2014).[7][32]

CSEO's team ArachnoBeeA was selected by NASA judges as the global winner of the NASA International Space Apps Challenge for the "Best Mission Concept" (May 2015).[11] Further teams of CSEO have won internationally at the same competition over the period 2013 – 2018. For more details see NASA Space Apps Challenge in Cyprus.

CSEO's Chief of International Relations has been awarded the Distinguished Service Award 2017 of the International Astronautical Federation, for extraordinary dedication and commitment, in service of the Federation (March 2017).[33]

CSEO's president and vice-president have been elected corresponding members to the International Academy of Astronautics, for outstanding contribution to space exploration (July 2017).[31][34]

CSEO's head of education and outreach has been elected corresponding member to the International Academy of Astronautics, for outstanding contribution to space exploration (Oct 2019).[35]

Mission and goals[]

CSEO states its mission and vision as:

Our mission and vision is to galvanise human potential into high-tech innovation and cooperation. The universe and space exploration has always fascinated the human spirit and unites humanity under the same sky. Hence we - the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) - with our vision and goals as our compass have been highly active in forging international collaborations and igniting innovation and technological growth, with impressive and captivating results that are of public benefit.[36]

When joining the IAF, CSEO stated[27] that its first mission was to promote Cyprus as one of the leading space-faring nations, and stated[37] the following goals in relation to Cyprus:

  • Place Cyprus on the space industry map,
  • Conduct space related R & D,
  • Promote innovation through the development and support of a local internal market for space,
  • Increase local technological competitiveness,
  • Leverage on local intellectual human capital,
  • Provide education and training for the future generation of space scientists and engineers, from an early age, in & out of schools,
  • Enhance and promote academic and industrial collaboration, through joint project participation.

Pillars and activities[]

CSEO operates with the following four basic pillars: “Education and Outreach”, “R&D”, “Industry”, and “International Relations and Collaboration”.[27][13]

CSEO main activities concentrate on:[27]

  • Promoting scientific research and development in space exploration, astronautics and astrophysics,
  • Actively developing the local space industry,
  • Bridging academic and industrial collaboration,
  • Galvanizing the potential of the local and global talents into applied high-tech innovation,
  • Contributing to turning high-tech industry into a vibrant sector with high employment opportunities,
  • Bringing widespread collaboration with other space-faring nations in science, technology and space missions,
  • Actively encouraging and promoting internationally and domestically, the future generation of scientists, via education and outreach, with continuous in-and-out-of-school programs and media outreach.

International Space Cooperation[]

Mars Upper Atmosphere Network[]

In October 2018, the 10th Mars Upper Atmosphere Network (MUAN) workshop was organised by CSEO in Cyprus.

During this workshop it was decided that MUAN is permanently based in Nicosia, Cyprus.[38][39]

MUAN Workshop Decision:

At the concluding high-level session of the tenth MUAN Jubilee workshop in Nicosia, on October 19, 2018, the representatives of the participating countries and agencies (e.g. USA - NASA, RUSSIA - IKI, India, UK, France, Italy, Germany etc) unanimously decided that Nicosia, Cyprus would become the permanent base for the MUAN and be hosted by the Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO), thus consolidating scientific efforts, mission data, gatherings, as well as coordinating simultaneous observations of upper atmosphere-and-plasma-instruments on Mars space missions.[40]

First Online Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium[]

CSEO in cooperation with the Moon Village Association (MVA), organized and hosted in Cyprus the First Online Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium. This was keynoted by senior officials of some of the worlds leading space agencies, such us the director of the UNOOSA, the Associated Administrator of NASA, the director general of the European Space Agency, JAXA, ISRO and many others. The purpose of the symposium was to bring together the lunar stakeholders and lunar community from all over the world to discuss on-going and planned Moon programs, to facilitate international collaboration on lunar exploration, as well as to agree on Best Practices for Sustainable Lunar Activities.[41]

Global Experts Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA)[]

CSEO has been supportive of international collaboration for the return of humanity to the moon and the creation of bases and colonies. In this effort CSEO in cooperation with the Moon Village Association (MVA) have presented at UNOOSA, during the February 2020 meetings[42] in Vienna, the goals of the Best Practices for Sustainable Lunar Activities and invited nations to join this effort. During the First Online Global Moon Village Workshop and Symposium, hosted by CSEO in Nicosia - Cyprus in November 2020, it was announced that it was agreed by international stakeholders to form the Global Experts Group on Sustainable Lunar Activities (GEGSLA) that would invite all nations and lunar stakeholders (industry, academia and other), to participate in this international platform to address critical issues with the goal of de-risking future lunar missions and increasing global cooperation for lunar exploration and settlement.[43][44] GEGSLA had its kick-off meeting on the 25th of February 2021.[45] The Republic of Cyprus is represented in GEGSLA by CSEO and its President Mr George A Danos.[21] Furthermore, the GEGSLA Implementation Support Officer is employed by CSEO as part of the ongoing cooperation agreement between CSEO and MVA.[46]

Research Projects[]

CSEO and its spin-off companies are involved in many EU Horizon 2020 funded space research programs.[47]

Dating the sediments of Mars[]

One of the space research programs, that CSEO is participating in, involves the construction of leading-edge instrumentation for the absolute dating of Martian sediments. An announcement was made by CSEO that space equipment is aimed to be tested on the Troodos Mountains (a mountain-range that has geological similarities with the red planet), before sending this instruments to Mars to measure the age of the planet's rocks.[48][49][50]

Assisting Economy from Space during disaster periods (like Covid-19)[]

Space technologies connected with Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques are utilized in a European consortium project[51] to control disasters like the COVID-19 pandemic. This project will produce a prototype service based on Copernicus data, using automatic image processing supported by artificial intelligence integrated with modelling and statistic and geospatial data into an IT platform able to provide econometric and epidemiologic nowcasting and forecasting data.

Space Education[]

CSEO is actively involved in space-related educational activities to stimulate the interest of the younger generation in the field of science and space research.[4][52][5] One of CSEO's pillars of primary focus is the education and empowerment of young people of all ages and backgrounds in its area of expertise, with the ultimate objective of assisting in the development of a highly skilled youth, equipped to address contemporary and future scientific challenges.[53][1][6]

CSEO Space Club[]

As part of these activities CSEO runs the CSEO Space Club in schools throughout the island.[17] This club is an outreach and education project in Cyprus, in association with the International Space Community, for school classes and afternoon societies.[54] It brings to schools training and educational material, as well as astronauts and space engineers in order to prepare and build the next generation of scientists and engineers.[5][4][55][6][54]

Mission X - Train Like an Astronaut[]

The NASA/ESA program "Mission X - Train Like an Astronaut" is disseminated in Cyprus throughout schools by CSEO since 2017. The purpose of Mission X is to train students like astronauts, teach principles of healthy eating and exercise, and provide scientific knowledge and engineering skills needed in space exploration.[56]

Space and Astronomy outreach[]

Space Week[]

CSEO organises Space Week annually since 2013, promoting space to the people of Cyprus.[9][4]

First Cypriot Space Documentary[]

CSEO co-produced the First Cypriot Space Documentary with Tetraktys-Films, promoting space research on the island.[57] It was premiered at the CYTA Headquarters in November 2016 and then on National TV channel CyBC 1 the following month.[57]

Celebrating the 50th Apollo 11 Moon Landing Anniversary[]

Astronaut Dr. Anna Lee Fisher was invited to Cyprus in order to celebrate the 50th Apollo 11 Anniversary in cooperation with the US Embassy in Cyprus. The main celebration event was held at the Nicosia Municipal Theatre on 5 December 2019 and attended by over a thousand guests. The event was opened by the US Ambassador and the president of CSEO, whilst the main speaker was Astronaut Fisher. The event was also video greeted by NASA's Ambassador to Europe, Tim Tawney, and concluded with an operatic performance of Verdi's La Traviata - Brindisi by the Limassol Operatic Stage Choir.[58][59]

Naming a star and its exoplanet[]

As part of the NameExoWorlds project, the 100 years' celebrations of the International Astronomical Union (IAU), CSEO as National Member of the IAU, organized a campaign[60] in Cyprus to select names for a star (HD 168746) and its exoplanet. Over 300 names were proposed by the public. These went to a public vote in November 2019 for a week. A few thousands voted and the names that were selected and approved by the IAU in December 2019, were Alasia (Αλάσια or Alashiya) and Onasilos (Ονάσιλος). Via this campaign, Alasia became one of 448 stars on the sky that have names[61] which are officially approved by the International Astronomical Union.[62][63][64]

2030: SpaceWorks - Series of global webinars[]

In September 2020, CSEO launched a global series of webinars with the goal of seeding the next generation of scientists.[65] These webinars feature the world's brightest minds, covering space exploration, astronomy and cosmology.[66] The webinars address the advancements and challenges expected in the next decade, in returning to the Moon, sending humans to Mars and gaining scientific knowledge that would be instrumental in protecting our own planet.[67] The webpage of 2030: SpaceWorks states:

"With these webinars we want to embrace and seed the next generation of scientists that will drive and achieve these bold goals; the scientists and engineers who will reach these new frontiers and shape humanity's sustainable future."

The premiere episode of these webinars, featured Nobel Prize winner Sir Roger Penrose and was viewed by over 85,000 people.[68] During this webinar Sir Roger Penrose made an announcement of new evidence supporting the theory of Conformal Cyclic Cosmology which theorizes that the Big Bang is only the beginning of our current Aeon (Universe Aeons), and that there is a sequence of Big Bangs prior to ours and more to follow at the end of our Universe's time.[69]

The webinars are broadcast live on CSEO's Facebook Page and YouTube Channel.[70]

Promoting space innovation[]

Space startups[]

CSEO as founding member of the Copernicus Academy of the European Commission (which aims to utilise space data for improving life on Earth) launched in October 2017 the “CSEO Space Startups” programme, a series of weekly innovation and entrepreneurship workshops that nurture, mentor and educate young talented Cypriots in utilising satellite data into innovative new products and commercial applications, forming startups that will be incubated into space companies.[71][72]

Through these programs, CSEO engages with creative talent and expertise throughout Cyprus, in order to make space accessible but also to provide solutions to issues faced on earth today, stimulating innovation and high-tech entrepreneurship, that will benefit our citizens and the future of our planet.

NASA Space Apps Challenge in Cyprus[]

Since 2013, CSEO has been actively involved with the NASA Space Apps Challenge in Cyprus (thus far held in Limassol or Nicosia), either by holding events under its auspices or directly organising the Challenge.[73][74][75]

In 2013, the Cypriot team MarsSense placed 2nd globally for the People's Choice Award at the International Space Apps Challenge.[76]

In 2015, the Cypriot team ArachnoBeeA that won domestically the Space Apps Challenge, went on to become global winner of the International Space Apps Challenge for the "Best Mission Concept", thus receiving an invitation from NASA to visit the Kennedy Center at Cape Canaveral and participate as guest viewers at a space launch to the ISS.[77]

In 2017, the level of the contestants once again being very high, the CSEO promotes the Cypriot winning teams through major media campaigns.[78][79][80] Subsequently, one of the local winning teams, team NestFold goes on to become global winner for the People's Choice Award.[81]

In 2018, NASA's Chief Scientist Dr James Green, who was invited to Cyprus by CSEO for the Mars Upper Atmosphere Network Space Summit,[82] mentored the Cypriot teams at the competition in Nicosia. A team of two 14 year old pupils won the 1st prize on their concept for the colonization of the Moon.[83]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO)". Space Information Days - Horizon 2020. Archived from the original on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  2. ^ "Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO)". Cypriot Scientists and Engineers (in Greek). Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  3. ^ "The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation". Cyprus Mail.
  4. ^ a b c d "Russian cosmonaut in Cyprus for the CSEO Space Week". Cyprus News Agency. 20 Apr 2015.
  5. ^ a b c "Αστροναύτης θα μιλήσει σε μαθητές της Κύπρου για πρώτη φορά (Astronaut talks to students in Cyprus for the first time)". Καθημερινή (in Greek). 22 September 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  6. ^ a b c "Ο CSEO εμπνέει τα σχολεία με διάστημα (CSEO inspires schools with space)". Nicosia Municipality - Capital City of Cyprus (in Greek). 22 Sep 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Networks Research Laboratory, University of Cyprus". University of Cyprus.
  8. ^ a b c "The truth was out there". Cyprus Mail. 19 April 2015.
  9. ^ a b "1η Εβδομάδα Διαστήματος της Λευκωσίας (First Space Week of Nicosia)". Nicosia Municipality (in Greek). 7 Apr 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  10. ^ "Official Gala of the first Nicosia Space Week". CyprusLegalServices.eu. 11 Apr 2014.
  11. ^ a b "NASA invites Cypriot world winning team". Sigma Live. 23 Jul 2015.
  12. ^ "The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO)". European Parliament - Audiovisual Services for Media. 30 Mar 2016. Archived from the original on 20 February 2017. Retrieved 18 February 2017.
  13. ^ a b "The Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation". NGO's in Cyprus.
  14. ^ "Space Activities Overview in Cyprus". Space Generation Advisory Council. Archived from the original on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2017-02-18.
  15. ^ "Cyprus to contribute to SETI's efforts for detection of ET intelligence". Cyprus Mail. 29 Jul 2015 – via Cyprus News Agency.
  16. ^ "Cyprus to contribute to the search for life in the universe". Sigma Live. 29 Jul 2015 – via Cyprus News Agency.
  17. ^ a b c d "Πέντε λεπτά με τον Γιώργο Α. Δανό (Five minutes with George A. Danos)". Phileleftheros (in Greek). 30 Dec 2016. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  18. ^ "Cyprus adheres to COSPAR". Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Archived from the original on 2018-12-06. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  19. ^ "Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) has become a member of the international Committee on Space Research (COSPAR)". Cyprus News Agency. 3 Feb 2017.
  20. ^ "IAU - Cyprus - National Member". International Astronomical Union.
  21. ^ a b "GEGSLA Team – Moon Village Association" (in American English). Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  22. ^ "Moon Village Association".
  23. ^ "Μέλος του Mars Society η Κύπρος - Στόχος ο αποικισμός του Άρη". Ο Φιλελεύθερος. 27 January 2020.
  24. ^ "Cyprus joins Mars Society which advocates colonisation of Red Planet". Financial Mirror. 27 January 2020.
  25. ^ "ActInSpace Cyprus || An international innovation contest lead by CNES and ESA". ActInSpace Cyprus || An international innovation contest lead by CNES and ESA. Retrieved 2020-10-18.
  26. ^ "Mission X Cyprus". NASA's Mission X Website.
  27. ^ a b c d "New IAF Members - CSEO" (PDF). International Astronautical Federation News. 4/2016 (December 2016): 13. 2016.
  28. ^ "Copernicus Academy Network: a cornerstone to build skills for sustainability, growth and jobs". European Commission - Copernicus. Second Paragraph has link that lists founding members. Archived from the original on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2017-02-17.
  29. ^ "List of founding members of Copernicus Academy Network" (PDF). European Commission - Copernicus. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-02-20. Retrieved 2017-02-18.
  30. ^ "CSEO Frontpage". CSEO Website. Footer shows all official memberships with logos.
  31. ^ a b "Γιώργος Δανός: Η Κύπρος μπαίνει δυναμικά στο παιχνίδι του Διαστήματος". Phileleftheros. 17 Sep 2017. Retrieved 18 Oct 2017.
  32. ^ "Διεθνής διάκριση της κυπριακής MarsSense (International award for Cypriot MarsSense)". Sigma Live (in Greek). 20 June 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
  33. ^ "Distinguished Service Award 2017". International Astronautical Federation.
  34. ^ "Newly Elected 2017". International Academy of Astronautics. Archived from the original on 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2017-11-04.
  35. ^ "New Members 2019". International Academy of Astronautics.
  36. ^ "Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation - About Us". spaceexploration.org.cy. Retrieved 2020-09-25.
  37. ^ "CSEO's Official Mission". CSEO Website.
  38. ^ "Nicosia becomes permanent venue for MUAN Mars scientists". 19 October 2018.
  39. ^ "Press items about the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) 2018". Swedish Institute of Space Physics.
  40. ^ "Mars Upper Atmosphere Network".
  41. ^ "First MVA/CSEO online global Moon Village Symposium to take place next week from Nicosia". in-cyprus.philenews.com (in American English). Retrieved 2021-01-04.
  42. ^ "57th session of the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee". www.unoosa.org. Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  43. ^ "Press Release – Moon Village Association launches Global Expert Group for Sustainable Lunar Activities – Moon Village Association" (in American English). Retrieved 2021-04-14.
  44. ^ Kadi, Michaella (2020-11-12). "