Championing an innovative blend of space & sport
Space technology and satellite applications are setting foot on all levels in sport, from amateur practitioners and grassroots clubs to the elite professional athletes. I am convinced that the synergy between space and sport will continue to grow. With the SpaceSport, I strive to be on top of that game by gathering stories of downstream space applications for sport in one place!
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The SpaceSport is a blog combining two topics that seem to be worlds apart, but this page will show you otherwise!
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Space applications have become an important part of our daily life and are not always as exotic as you might think. Everyday, we benefit from space on Earth because of what we call downstream applications:
Each of these categories can also bring benefits to sport. In recent years, sport has been particularly receptive to new developments in technology and data analytics. Today, everything seems to embed some kind of computer or sensor enabling smart capabilities. Wearable technologies have diversified, both at a professional sport science level and in the consumer fitness market, while broadcasters have to keep up with new trends and the increasing public’s interest. Whether for active participation or passively following as a spectator, there are numerous satellite applications for a diverse set of sports.
With space technology transfer, the focus is more on improving materials and equipment. From electrical wiring techniques developed for satellites enhancing Formula 1 cars, and aerodynamics optimising a golf ball’s flight, to lightweight yet strong aerospace materials enhancing badminton and tennis rackets to bikes and even Hawaiian canoes. No spin-off of space research and development is too crazy!
Finally, there are the products and experiences resulting from human spaceflight activity. The commercial services onboard the International Space Station (ISS) allow for all kinds of experiments, and of course there are the astronauts who require special care. This leads to a multitude of health sensors, telemedicine capabilities, and best practices in nutrition and exercising which can all apply to sport here on Earth.
This blog will be all about the integration of space applications across the sport sector. If you would like to know more about these downstream space applications and the link with sport, I invite you to read a more detailed description below, or jump right in one of my blog articles!
From Space to Earth
Satellite applications
For more in-depth information about satellite applications, definitely visit Eurisy, a non-profit association working to bridge space and society, promoting the benefits of satellite applications. You can find more details about satellite applications in general on this page.
Space is more than just rocket science, physics and space exploration. Especially in Europe, where the space programme is led by the European Space Agency and the European Commission with a major focus on Earth. In fact, with its Earth observation programme Copernicus, Europe has become the world’s leading provider of Earth Observation data and information. Producing more than 16 Terabyte per day, Copernicus is the largest space data provider in the world, and the best thing about it? Data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites is freely and openly accessible! Whether it is to protect our forests and oceans, to help farmers better manage their crops, or to monitor the air we breathe, Europe’s eyes on Earth provide a continuous and fresh stream of information covering a wide spectrum of applications.
Another great space asset is Galileo, Europe’s Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Together with the other GNSS, such as the American GPS, satellite navigation technology enables accurate positioning for the global transport sector, from the digitalisation of ports and railways to the guidance of autonomous vehicles, airplanes, and even for the positioning of the International Space Station. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. Locating distress calls for emergency interventions, land surveying, precision farming, or empowering fun and educational mobile apps, the list goes on.
Satellite communications provide essential services for our daily activities. From telecommunication services including telephone calls, wireless, mobile, and cellular network providers, as well as broadcasting services including radio and television, to data communications, as a significant amount of internet traffic goes through satellites. In underserved and isolated areas with dispersed populations, satellite communications bring increased internet capacities, connecting and providing affordable coverage. Satellite communications technology is especially effective during natural disasters and emergencies when land-based communication services are down. In a relatively short span of time, satellite communications technology has developed into the sophisticated and powerful mega-constellations of thousands of satellites designed to bring internet access anywhere on Earth.
Space technology transfer
The challenging environment of outer space (weightlessness, vacuum, temperature extremes, cosmic radiation, vibrations,…) demands for systems that are failure-proof, reliable, and durable. The resulting technologies are in a class of their own, but these high standards can offer valuable attributes to terrestrial industries as well. Therefore, technology transfer is very effective in the space sector. Innovation is not always the invention of a brand-new or revolutionary technology. In fact, the most efficient innovations stem from using technology for purposes unrelated to its original use in order to create something new, or to improve something that already exists. The underlying objective is to move ideas and concepts from the laboratory to the marketplace in order to get the maximum value out of technology development.
Space-enabled products and services
Our third and last category of downstream applications includes technology developed in space, typically with experiments on board the ISS. The European Space Agency (ESA) is launching a Business in Space Growth Network (BSGN) to stimulate the market for commercial applications in Low-Earth-Orbit and beyond. The ISS offers a lot of opportunities in life sciences and novel technologies. ICE Cubes, Bartolomeo and Bioreactor Express are Europe’s commercial services on the Columbus module, which is ESA’s laboratory on the ISS. Its unique environment allows for a range of experiments in biology, biotech, human research, fluid physics, and materials science. The research proves its worth on Earth, for example by improving the protection of professionally exposed people or cancer patients during their therapy against the negative effects of radiation exposure. Microgravity also enables advanced drug research to improve understanding of complex formulation processes for the development of new medicines by the pharma industry.
From Space to Sport
So what does this have to do with sport? First of all, there are a lot of satellite applications for a diverse set of sports, both at professional and amateur level.
Satellite imagery provides geographical (e.g. elevation, route conditions, sea state) and environmental (e.g. weather, air quality, temperature) information relevant for sports activities and the performance of athletes, as well as for planning, operations and condition-based maintenance of sports facilities and equipment (e.g. golf courses, ski slopes, virtual platforms). Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), in combination with wearables or integrated sensors, offer reliable performance data. These systems allow to track the activity of individuals, equipment, vehicles, and animals, as well as to support the geo-localisation of and routing to events and facilities. Satellite communication enables the provision of connectivity, e.g. enabling live transmission of sport events and communication within or to remote and sparsely inhabited places, and securing the safety of athletes at all times even in the most remote places.
While satellite applications are mostly about data, the focus in space technology transfer is more on improving materials and equipment. The aerospace sector is known for its strong, lightweight materials and reliable technology. Such assets can offer added value to sports in a number of ways. From a vibration control system of a spacecraft stabilising skis, and a cooling system developed for astronauts’ suits keeping Formula 1 mechanics cool, to enhancing prostheses in the Paralympics with materials originally used for rocket engines.
Finally, we have space-enabled products and services. While in orbit, astronauts follow a strict physical regime of exercising and nutrition to counter the negative effects of spaceflight on the human body. Over the years, all kinds of experiments and practices resulted in new methods to slow down effects such as bone and muscle loss during space missions.
Did you know that the ISS has actual exercise equipment onboard such as a bicycle, a treadmill, and even a weightlifting machine? Equally important as exercising is the intake of adequate food and energy. However, because of the challenging environment of outer space, these are not just the usual fitness devices and nourishment. A lot of research goes in the optimisation of an astronaut’s exercise programme and diet. This leads to ever more compact and high-quality products. The knowhow resulting from human spaceflight can also boost sports medicine. Some elements within the development of space telemedicine capabilities including health sensors, procedures and best practices developed for astronauts, can also be relevant on Earth for the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sport and exercise, or for rehabilitation after sustained injuries.
