From Roope Takala
The space segment has entered a new stage with the rise of the “new space” companies. These new generation space players are looking at space data, launching cube sats and bringing start-up buzz in to the space segment. For instance in 2017 alone over 600 new satellites are planned for launch. This new surge in the industry has brought new opportunities to a number of players who have in the past shied away from the space sector. Further developments in Standardization of space technologies with 3GPP and the cube satellite launch services are creating a place in the market also for platform players.
Nokia and some of our partners are sponsoring the NASA Europa Challenge (http://www.nasaeuropachallenge.com/).
The challenge brings together teams of young professionals to innovate how to use data collected of the earth by US and European Space administrations to make the world a better place to live in. The data is collected in the NASA Worldwind (https://webworldwind.org/ ) platform. The participating teams use that data and data form other sources such as Helsinki city open data (http://www.hri.fi/fi/ ) to create applications and services.
The challenge peaks in a weeks of activities on the last weeks of August. Events include mentoring meetings, lunch talks, visits to Finnish space tech companies, an recruiting event for students (https://www.facebook.com/events/289311874880639/ ) and the week ends with a high note closing gala on in the Nokia Executive experience center on Thursday 31.8.