The harsh-environment initiative - Meeting the challenge of space-technology transfer

ESA's Harsh Environments Initiative (HEI) is a programme aimed at transferr ing space technologies to terrestrial operations in harsh environments. C-C ORE is the prime contractor to ESA for implementing the programme, and the Canadian Space Agency is a programme sponsor. C-CORE's approach to meeting this challenge is to seek out operational prio rities in the oil & gas and mining sectors and to develop and implement tes t-bed projects that apply selected space technologies to demonstrate improv ed operating efficiencies, lowered risks and enhanced safety. These project s typically involve one or more partners from industries in Canada and Euro pe, and additional sources of funding that exceed the ESA contribution. Commercialisation of the space technologies is a key objective. Accordingly , C-CORE and its partners have developed selection criteria that have ensur ed that only projects with high potential for commercialisation and quick t echnology transfer (involving the exchange of funds between the space-techn ology supplier and the end-user) would go ahead.