Darwin at ESA Space2Connect Conference 2023

The European Space Agency’s Space2Connect Conference is an annual opportunity to explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding satellite telecommunications, and Darwin’s co-founder Daniela Petrovic was delighted to be invited this year as a guest speaker. The conference took place from 7 to 9 June 2023 in the ancient and beautiful Italian city of Matera, home to the Italian Space Agency’s centre of operations.

Satellite communications play a central role in Darwin’s work. Our ubiquitous communications technology harnesses both satellite and terrestrial telecommunications to keep vehicles connected to the internet while travelling, even in areas that have patchy 4G or 5G coverage. Many of Darwin’s achievements were made possible by our partnership with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The conference included interesting discussions from all corners of the satellite communications industry. One major focus of the Space2Connect conference was sustainability: how space-based technology can support sustainability efforts on Earth, and how organisations can use space responsibly, minimising issues such as space debris.

On the second day of the conference, Darwin took part in the round table discussion ‘Space for a Green Transition and Resilience to Climate Impact’, where Daniela and other industry experts talked about the role of space in sustainability and disaster management. Points that were raised in the discussion included:

• While there’s plenty of public awareness about the greenhouse gas emissions of certain industries, such as transportation and electricity production, there are less discussed areas that nonetheless contribute significantly to climate change. For example, agriculture, wastewater treatment and manufacturing all produce significant greenhouse gas emissions. Improvements that reduce greenhouse gas emissions across an industry can make a real difference, particularly in these high-emission industries.
• In many cases, it’s already possible to make changes that can reduce emissions. For example, governments can encourage the use of low-emission modes of transport such as cycling or public transport, or can create incentives to switch from petrol-powered cars to electric vehicles.
• However, it’s also worth investing in alternative options such as better fuels, as a lack of funds or infrastructure may prevent some from making fundamental changes to the way they travel.
• It’s also important to consider where there’s still room for improvement. For example, the emissions of electric vehicles could be further reduced by generating more electricity using clean methods, or by researching low-emission materials that could be used in vehicle construction, as the manufacturing of steel and plastic creates greenhouse gases in large quantities.

Darwin is helping with its work on autonomous public transport services. Self-driving vehicles have sustainability advantages over traditional vehicles and can help to fill in gaps in public transportation, reducing reliance on single-occupant cars. We’ve also published articles to increase awareness of the capabilities and efficient use of electric vehicles; take a look at our articles on long-distance driving in an electric car or how to make your car battery last longer.

You can see a few photographs from Daniela’s visit below: