Copernicus facilities press tour

Eyes on the Earth: Satellites, Sensors and Services protecting our world and economy

All places on the tour have now been allocated. You can still register to be on the waiting list and if a place becomes available you will be contacted by email to confirm your interest along with all others on the waiting list.

IMPORTANT: Your place is not confirmed on the tour until you are contacted directly by a member of the Copernicus team.

Copernicus facilities press tour

On behalf of the Copernicus institutions based in the United Kingdom - the European Space Agency (ESA), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Satellite Applications Catapult, and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), I would like to invite you to a press tour on 31 January 2016. The registration will be done on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.

This is a bespoke event for journalists explaining how Copernicus unlocks the potential of technology to help countries respond to climate change and resilience challenges in key sectors such as Energy, Health, Insurance and Urban planning.

Scientific institutions and private companies are major partners and contributors to the Copernicus programme because of their recognised scientific and technical expertise. During this press tour you will visit Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire and Shinfield Park in Berkshire to explore:

• ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT),
• RAL Space at STFC's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory,
• Satellite Applications Catapult
• The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF)

The tour will provide opportunities to visit the facilities, speak to scientists, see data and analysis, and learn more about satellite data’s real world contributions and the services Copernicus is developing.

You will experience how:

• The Copernicus programme, the first integrated network of its kind - built on cooperation between agencies across the globe – is bringing evidence to the climate debate to inform policy and secure our economic future.
• Partners across the earth observation sector are making important contributions to this programme through their expertise and technology including playing a key role in delivering the European Union’s Sentinel Satellite Network.
• Through Copernicus, the Sentinel Satellite Network and other programmes, UK developed satellite technology is already helping governments respond to environmental, health, resilience and economic challenges.

The Copernicus institutions will be delighted to welcome you at this event.

Travel and accommodation within the UK will be sponsored for the participating journalists. Transport from Reading to the locations will be provided.

The language of the Tour will be English. To register, simply fill in the accreditation form before 13 January 2017.

Agenda

Tuesday, 31 January

9:30 – Pick up of participants at Novotel Reading Centre, transfer to Harwell Campus

10:20 – Welcome coffee at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT)

10:35 – Welcome address, European Commission

10:45 – Copernicus Space Component, Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director of Earth Observation Programmes

11:00 – Introduction to Satellite Applications, Mark Hampson, Daniel Wicks – Satellite Applications Catapult

11:15 – Visit of Catapult Control Room and demonstration of satellite applications

12:00 – Transfer to RAL Space

12:15 – Visit of Copernicus testing laboratories at RAL Space

12:45 pm – 13:30 LUNCH at RALSpace

13:30 – Transfer to ECMWF; Showcase Copernicus data visualisation tool

14:30 – Weather Room

• Welcome, Florence Rabier, Director-General ECMWF (5 min)
• Overview Weather Wall, Timothy Hewson, Scientist Forecast Performance and Products, ECMWF (5 min)
• Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, Vincent-Henri Peuch, Head of Service, ECMWF (10 min)
• Copernicus Climate Change Service, Jean-Noel Thepaut, Head of Service, ECMWF (10 min)

15:00 – ECMWF Supercomputer Hall, Isabella Weger, Deputy Director Computing, ECMWF and Dr Umberto Modigliani, Head, User Support Forecasting Department ECMWF

15:30 – ECMWF Council Room

• Questions & Answers, Juan Garcés de Marcilla, Director ECMWF Copernicus Services

16:00 – Shuttle to Reading Station / Hotel

16:30 – Individual departure at Reading station

It is recommended that journalists arrive in Reading on Monday 30 January. Return will be facilitated on Tuesday 31 January, after the visit, or on Wednesday 1 February.

If you have further questions or need more information, please do not hesitate to contact silke.zollinger@ecmwf.int