Last Saturday, May 4, citizens across Europe had a very special appointment at the annual Open Day of the European Institutions. The COMPASS team could not miss this change to show the general public how EU/ERC-funded research changes their lives for the better, approaching visitors to the benefits and challenges of space use and exploration.
In a long but rewarding day, the COMPASS delegation showcased the different daily services provided by satellites in Earth orbit along with the challenges for the sustainable utilization of space. Visitors were particularly impressed by the 3D exploration of the objects orbiting our planet, not only because of the large amount of working satellites but for the little known yet increasingly worrying issue of space debris.
COMPASS joined this event as the only Horizon 2020 project invited by the European Research Council, as part of their efforts to convey the importance of scientific research to society. We thank them for this unique opportunity and hope to meet again for future outreach activities soon!
