California Space Authority Visits France to Promote Cooperation

CSA PRESS RELEASE

The California Space Authority (CSA) completed its mission to the Toulouse Space Show this week after an impressive agenda of speaking engagements and business development opportunities. Building upon the Space Enterprise Networking Agreement between the CSA and the French Aerospace Valley, CSA’s mission was to enhance business relationships and promote partnerships with California space enterprise members.

“Our mission in France and, specifically at the Toulouse Space Show, was to seek international partnerships by illustrating the relevance of the California space enterprise community on the world stage,” stated Andrea Seastrand, Executive Director of CSA. “Our goal is to help California businesses grow by bringing innovators and entrepreneurs together with those of the French Aerospace Valley.”

CSA met with representatives of city and regional governments, economic development entities and industry executives. The week’s agenda included a briefing of the Pleiades imaging satellite at the Centre National d’Études Spatiales (CNES), the French Space Agency, as well as a meeting with Spot Image regarding their work with Google.

Site visits and additional briefings were made available at Thales Alenia and Astrium Space. CSA also heard presentations by French entrepreneurs eager to find partners in California. Presenters included thermal systems testing company Mecano ID, 4D visualization technology by Global Vision Systems, composite manufacturer BTS Industrie, electronic systems manufacturer Steel Electronique, electromagnetic specialist Silicom, radiation assurance processor TRAD, spaceflight electronics designer ERMIS I, chip provider Insited, and an IT software engineering firm MobiGIS.

California business promotion was of paramount concern, however, CSA also engaged Toulouse’s space educational community, including Jean Burnichon, Director of Development and International Relations for the Institut Supérieur de l’Aéronautique et de l’Espace” (ISAE), or the Institute of Aeronautics and Space.

“We are working to develop and enhance programs that foster student and academic cross-pollination,” stated Mrs. Seastrand. “We are discussing possibilities that include international internship programs.”

Also attending the Toulouse Space Show from California, were:

• Mr. Robert Berry, former chairman of Space Systems/Loral
• Dr. Per Enge, professor at Stanford University and director of the Stanford GPS Lab
• Mr. Anthony Navarra, President of GlobalStar
• Mr. Mark Coopersmith, Managing Director, ETwater
• Mr. Paul Brammer, L3 Communications Telemetry West
• Mr. Roger Rush, President, TelAstra Inc
• Mr. Tony Taylor, Technical Director, Airborne Systems North America

Assisting the California delegation while in Toulouse, was CSA member, Anewworld Consulting. Contact Christoph Heiss, [email protected] or call 650-798-5245 if you are interested in following-up with any of the technologies mentioned above or to arrange contacts in the French Aerospace Valley.