EU's Earth observation programme renamed 'Copernicus'

photo: wikipedia

“By choosing the name Copernicus we are paying homage to a great European scientist and observer: Nicolaus Copernicus,” said Commission Vice-President Antonio Tajani in Brussels on Tuesday, in tribute to the Krakow-educated astronomer.

The Copernicus programme, previously known as Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), uses satellites and terrestrial sensors to collect data.

As outlined in a statement released by the European Commission, it “enhances our safety in numerous ways, for example by better management of natural disasters, allowing for earlier intervention, thereby helping to prevent loss of life and damage to property.”

The programme also aims to improve the quality of urban planning, “by monitoring urban sprawl and easing the flow of transportation.”

The European Commission forecasts that Copernicus could create up to 85,000 jobs between the period 2015-2030.

Following yesterday's announcement, Barbara Kudrycka, Poland's Minister of Science and Education, expressed her enthusiasm about the choice of name.

“Copernicus laid the foundations for modern science,” she commented as quoted by the Polish Press Agency (PAP).

Copernicus – a universal man

Copernicus, who formulated a heliocentric view of the universe, is a national hero in Poland.

Although an ethnic German, he was a Polish citizen and was educated at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, where a statue of him enjoys pride of place to this day.

“He opened to man an infinite universe, previously limited by the rotation of the planets and the sun around the Earth, and created a world without borders,” Tajani said yesterday in Brussels.

“Humanity was able to benefit from his insight and this set in motion the spirit of scientific research which allowed us to have a better understanding of the world we live in.” (nh)