Space 4.0 – a common, democratic European space

Abstract

Regardless of differences in political views on the scope and depth of the European integration, there are so many areas of possible and very beneficial integration that it is difficult to include them all in the area of controversy. One such area of necessary and extremely profitable European integration is, among others, space. Unless we go back a few decades and consider space, even today, to be the pride only of those nations that have overcome the space barrier. This would be an absurdity difficult to imagine in today's Europe. Space 4.0 is, in its shortest definition and in relation to European context, a great, long-term effort by our entire community to democratize space over Europe. It was high time for ESA to make this decision in 2016. Space 4.0 is a large sector project with general social ambitions, contributing to the Industry 4.0 project and the idea of European Society 4.0. Europe was maturing for this decision on many levels: political, social, but mainly economic and competitive. We will soon celebrate the 10th anniversary of this decision, so we would like to remind again where we direct our European space dreams, and maybe it is time for a slightly earlier summary of activities during this period of almost a decade, especially from our Polish, perhaps slightly subjective perspective. The Polish version of this article is published concurrently in Elektronika journal by SEP - Assoc.Pol.El.Eng.