WALLONIA

Located in the Southern part of Belgium, the Walloon Region has quality higher education and a dense communication network. One of the major space sites of the region is the Wallonie Espace Cluster, an association created in 1995. The 27 members of the cluster are industries, universities, laboratories concerned directly with space research, development, technology transfer, spin off incubation, education and applications. The members have expertise in all the space segments: ground equipment and preparation for space, access to space, in orbit activities, exploitation, space applications (GNSS, GMES, TELECOM) and space education.

The Wallonie Espace Cluster (www.wallonie-espace.be) participates since 2006 to the SKYWIN pole of competitiveness in aeronautics and space of the Walloon Region (www.skywin.be). SKYWIN develops space applications in the region via funded projects and through the association WASA (Walloon Association for Space Applications).

The Walloon Region is also active in the European field of the space applications as member of the ENCADRE project (Cluster of Clusters in space applications) and was leader of the ERA-STAR consortium.