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[Satnews] Africa can now rely on the services of a satellite constellation tailored for the continent to provide reliable data over a wide range of essential human activities and for the protection of the environment.

The constellation, which combines the services of ten satellites with the capability of covering any part of the continent at least once a day, was introduced at an African Satellite Remote Sensing Conference in Pretoria by Africa’s leading private space company, the Space Commercial Services Aerospace Group (SCS AG).

This service will be provided by SCS Global Information (SCSGi) is a subsidiary of the SCS Aerospace Group headquartered in Cape Town. The SCS AG group consists of three lines of business that include small satellite engineering, satellite component manufacturing and global information services.

The SCSGi African Satellite Constellation combines the capacity of the following satellites over Africa—the Chinese TripleSat Constellation, RadarSat-2, Deimos 1 & 2; KazEOSat 1 & 2; Landsat 8, MODIS and the Urthecast cameras IRIS, Theis and HRC-DM on the International Space Station. These satellites can be tasked to collect near real-time data on a 24/7-basis globally to deliver timely reliable information services.

Services are provided through an online ordering system which makes it easy for customers to order their imagery. The use of such an African virtual satellite constellation makes it possible for processes to be monitored in hours, minutes and seconds, instead of days.

“Satellite technology is set to become an indispensable component of smart governance and economic development in Africa to ensure growth and prosperity for all the peoples of the continent,” said Dr. Sias Moster, CEO of SCS AG in his address to the delegates. “Governments agencies and private companies can now have reliable, dependable, real-time high-quality data obtained through satellite imagery to support a wide range of services such as crop assessments, forestry management and deforestation, environmental protection, fire warnings, insurance risk assessments, address validation, infrastructure monitoring, urban and rural development, population counts, border control and maritime security. We are now in the position to provide monitoring and management services anywhere in Africa at least once a day with a minimum turn-around time of 30 seconds to 6 hours and a resolution down to 0.5 meter. Some types of services can be provided regardless of cloud cover or time of night or day.
“The time is right for Africa to become part of the worldwide outer space industry bolstered by amazing technological feats such as rovers on Mars, close-up satellite fly-by’s of Mercury and Pluto, a craft landing on an asteroid, NASA’s aim to send humans to Mars within two decades and commercial space travel now almost a reality. Within a decade every African in even the remotest part of the continent will be able to access the internet on a mobile device directly through satellites.”

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Part of broader US-Europe science agreement. The U.S. Geological Survey and the European Space Agency (ESA) have established an innovative partnership to enable USGS storage and redistribution of Earth observation data acquired by Copernicus program satellites.

The ESA-USGS collaboration will serve scientific and commercial customers who are interested in the current conditions of forests, crops, and water bodies across large regions and in the longer term environmental condition of the Earth. Data acquired by the European Union’s Sentinel-2A satellite launched in June 2015 are highly complementary to data acquired by USGS/NASA Landsat satellites since 1972.

“Landsat and Sentinel data will weave together very effectively,” said Dr. Virginia Burkett, USGS Associate Director for Climate and Land Use Change. “Adding the image recurrence of two Sentinel-2 satellites to Landsats 7 and 8 will increase repeat multispectral coverage of the Earth’s land areas to every 3 to 4 days. With more frequent views of the Earth, we will significantly improve our ability to see and understand changes taking place across the global landscape.”

The agreement is part of a broader understanding between the European Union and three U.S. federal science agencies — NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and USGS — that was signed in October 2015. All parties are committed to the principle of full, free and open access to Earth observation satellite data produced by the European Union’s Sentinel program and by the respective U.S. agencies. An ESA article further describes the cross-Atlantic collaboration.

“Free and open access to Landsat and Sentinel-2 data together will create remarkable economic and scientific benefits for people around the globe,” said Dr. Suzette Kimball, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. “At the outset of our partnership we can only imagine the synergies between our two perspectives from space. But I’m confident that the final product of our partnership will be an enriched knowledge of our planet.”

Sentinel data are available at no cost from the Copernicus Scientific Data Hub. Additionally, in order to expedite data delivery around the globe, users may also download both Sentinel-2 and Landsat data at no charge in a familiar digital environment from USGS access systems such as EarthExplorer. Presently, only selected Sentinel data are available from the USGS in an early testing phase. Timely access to all Sentinel data will follow as the procedures for data transfer, user access, and data delivery continue to be optimized at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

The MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) sensor on board Sentinel 2A acquires 13 spectral bands that parallel and contrast to data acquired by the USGS Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). Unlike the Sentinel-2 satellites, Landsat satellites also include a capability to collect thermal infrared data which is used in a variety of water and agricultural monitoring applications. NASA has published an online comparison of Sentinel-2A and Landsat bandwidths.

For technical details such as data availability, geographic coverage, acquisition frequency, and resolution, visit the Copernicus and Landsat websites.

The Landsat program is a joint effort of USGS and NASA. First launched by NASA in 1972, the Landsat series of satellites has produced the longest, continuous record of Earth’s land surface as seen from space. Landsat data were made available to all users free of charge by the U.S. Department of the Interior and USGS in 2008.

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@ The Parliament. Written by Constanze Krehl on 10 March 2016 in Opinion. Space technologies are instrumental to safeguarding our planet, writes Constanze Krehl.

With the Galileo and Copernicus programmes, the development of the EU’s space capabilities is heading in the right direction.

However, further development of the European space programme must be addressed at all levels.

As opinion rapporteur for the research and industry committee, my focus is on the civilian use of these services.

Civilian possibilities – such as weather observation for the evaluation of climate change, supporting agricultural cultivation for combating famine, but also early detection of natural disasters – are crucial.

The two key objectives of this report are to maintain security, not just here on earth, but also in space. To reach these objectives, we should use technological space systems monitoring the earth’s surface and space surveillance telescope systems in space.

These measures are intended to allow an early detection of dangers from space, for example through near-earth objects, adverse space weather that could pose a threat to our planet, or increasing quantities of space debris. Eliminating and preventing of space debris must be included in the strategy to ensure Europe’s safety.

The EU must strengthen its cooperation with the member states, the European Space Agency and other stakeholders.

About the author

Constanze Krehl (S&D, DE) is Parliament’s industry, research and energy committee opinion rapporteur on space capabilities for European security and defence

“Source:“https://www.theparliamentmagazine.eu/articles/opinion/eu-space-policy-should-focus-civilian-possibilities

@ The Parliament. Written by Jerzy Buzek on 2 February 2015 in Opinion. Promoting the European space market will do wonders both for EU competitiveness and the imagination of teenagers everywhere, writes Jerzy Buzek.

When I was 15, Poland’s first – and to date, biggest – space observatory was built in my home region. Each visit in this new Silesian planetarium was a real feast for my teenage imagination, even if back in 1955 imagining that man would travel to space seemed as utopian as the thought that a Pole would be writing these words as a committee chair in the European parliament. In the following decades, we explored much more of outer space. Today, space programmes remain crucial for many areas of our economy, our environment and our security.

EU space policy deserves a long-term vision, built together and followed by all stakeholders. We should bear in mind that the space sector is not a standard industrial sector; it is of great strategic importance. Institutional customers play a very important role – the market is not completely open. However, like all other sectors, it is changing fast – new technologies and new players mean greater competition.

“Space infrastructure – in terms of innovative telecommunications, observation or navigation, for example – even if it is built for civil purposes, has the capacity to serve European surveillance, security and defence projects”

A key challenge in the coming years will be the implementation of the Galileo and Copernicus programmes, as well as the space surveillance and tracking support framework. Galileo will give us our own navigation and positioning system, and it will play a growing role in many sectors such as energy, transport, fisheries, civil engineering, emergency services and more. Copernicus will provide continuous data on pollution and global warming. The space surveillance and tracking (SST) framework will help us tackle the dangers of space debris and avert disruption risks.

We must promote a greater European space market, both institutionally and privately. Not only will it generate wealth and jobs, it will also support space manufacturing and help maintain political and financial commitment to space programmes. Following the commission’s legislative proposal for creating an internal market in commercial earth observation data, parliament is beginning work on this file. Non-legislative ways to strengthen the market should also be used, so that European space programmes serve EU public policy, and so that space policy is mainstreamed in as many policy areas as possible – in telecoms, transport, agriculture, to name but a few.

There is also a need for high levels of investment in research and development and innovation. There needs to be greater coordination between the EU, the European space agency and the member states. Parliament called for a joint ‘research roadmap’ in an excellent report on space industrial policy published in 2013. The EU should also focus on critical technologies. We should assess how to support access to space and develop a European launcher. Additionally, we must review the rules on procurement, in order to better take into account the specificities of the space sector.

Space infrastructure – in terms of innovative telecommunications, observation or navigation, for example – even if it is built for civil purposes, has the capacity to serve European surveillance, security and defence projects. Let us therefore remember that investments in this sector are not an extravagance but a necessity. Finally, our space programme can boost not only Europe’s industrial competitiveness and safety of the world’s citizens, but also the imagination of many generations of teenagers who will be coming to observatories to explore, learn and marvel.

About the author

Jerzy Buzek (EPP, PL) is chair of parliament’s industry, research and energy committee

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@ The Parliament. Written by Elżbieta Bieńkowska on 7 March 2016 in Opinion. The EU is losing its competitive edge within the space sector, but the Commission has a plan to remedy this, writes Elżbieta Bieńkowska.

The EU space sector is a motor for innovation and economic growth. It is an essential pillar of the Europe 2020 strategy, which aims to strengthen industrial competitiveness, create highly skilled jobs and boost innovation all over Europe and well beyond the space sector. EU space policy is first and foremost about bringing benefits to citizens.

The space industry has the potential to create new jobs, boost growth and stimulate investment, in particular through the development of downstream services in the emerging sectors of global navigation and earth observation. These services will soon become possible, as the European space infrastructures of the Galileo and Copernicus programmes become operational.

A strong space industrial base and an adequate legislative framework are prerequisites for developing strong space-based services. To further support this strategic industry in preserving and strengthening its competitiveness on the global market, we must address its main challenges.

Globally, competition is building up from both established and emerging space powers. Space activities are be becoming increasingly internationalised and globalised. The environment is changing, and changing fast.

The European space industry is highly dependent on commercial markets; it has to rely on smaller budgets and smaller institutional markets than our competitors, including smaller defence markets and less developed synergies between the civil and defence sectors. Technological independence, security of supply and independent access to space are not fully guaranteed.

Elsewhere, new business models are emerging that benefit from private financing alternatives, which are more developed and adapted to support space innovation than in Europe.

The first satellites for Copernicus and Galileo have been deployed and services are beginning to come online, but the market uptake of both of these needs to be secured for new business opportunities. In parallel, infrastructure is needed to handle the enormous flow of data they will produce and we must prepare the next generation of both of these programmes.

Therefore, within the current multi-annual financial framework (MFF), the overall funding for EU space programmes will be more than doubled, to about €12bn for 2014-2020, compared to €5.2bn for 2007-2013. This is alongside support efforts on the part of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the member states.

In comparison to other players in space, the European institutional expenditure is still relatively small. The funding level in Europe is less than a quarter of that of the US.

While the EU represents 13 per cent of global space budgets, compared to 57 per cent for the US. Increased spending in other parts of the world is pushing Europe lower in the ranks. Given this challenging context, we need to optimise the use of all existing EU funding opportunities.

We should not simply rely on space programmes, but also make use of the European fund for strategic investments, or programmes such as the European programme for SMEs (COSME), to unleash the full potential of the European space industry.

The Commission is committed to fostering the right environment to enable this sector to remain competitive in the years to come. Future EU spending on space policy will be based on the economic rationale of a desired return on investment through economic activities, innovation and new services that can be developed.

At the same time, it is important to attract new players to the space industry and open up new market opportunities for space-based applications and services. For this to happen, we need to develop a clear strategic vision together with all the stakeholders.

This year, the Commission will present ‘A space strategy for Europe’. The fact that this initiative was included among the Commission’s key priorities for 2016 clearly shows the importance of the space sector for Europe as a driver for growth, competitiveness and jobs.

The strategy will, among other things, address the market uptake of Galileo. For Copernicus, the strategy will focus on robust data dissemination architecture, new business models and promoting the use of space data by end users.

But beyond Galileo and Copernicus, we will look at the framework conditions and industrial policy tools that we have to foster new market opportunities, particularly in the downstream sectors. There is a tremendous economic potential we want Europe’s industry to tap into. This concerns big companies as well as SMEs and start-ups.

We must also analyse and discuss potential new initiatives to address the global challenges in areas such as space, defence and security, or space and climate change. We will examine how the competitiveness of European industry could be strengthened on the global market.

And finally, we want to look into the conditions for autonomous European access to space. As a global political player, access to space is a priority for the EU and will become even more so in the future.

This strategy will be developed in full transparency and in collaboration with all our strategic partners – the member states, ESA and industry.

The Commission will put in place a broad and inclusive consultation process with all stakeholders, including an online consultation.

To conclude, 2016 will be an important year for European space policy. We will continue to develop Galileo and Copernicus’ constellation, prepare their future market uptake and address several strategic questions. Our objective is to position Europe as a main global space actor. I count on all the European space actors to reach this common goal.

About the author
Elżbieta Bieńkowska is European internal market, industry, entrepreneurship and SMEs Commissioner

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@ The Parliament. Written by Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski on 8 March 2016 in Opinion. Space technologies have huge potential, and should be priorities on the European policymaking agenda, says Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski.

Over the past 50 years, Europe has had many successes on the space market. The most recent example is the Rosetta satellite mission, which was tasked with entering into a comet’s orbit and releasing a module, which landed on its surface.

Member states are aware of the potential of space technologies, but it’s important to reiterate the impact these could have on economic development improving overall quality of life, as well as the assurance of widely understood security.

In the report I worked on in Parliament’s security and defence subcommittee, I drew special attention to this last element, which is often omitted.

The EU adopted its space strategy in 2007, and thanks to the treaty on the functioning of the European Union, it has competences in the creation and support of space policy.

The most important EU space programmes are the satellite navigation system Galileo and Earth observation system Copernicus. They both differ a great deal: the altitude, the life-span of the satellites, the tasks they undertake, as well as the level of implementation.

However, they are mutually compatible and together have a huge potential to ensure widely understood security in Europe.

Galileo is the world’s only entirely civil satellite navigation system. The US GPS system and Russia’s GLONASS, for example – the two biggest projects of this type – are military ventures.

However, Galileo can also be useful from security point of view. The creators of Galileo’s architecture foresaw services in the framework of public regulated service that will be available free of charge to governments and member states’ governmental agencies. Its signal will also be of use within the security sphere. In addition, this will take some pressure off GPS.

In recent times, this has experienced issues with proper timing, which could in turn lead to inaccurate positioning. This proves how important Galileo is, and not just within a European context. The whole system will be fully operational in 2020.

Copernicus, the second EU flagship system, offers other interesting and important capabilities. Its constellation of dedicated satellites, so called sentinels, will provide important observation information on changes in climate, border traffic, the maritime situation, humanitarian aid, or improving the quality of transport.

The data will be shared between a plethora of institutions, ranging from research institutes, meteorological stations to early warning agencies, or agencies preoccupied with migration. Some of these services are already being delivered by Copernicus.

Member states have long cooperating on space-related issues. Common initiatives, in a range of spheres, have been developed by the UK, France, German, Italy and Greece. Recently, the national space agencies of Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania and Hungary joined the ESA.

More and more European capitals are developing an interest in space technology, and its importance for economic growth, improving quality of life and security. Aside from purely European cooperation, we should also emphasise the need for closer and deeper cooperation with the US, including within the Nato framework. Their valuable experience can only benefit us.

My report also looks at future space technology strategies. These technologies must be included among priority initiatives when it comes to both research and development and security.

We must draw attention to the capabilities of European satellite systems in the new EU global strategy for foreign and security policy, which will be presented in June.

Long-term programming will also require proper budgetary planning. Ensuring continuous and adequate financing is a condition sine qua non for EU space programmes. These projects must also be properly advertised.

Their applications are many, but the usage level of their capabilities and services will depend on how they are promoted. One should not forget about an overall business picture. The space sector is largely dependent on institutional procurement.

The space race era was started by the governments of strong states. However, with time, the commercial use of satellite technologies has gained importance. In 2014, commercial launches constituted 25 per cent of all launches. As many as six out of 11 European launches were ordered by private companies.

World revenues from space activities reached €230bn in 2015, while global expenditure was at €73bn, demonstrating the economic potential of these technologies. Investing in them is simply good business.

I believe in European integration, so I am glad to see an added value in European ventures. Space technologies have the potential to improve the quality of life of all Europeans. We therefore cannot afford to waste its potential, or the funds that have so far been invested.

About the author
Bogdan Andrzej Zdrojewski (EPP, PL) is Parliament’s rapporteur on space capabilities for European security and defence

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Addis Ababa 31 January 2016- The African Union Heads of State and Government during their Twenty-Sixth Ordinary Session on 31 January 2016 in Addis Ababa adopted the African Space Policy and Strategy as the first of the concrete steps to realize an African Outer space Programme, as one of the flagship programmes of the AU Agenda 2063. They immediately urged the Member States, RECs, Partners and the Commission to raise awareness on the central role of space science and technology in Africa’s socio-economic development and mobilize domestic resources for the implementation of this policy and strategy. Adoption of the Space Policy and Strategy has set pace for collective revitalization of African space activities in contribution to the achievements of the overarching Agenda 2063.

The African Union being aware of the unique opportunities for the continent to collectively address socio-economic development issues through Space technologies, went further to request the development of an implementation architecture for the African Space Policy and Strategy, taking into account requirements of different sectors and end- user groups; as well as a Governance Framework that covers the relevant legal requirements and protocols for an operational African Outer-Space Programme.

The Commission, through an AU Member States-based Working Group guided by sectorial Ministerial Conferences drafted the space policy and strategy that outlines the ambitious high-level goals to mobilise the continent to develop the necessary institutions and capacities to harness space technologies for socio economic benefits that improve the quality of lives and create wealth for Africans.

However, the adoption of the policy although significant has no meaning in itself unless rapid steps are taken to implement it. The Heads of State and Government in their decision have also extended the timeframe for the African Union Space Working Group to continue with the exercise of drafting Governance and Implementation Frameworks. One of the next major steps to prepare such frameworks includes carrying out a comprehensive space technology audit to take stock of the African space heritage. This comprehensive audit will effectively inform the process of implementing the Policy and Strategy.

Dr Martial de Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human resources Science and Technology took the opportunity to congratulate the Space Working Group chaired by South Africa and comprised of members from Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and Cameroon, and Namibia for job well done.

For further information please feel free to contact Dr Mahama Ouedraogo, Head of division science and technology, African Union commission: OuedraogoM@africa- union.org Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther AzaaTankou, Ag. Director of Information and Communication of the AUC, via E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org / esthertankou@yahoo.com
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MARKHAM, Ontario, Canada – March 1, 2016: PCI Geomatics, a world leading developer of remote sensing and photogrammetric software and systems, announced today the release of its GeoImaging Accelerator (GXL) 2016 – the latest version of the company’s proven, high-performance, and scalable image processing solution.

GXL technology provides significant improvements in automation, speed and efficiency by optimizing and distributing automated workflows. GXL 2016 brings two big additions to its capabilities through new add-on packages for the ADS airborne digital scanner and for processing synthetic-aperture RADAR (SAR) imagery. These packages add new jobs to the JPS interface, while other improvements expand job management, sensor support and bundle options, keeping the GXL at the forefront of high-performance ortho-mosaic processing.

“We’ve really expanded the GXL in two significant ways with this release” said David Piekny, Product Marketing Manager at PCI Geomatics. “By adding ADS ortho on the aerial side and SAR polarimetry on the satellite side, we met two key goals for the product and for our customers. This is in addition to core improvements like job handling that make it even easier for operators to remotely manage the distributed, automated processing in the GXL.”

The ADS Sensor package in GXL 2016 uses an all-new bundle method for consistent, seamless mosaics. The GXL SAR package provides orthorectification as well as polarimetric parameter calculations and a change detection job – these jobs provide outputs used in more complex polarimetry and classification applications quickly and easily.

“By packaging the spatial aspects of SAR orthorectification along with application tools, we’ve created a strong, natural combination. An analyst could run a batch of calculations to determine the most suitable polarizations, and then apply them to a large set of new imagery. By linking this first step to the subsequent orthorectification and then change detection, the whole image stack can be processed automatically,” said Piekny. “Coupled with our Geomatica suite of analysis and visualization tools, we’ve got a unique solution with speed, efficiency, accuracy, and flexibility.”

GXL 2016 is available for purchase starting today. For a full list of new features and functions, or for more information about GXL, visit www.pcigeomatics.com/GXL.

About PCI Geomatics

PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing, geo-image processing, and photogrammetry. With more than 30 years of experience in the geospatial industry, PCI is recognized globally for its excellence in providing software for accurately and rapidly processing satellite and aerial imagery. There are more than 30,000 PCI licenses, in over 150 countries worldwide.

Find out more about PCI Geomatics at www.pcigeomatics.com.

Copernicus is the European Union programme for Earth observation and monitoring. It provides users with reliable and up-to-date information through a set of services related to environmental and security issues. It consists of a complex system which collects data from multiple sources: earth observation satellites and in situ sensors. All data and information are provided through a free, full and open data policy.

Copernicus is a user driven programme, which means that the users are at the centre of the programme’s design and implementation and that Copernicus must evolve continuously to make sure that it addresses its users’ needs.

If you are, or are interested in becoming a user of Copernicus data or service information, we sincerely would appreciate your time and effort in completing this “call for interest” survey. The results will be used to identify existing users and potential users who are willing to participate in one way or another to the collection and analysis of Copernicus user needs.

This call for interest survey and the gathering of user needs will be the first building block of a process aimed at defining the high level requirements for the next generation of Copernicus Space Component. It is thus a unique opportunity to contribute to the creation of a “fil rouge” between this Space Component and the users.

This survey will take about 15 minutes of your time

Survey

Copernicus is the European Union system for Earth observation (EO). It provides users with reliable and up-to-date data from the Sentinels satellites, in-situ sensors and contributing mission. In addition, the Copernicus programme offers information through a set of services (Land-, Marine- and Atmosphere Monitoring, Emergency Management, Security, and Climate Change). The services’ information is prepared by our partners and available on specialised webpages. All data and information are provided through a free, full and open data policy.

The EU is designing a series of measures to promote the uptake of Copernicus and support companies in the EO field. In this context, we would appreciate your opinion on barriers to the exploitation of Copernicus data and your views on the types of initiatives that would help your company’s best. In addition, relevant questions will be used as part of the public consultation for the forthcoming Communication on “a Space Strategy for Europe”. As your time is precious, we designed this survey to last no longer than 10 minutes.

Are you a company using (or interested in using) Copernicus? Please fill in a survey we designed for you (the survey lasts no longer than 10 minutes).

The Commission is preparing a series of measures to promote the uptake of Copernicus and support companies in the EO field. We would greatly appreciate to have the opinion of business leaders on the types of initiatives that would best help their company. In addition, relevant questions will be used as part of the public consultation for the forthcoming Communication on “a Space Strategy for Europe”. We will send a summary of the results to interested participants.

Survey