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(Tromsø, 6th of December 2014) Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT) today announces its novel Ka-band Ground Station Support service through an ideally located antenna network. The emerging use of Ka-band as an operational downlink will substantially increase data rates from satellites in Low Earth Orbits (LEO). KSAT is now investing into the augmentation of its network capabilities with Ka-band support.

The first antenna system will be located at Svalbard at 78 deg Northern latitude allowing data access to polar orbiting satellites on each and every orbit. In the near future, KSAT will equip additional sites with Ka-band capabilities, among others the Antarctic Troll Station at 72 deg Southern latitude.

“We see a demand for ever growing data rates from Earth Observation missions. With the implementation of a Ka-band service, KSAT is well prepared for satisfying our customers’ future needs.” says Rolf Skatteboe, CEO of KSAT.

The installation was preceded by campaigns to characterize the local atmospheric influences on radio frequencies in the Ka-band. Stig Kræmer, Infrastructure Manager and responsible for the antenna deployments observes that “both Svalbard and Troll have a very dry climate and could be described as polar deserts. Therefore, atmospheric humidity attenuation which can severely inhibit the use of Ka-band in other locations, is less of a concern for us.” These local advantages allow for a highly cost-efficient service using smaller diameter antennas achieving high data rates previously only possible with large diameter antennas.

KSAT has already agreed to provide Ka-band services to the NASA Joint Polar Satellite System JPSS series of satellites from its location in Svalbard and in Troll, Antarctica. The Svalbard site has been evaluated through an extensive radiometer test campaign conducted in collaboration with NASA and the Norwegian Space Centre.

Please contact KSAT at sales@ksat.no for further information or visit our website at www.ksat.no
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(06.11.2014) KSAT is pleased to bring a new Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite to commercial users around the world. RISAT-1 was launched in April 2012 carrying a C-band radar sensor. It is one of the most complex radar satellites ever built and offers a variety of resolutions and unique polarization modes.

RISAT-1 data will be downlinked at KSAT ‘s Ground Station in Svalbard (Svalsat) and further processed in Tromsø. Due to its north location, the SvalSat ground station is the only station in the world providing worldwide coverage with the shortest possible global delay between actual acquisition stop time and downlink time. With this configuration, KSAT is able to offer RISAT-1 image delivery and value added products worldwide in near real time – typically within 1 hour.

RISAT-1 is a readily accessible source of SAR imagery, previously used primarily for land-based applications on the Indian subcontinent but now widely available for both terrestrial and maritime use. A variety of ScanSAR and Stripmap beam modes are possible in resolutions ranging from 3 to 50 meters and scene widths from 25 to 220 kilometers;

  • FRS-1: Fine Resolution Stripmap Mode-1: 3m resolution, 25 km swath
  • FRS-2: Fine Resolution Stripmap Mode-2: 9m resolution, 25 km swath
  • MRS: Medium Resolution ScanSAR Mode: 25m resolution, 115 km swath
  • CRS: Coarse Resolution ScanSAR Mode: 50m resolution, 220 km swath

In addition to the traditional linear polarizations widely available on commercial SAR satellites, RISAT-1 opens a new dimension across a wide range of applications by offering a unique circular polarization. The conventional SAR single/dual polarization combinations do not fully exploit the vector nature of a scattered wave, resulting in an unnecessary loss of information. By transmitting a signal with this unique circular polarization and receiving simultaneous linear polarization returns, a hybrid mode is achieved which provides additional information to improve sea ice characterization, moisture estimation, crop & land classification, forestry, ship detection and oil spill.

RISAT-1 expands the KSAT portfolio of SAR missions to an impressive nine options, all of which are available in near real time. Regardless of location the delivery of imagery and/or value-added services typically occurs less than an hour from the local satellite pass. KSAT’s inherently multi-mission approach to satellite services continues to deliver critical information to a wide variety of applications; from detecting oil spills and illegal fishing activity, to monitoring ice conditions, crop diversity and forest health.

RISAT-1 is owned by the Government of India and operated by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ANTRIX who owns the commercial rights has granted KSAT the right to schedule acquisitions, download, process, and deliver RISAT-1 imagery to commercial users worldwide.

RISAT-1 is fully operational and available in near real-time from KSAT. Contact us today for more information or to schedule new acquisitions.

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Kongsberg Spacetec has signed a contract with MicroStep-MIS, to provide our MEOS™ Polar and Geo system to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute

The delivery will include the Kongsberg Spacetec developed MEOS™ 3.8 m L/X band antenna, and a 1.8 m geostationary antenna.

Satellite acquisition and processing capabilities for Terra/Aqua, METOP, NPP and MSG satellites are also included.

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(Nov 2014) Technology and agriculture come together in wineo, a GMV-developed precision-agriculture system based on satellite imaging (with a GIS like GeoServer OpenLayers) and data mining (with a Business Intelligence solution like Jaspersoft), which speeds up decision-making processes in a field like precision agriculture.

Precision agriculture has become a brand new way of managing crop information. Its growth has been driven by such technological breakthroughs as GPS, geographical information systems and remote sensing technology. Until now such concepts had been applied in other industrial fields and are now being brought in as part of advanced farming systems.

Wineo (Weather INformation and Earth Observation) is an earth-observation system based on satellite images that are then processed to generate a precision-agriculture intelligent aid system. Wineo also uses meteorological data that improves decision-making processes in such important farming factors as the need of irrigation, the timing of the harvesting arrangements, reduction of water consumption and the use of pesticides and fertilizers. All this helps to minimize the carbon footprint and the impact of pesticides on farming produce. The system is estimated to cut direct production costs by between 4 and 6%, meaning a substantial improvement in net farming profits.

Wineo is driven by a powerful data-mining engine, culling a vast amount of data from various information sources and processing it in a web portal where farmers, communities, cooperatives, producers and other stakeholder institutions all have access to comprehensive information that allows them to analyze and optimize their processes, enabling them to boost their yield considerably and reduce the environmental impact of their farming activities.

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MARKHAM, Ontario, Canada—January 13, 2014: PCI Geomatics, a world leading developer of remote sensing and photogrammetric software and systems, announced today a strategic partnership with McDonald, Dettwiler and Associated Ltd. (MDA).

The partnership introduces a solution that streamlines access to synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery for Geomatica 2014 users. A key benefit of this partnership provides Geomatica users with direct access to MDA’s SAR experts who have decades of expertise in radar remote sensing analysis. The solution provides access to RADARSAT-2 order handling services through both the PCI Geomatics website, and Geomatica, a state-of-the-art desktop software package for processing Earth observation data that allows users to load satellite and aerial imagery where advanced analysis can be performed.

PCI Geomatics offers considerable expertise as well, with online SAR training courses taught by PhD level scientists, free access to SAR coursebooks, and also step by step examples of SAR based applications supported by freely available RADARSAT-2 imagery which is provided by MDA, which can be processed to generate information using Geomatica.

SAR has all weather, any-time monitoring capabilities that offer a number of unique benefits for Earth-surface and feature observation. The RADARSAT-2 satellite has global high-resolution surveillance capabilities that include a large collection capacity and high accuracy. The satellite provides frequent re-visit imaging options, and is supported by ground receiving stations that provide near real-time information delivery services. This versatility makes RADARSAT-2 a reliable source of information in multi-faceted intelligence surveillance and monitoring programs. MDA is a primary source of geospatial solutions for the Oil and Gas, Defense and Security, Disaster Management, Aviation, Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining markets.

Through this partnership, PCI users can better leverage MDA’s SAR expertise to unlock the potential of RADARSAT-2 to solve some unique customer challenges. With a more robust suite of services, and with world-leading advanced geospatial production and analysis capabilities, MDA and PCI are even better positioned to meet customers’ needs.

To find out more about the new capability, visit: www.pcigeomatics.com/imagery

About PCI Geomatics
PCI Geomatics is a world-leading developer of software and systems for remote sensing, imagery 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.

Press Contact (PCI Geomatics)
Kevin R. Jones
Director, Marketing and Communications
T: 819-770-0022 × 214
E: jones@pcigeomatics.com
Web: www.pcigeomatics.com
Twitter: @pcigeomatics

Press Contact (MDA)
Wendy Keyzer
MDA External Relations
T: 604-231-2743
E: wendy@mdacorporation.com

From a small group of satellite radar signal specialists to a company of 45 staff, two offices in Italy and North America and the broadest experience in InSAR data processing for commercial applications.

This year, TRE will be celebrating its fifteenth birthday.
TRE is a commercial company completely dedicated to the development of InSAR technology and the delivery of InSAR products and services. Since its origin in March 2000, TRE has always been at the forefront of satellite InSAR, used to monitor surface deformation from space.

Its expertise was founded on research started in the early nineties at the Politecnico di Milano University and continues today, thanks to hundreds of projects undertaken in a range of sectors (oil & gas, mining, civil engineering to mention a few) and numerous scientific collaborations with ESA, ASI and Academia, both in Italy and abroad.

TRE’s founders were the inventors of the PSInSAR™ technique (1999), which gave rise to the so-called Persistent Scatterer Interferometry. Thereafter, TRE’s tradition of innovation has made it possible to develop a new state-of-the-art technique, namely SqueeSAR™.

The processing of all satellite radar (SAR) images is performed in-house. TRE’s unique Data Processing Centre has been designed to cope with the large amount of data requested for InSAR, PSInSAR™ and SqueeSAR™ processing, guaranteeing high performance, security and scalability for future needs.

TRE’s milestones

  • 1999 PSInSAR™ was patented by the Politecnico di Milano University. It was the first of a family of algorithms now referred to as Persistent Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) techniques.
  • 2000 TRE was established in Milan as a POLIMI spin-off company to market PSInSAR™.
  • 2008 TRE founded its subsidiary in North America, TRE Canada.
  • 2010 Continuous investment in research and development led to a new pioneering InSAR algorithm, namely SqueeSAR™.
  • 2012 TRE’s CEO, Alessandro Ferretti, and President, prof. Fabio Rocca, were awarded the ENI prize for their outstanding contribution to the oil and gas sector and the potential impact of PSInSAR™.
  • 2014 Prof. Fabio Rocca received the Chinese Government international sci-tech. cooperation awards 2014.
  • 2014 Alessandro Ferretti’s book “Satellite InSAR Data: Reservoir Monitoring from Space” was published by EAGE (the European Association of Geoscientists and Engineering).

InSAR: market applicability and future perspectives

TRE’s story is paradigmatic of the InSAR evolution in the business world: within a few years, InSAR has been transferred from a highly technical university environment directly to the market.

Today InSAR is penetrating numerous market sectors internationally. It provides oil and gas with precise measurements of surface displacement over producing reservoirs to: optimize field operations, calibrate geo-mechanical models and monitor subsidence or uplift and their possible effect on surface facilities. In mining, it remotely measures ground deformation over all mining surfaces, structures and assets, eliminating the need for the installation of ground equipment. InSAR can also provide important input to all stages of any construction project by identifying unstable areas affected by surface movements and reconstructing their displacement history.

By offering necessary information for a broad range of applications, satellite monitoring by InSAR is a step forward in changing the way we manage activities and detect natural hazards.

Currently there are many radar satellites (with different ground resolution and revisiting time) circling the planet. Sentinel-1 is the latest mission, launched during 2014. In a global scenario of an increasing number of Earth-observing satellites, the availability of robust, long-term satellite datasets opens new possibilities in terms of monitoring and modelling services to better meet our user needs.

Tele-Rilevamento Europa – T.R.E. s.r.l.
Ripa di Porta Ticinese, 79
20143 Milano – Italia
TRE
Tel.: +39.02.4343.121 – Fax: +39.02.4343.1230

(12Nov2014) The Cadastre Division of the Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia (MRAM) has launched a new web portal in order to increase transparency in the Mongolian mining sector and offer enhanced services to the public and specific functionalities to investors (registered users) via the Internet.

The Computerised Mining Cadastre System (CMCS) was successfully implemented at the Cadastre Division of the Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia in 2010, with the objective of strengthening and improving administrative procedures and public services related to mineral titling. The CMCS was developed by GAF AG and has substantially improved the quality and speed of licence transaction processing, reduced discretionary actions within the cadastre office, and prevented licences from overlapping other licences or protected areas. By now, the system is in operation since four years without any failure or disruption.

In 2014, the system was extended to include a dedicated web portal with real-time connection to the operational database. The main purpose of this portal is to enhance transparency in the mining sector by providing information to the general public and to governmental and private authorities and organisations about the mineral licensing activities in Mongolia, via the Internet. The services provided by the web portal enable visitors to:

  • Obtain real-time access to mineral licensing information
  • Retrieve information about present activities in the mineral sector, such as the tendering of areas for mineral licences
  • Access forms, documents and key information required to file applications

For registered users, the web portal offers additional possibilities to further optimise the processing of applications for mineral licenses, as well as enhancing customer relations. The functions available to registered users include:

  • Map and verify the availability of areas, and upload spatial data and respective alphanumeric information and application forms
  • Track the processing of applications for new mineral licenses and licence modifications

The new portal is available at http://cmcs.mram.gov.mn

The portal was developed within the framework of the World Bank-funded Mining Sector Institutional Strengthening Technical Assistance Project (MSISTAP) by GAF AG, a consultancy company based in Germany which has worldwide experience in the development of mining cadastre systems. The implementation is a customised component of GAF’s eMC+ electronic Mining Cadastre framework.

PR_GAF_CMCS-Web_Mongolia_112014.pdf

20Nov2014. GAF, together with the Department of Geology at the University of Witwatersrand, identified an impact structure in Brazil on Landsat MSS satellite imagery in the year 2000.

The circular structure, which has a diameter of approximately 10km, was identified near Gilbués , in the Province of Piauí in north-eastern Brazil. GAF was at that time involved as satellite remote sensing and geo-information consultant in the German- Brazilian WAVES research project, which focused on water availability and the vulnerability of ecosystems and society in the dry north-eastern provinces of Brazil. Recent fieldwork and the observation of shatter cones and other high-pressure deformation features have now confirmed the impact origin : the “Santa Marta” structure thus becomes Brazil’s sixth officially recognised crater and is now listed as one of the 184 confirmed impact structures on Earth.

GAF_Impact_structure_Santa-Marta.pdf

(16Dec2014) GAF’s mining cadastre system and the provision of its associated source code ensures sustainability beyond the implementation project’s lifetime and provides well-defined total cost of ownership.

eMC+ is GAF’s framework for providing mining cadastre authorities worldwide with a complete package of products and services. Using the eMC+ framework as a basis, GAF can create tailor-made and maintenance-friendly solutions for each individual client – being web-based it works in an intranet setting as well as over the Internet. eMC+ increases institutional capacity and efficiency by providing a comprehensive mineral tenure management solution.

Professional solution without vendor lock-in

The various benefits provided by GAF’s leading and unique eMC+ mining cadastre framework form the basis of the company’s successful provision of mining governance services. It is scalable from single to an unlimited number of users and is fully customisable (for example, with respect to the applicable regulatory framework and required languages). As it is entirely web-based, eMC+ supports a central solution as well as decentralised regional offices. The application’s source code can also be made available to the client, thereby ensuring that the solution can be used sustainably beyond the lifetime of the implementation project. The system is based on FOSS (free and open-source software), which ensures that no additional costs are incurred for 3rd party licenses and maintenance. Thus the total cost of ownership is fully transparent and there is no vendor lock-in. eMC+ based solutions can be implemented as part of a complete package that includes institutional strengthening, capacity building, business reengineering, training and know-how transfer, software and system development and implementation, maintenance, and automated data entry.

Comprehensive experience and competence

GAF has more than 20 years of experience in the institutional and technical establishment and reorganisation of mining cadastre authorities, and is a leading provider of top class consultancy services and cutting-edge software solutions in this field. The company’s comprehensive experience and skills in the provision of cadastres and registries in the areas of mining, land management and agriculture are underlined by the fact that it has implemented more than 2000 licences to ministries, governance boards, individual businesses and organisations in the public and private sectors. GAF’s software unit consists of more than 40 software programmers, developers and testers

PR_GAF_emc_122014.pdf
eMC+ electronic Mining Cadastre framework
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