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EUROSENSE completed end 2007 the first cross-border Urban Atlas for the region of Courtrai, Tournai, Lille, Douai and Valenciennes. This map can be used as basic data layer for the recently founded Eurodistrict.

The Eurodistrict intends to set up, across the borders, projects about transport, economical and regional development and about urban planning. To make a common policy possible the government has to have accurate data at its disposal. The new map, based on satellite images, shows the soil occupation of the largest part of the Eurodistrict. This map can be consulted online, and Land.

The production was realised by EUROSENSE within the project GSE Land (GMES Service Element), funded by ESA – Urban Atlas is an European initiative, its purpose is to map the largest European cities according to a fixed procedure and legend. This legend consists of 26 different classes (derived from the CORINE and MOLAND nomenclature) with focus on artificial areas.


ES_GSE_Land_promo

Through this initiative it will be possible to compare the land use of different European cities and follow it up in time. The Urban Atlas constitutes also the basis for the calculations of different Urban Audit indicators/statistics.

This Urban Atlas is based on SPOT5 satellite images (2005-2006) with a 2.5m resolution.

The realisation of the project was a cooperation between the ‘Intercommunale Leiedal’, the province of West Flanders, l’Agence de Développement et d’Urbanisme de Lille Métropole and EUROSENSE.

EUROSENSE has a great expertise in the processing of satellite images. EUROSENSE has no limitations concerning satellite type or resolution. We have profound experience in the processing of a large spectrum of optical and radar satellite images (FORMOSAT, KOMPSAT, SPOT, IKONOS, Landsat, TerraSAR-X, …).

Contact
EUROSENSE Belfotop NV
Nerviërslaan 54
1780 Wemmel, Belgium
Tel: + 32 (0)2 460 70 00;
Fax: + 32 (0)2 460 49 58;

Source EUROSENSE

EARSC´s MISSION is to foster the development of the European geo-information service industry.


Our VISION is a sustainable market for geo-information services, using remote sensing data, which is openly accessible. To achieve this we will focus on:
-Customer awareness and acceptance of Earth observation and remote sensing
-Improving Market access

WHAT IS EARSC

-Non-profit making organisation created in 1989
-Association of corporate and observer members_the collective voice of the Earth Observation Industry_
-Focus is on promoting the use of earth observation_increasing the profile of its members_
-Fosters dialogue between EARSC members, decision makers and user
-Provides technical expertise and policy guidance
-Promotes EO industry within European bodies

EARSC SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

-To promote the interests of, and co-operation between, European geo-information service companies
-To make users aware of the benefits of remote sensing techniques and the products and services available form its members
-To provide its members with information on the development of the geo-information market
-To ensure that its members’ view are represented at national and international fora and initiatives in the field
-To give advice and assistance on geo-information issues to funding and executing agencies

MEMBERSHIP

-Representing the European companies of the remote sensing value added sector, as well as data distribution and comprehensive end-to-end chain
-More than 80 members, with SME’s as well as large member companies
-Member companies are spread over Europe

EARSC, fostering the development of the European geo-information service industry

CONTACT
European Association of Remote Sensing Companies
16 Avenue BOILEAU 1040 Bruxelles
BELGIUM
www.earsc.org

EARSC has been undertaking various activities in the past months that are geared towards the realization of its objectives as an evolving association.

- Political lobbying to European Institutions carrying the industry message and helping focus stakeholders on issues vitally important to the EO service industry issues (Meeting with Commissioner Günter Verheugen, presentation at the Committee of the Regions, presence at EU- French presidency Lille Forum)

- Looking toward the future upgrading the organisational and working practices to support and respond to the increased expectations of our membership, in particular searching for and hiring a Secretary General and Implementing New Services.

- While EARSC has accomplished these steps to be the industry association for European geo-information service providers, new challenges await us and much more remains to be done.

We thank you for your support and interest and look forward to continuing to be your enthusiastic lobby association with European stakeholders.

EARSC Secretariat

19 September 2008, only one month after receiving its first Vexcel UltraCam- X prime (UCXp) digital camera, Aerodata completed its first large aerial surveying project using this system.

The project, in collaboration with Municipia of Oeras (Portugal) , had a surface area of over 3500 sqkm, covering the entire coastal area of Northern Portugal from Setubal all the way to the Spanish border. It was acquired at 10cm GSD with a forward overlap of 80%.

While project specifications were rather straightforward, they called for a very short acquisition period and extremely tight delivery deadline in relation to the scope of the project (start of project 1 September, delivery of all 42 TB of data before 31 October).

Aerodata showed that by acquiring and operating the new 196 Megapixel UCXp, extraordinary results are achieved.

Using the UCXp, execution of this project was done in just 8 flying days, with a total of over 18.000 aerial frames, while maintaining specified GSD and overlap.

This project once more emphasizes the operational strength of Aerodata using their newest best-in-class Vexcel digital cameras.

As major projects are completed in an unprecedented short time in relation to the number of pixels collected, this guarantees a highly efficient project execution and completion certainty.

Source Aerodata

GEOSYSTEMS Polska Ltd. is remote sensing/photogrammetry and LIS/GIS consultancy and laboratory involved in various types of geographic data processing, spatial analysis and geovisualisation.


AREAS OF EXPERTISE

• Satellite Image Mapping, Thematic Mapping and Rapid Response Mapping (Environmental Applications, Forestry, Agrometeorology, Watershed Management, Spatial Planning, etc.)
• Land Cover/Use Classification (Information Extraction, Interpretation, Terrain Analysis)
• Geographic Information Analysis of Raster and Vector Data (Spatial Analysis/Modeling)
• Creation of Digital Terrain Models (Softcopy Photogrammetry)
• Automatic Digital Map Composition (Hardcopy Map Output)
ARC/INFO Vector Updating (Using Imagery as a Backdrop Information)
• Imaging GIS Application (virtual reality+) and Visualisation of Terrain Information (draping vector and raster data over a terrain height model, accessing atribute information for spatial analysis, real-time 3-dimensional geovisualisation and fly-through of the proposed site, etc.).
PDA Car Navigation and Monitoring Systems

In 1995 GEOSYSTEMS Polska Ltd. was set up as a small private IT enterprise with intension to specialise in geographic imaging and respond to growing demands for up-to-date, highly accurate and reliable spatial information indispensable for planners, developers and decision-makers. It was a sister company of GEOSYSTEMS GmbH (Munich) but used no venture capital, credits nor loans and debts. From the very beginning it acted as an official distributor of ERDAS GIS software in Poland and then as an authorised distributor of satellite imagery from such vendors as:

RADARSAT (Radar imagery)
SPOT Image (SPOT)
EURIMAGE (LANDSAT)
EUROMAP (IRS, LANDSAT)
Infoterra Global (TerraSAR X)
Digital Globe (QuickBird)
KIBERSO (TK-350, KVR-1000)

Good ideas, dedication, hard work, a lot of effort and luck made it possible to survive for almost 10 years on the emerging Polish and international remote sensing and GIS market. Today, GEOSYSTEMS is still a SME with its own Geoinformation Training Centre and regional office in Wrocław. Since 2001 it acts as a partner of LEICA GEOSYSTEMS GIS & Mapping Division and since June 2003 as distributor of eCognition image processing system (DEFINIENS GmbH). Its core business remain unchanged and concerns operational geographic imaging, geodata generation, applied geographic modelling, delivering services and products for e.g. the biggest Polish telecoms, environmental and agricultural institutions. Since 1995 it carried out several international and domestic R&D but mainly production-oriented projects (industry).

One of the first and most challenging project was initiated in1995 within the EU PHARE MERA program and was related to the mapping of land degradation and assessment of the soil erosion risk in Poland. Sucessfully completed in 1996 contributed to built up an extensive expertise and company “know how” used later on for designing and implementation of special-purpose “Integrated Information System for the Polish Agricultural Production Areas” as well as for many other projects related to mapping and imaging of environmentally sensitive areas (e.g. agricultural “hot-spots”, military training areas, inventory of flooding hazard, etc.).

The company continues its work in the field of remote sensing, GIS analysis and geographic imaging in urban and rural areas.

EXPERIENCE

The following GIS applications were developed in our firm since 1995:

• the first Polish operational navigation system AutoMapa
• 3D city models (all biggest Polish cities)
• Iraq 2003 – delivery of satellite imagery and visualisation system for TV broadcast (cooperation with the biggest Polish press agencies)
• K2 Mapping – 2003 (Polish expedition’s mapping support, Quick processing of satellite data, generation of the DTM, Visualisation in the Polish National TV programs)
• Conceptual Design of the Tatra National Park GIS
EKOPOL – selected elements for ecological layer of Polish Digital Map
• Geoinformation Visualising Tools for Military Applications for Polish Army
• Integrated Information System for Agricultural Production Areas in Poland
• Geoinformation Support for Polish Flood-Prevention Commitee (1997)
MARS MERA Land Degradation Mapping
GIS for the Kaliningrad City

GEOSYSTEMS Polska Ltd. has been involved in several international and domestic R&D projects. Some of them are listed below:

• Orthophotomapping and DTM generation for the Polish IACS
• Sub-Alpine Forest Change Detection in Tatra Mts.
• Design of KarnelGuard ™ Vehicle Monitoring System
• Land cover/use mapping for telcommunication applications
• Land cover/use mapping based on Landsat TM and IRS imagery
• Cyber Cities – 3D Visualisation of major Polish urban areas
• Resolution merge as a mean to improve classification results
PHARE MERA project (extension of JRS-ISPRA activities in remote sensing of agriculture, forests and land degradation to central Europe)

The company maintains close professional contacts with major Polish academic (scientific and educational) institutions including National Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Centre (OPOLIS) of the Institute of Geodesy and Cartography, Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Science, Institute of Soils, Crops and Fertilisation, Forest Research Institute, State Geological Institute, etc. as well as with all major universities in the country.

Since July 2003 acts as a member and co-founder of the Virtual Institute of the Sustainable Development.

Geographic Imaging in Poland. Examples of the operational applications from a small company perspective

Geographical Imaging. Examples of operational applications in Poland – Security

Geographic imaging in Poland presentation 1

Geographic imaging in Poland presentation 2

CONTACT
GEOSYSTEMS Polska Sp. z o.o.
(Geospatial Laboratory&Consultancy)
ul. Smolna 38, lok. 5
00-375 Warsaw, Poland
tel./fax (+48 22) 851-11-66,
office@geosystems.com.pl
www.geosystems.com.pl

INSA, together with the Comunity of Madrid’s Forest Fighting Services, carried out a simulation to test the use of navigation systems for the management of forest fires in a real and controlled scenario, in a simulated emergency situation.


INSA AND SATELLITE NAVIGATION FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF FOREST FIRES: A PRACTICAL SIMULATION

What is HARMLESS?

HARMLESS is a European initiative managed within the VI Framework Programme by the GNSS Supervisory Authority. Its main objective is to research and promote the use of the European navigation satellite systems Galileo and EGNOS in the areas of emergency management, humanitarian aid and law enforcement. HARMLESS is a project developed by an industrial consortium participated by INSA (Ingeniería y Servicios Aeroespaciales, S.A.), NEXT, EADS Astrium France and EADS SN France, Infoterra UK, NSL, Map Action and IIASL, being coordinated by GMV.

HARMLESS dedicates a big effort in carrying out real simulations to test satellite navigation systems’ capabilities and to analyze, together with end users, real benefits of the systems.

INSA activities in forest fires

Ingeniería y Servicios Aeroespaciales accumulates more than 10 years in defining space systems and providing space-based applications intended to improve the efficiency of forest fire fighting services as well as to enhance the safety of the fire brigades.

Among the systems in operational use, REMFIRESAT combines the use of satellite-based navigation, telecommunications and Earth observation, providing at advanced command posts the real time position of fire fighting units and updated meteorological and hot spot information.

INSA has taken leading positions in the on-going GMES consortia dedicated to emergency management, being in charge of forest fire applications, such as RISK-EOS, PREVIEW and the forthcoming Emergency Core service. Under operational contract, it provides services to the Spanish ministries of Interior (Civil Protection) and Environment, as well as various regional authorities in charge of the fire management.

INSA in the Programme
Ingeniería y Servicios Aeroespaciales has as its main objective within the programme to test geo-location and communication capabilities and to study the benefits that navigation systems represent for emergency management, especially for firefighting services.

Forest fire task force of the Community of Madrid’s General Directorate for the Environment. Simulation with real personnel and operations.

A simulation to test the use of navigation systems for the management of forest fires was carried out in a real and controlled scenario, in a simulated emergency situation. Although fire was not present, its simulation allowed the task force to:

• Select the appropriate staff and resources
• Plan and carry out different exercises aimed to cover each of the phases of an emergency situation: preparation and prevention, alert and fire-control and the last one: analysis.

Preparation and prevention exercises allowed the acquisition of precise and reliable information about the test scenario, such as:

• Infrastructures’ cartography
• Access routes and its actual condition
• Selection of the best routes
• Planning of each of the exercises to be carried out in the next phases

Alert and fire-control tests simulated fire detection operations and the subsequent firefighting. Command Centers located the crisis scenario, managed resources allocation, followed firefighting operations and controlled staff security.

Final Analysis was based in information gathered during the simulation:

• Precise definition of the affected area
• Vehicles trajectories
• Operations diary

This information was used on the one hand to analyze operations efficiency during test exercises and on the other hand to test the benefits of navigation systems.

Simulation task force

Simulation was carried out by a team composed of twelve professionals, seven vehicles (soft and heavy fire trucks and 4×4 vehicles) and two command centers.

Both simulation vehicles (equipped with INSA-supplied hardware, currently in use in the whole Community of Madrid Forest Fire Fleet) as well as firefighting personnel where equipped with GPS receptors with EGNOS corrections and communicators that allowed sending real time positions and alert messages via satellite to the Command Centers.

Both Command Centers, one of them static and the other one portable, located in the battle field near the emergency, received real time information generated by the vehicles and personnel and visualized it through fleet management applications.

Conclusions
Real environment where forest firefighting activities take place is very hostile: poor visibility, high temperature, very low humidity and in the worst case, very high wind. Orography is very irregular and access routes can be in a bad condition or even no exist at all. Communications coverage is highly variable from one point to the next and in some cases there can be no coverage (except maybe via satellite).

Firefighting operations demand increasingly more and more technology that on the one hand allows them to operate more successfully and with a higher degree of security in such a hostile environment and on the other hand helps them to minimize the devastating effects of forest fires.

Navigation systems and fleet and personnel management applications are highly valuable tools, as them allow forest firefighting services to:

• Know in every moment where the personnel and vehicles are
• Increase operations management efficiency
• Make rescue operations easier

Source INSA

The objective of the FP7 space work programme is to support a European Space Policy focusing on applications such as GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security), with benefits for citizens, but also other space foundation areas for the competitiveness of the European space industry.

In the context of the FP7 Space Work Programme, the European Commission published its “Space Call 2” on 3 September 2008, with an indicative budget of EUR 51.5 Million. The deadline for submitting proposal is 4 December 2008 at 17:00:00 (Brussels local time).

All the necessary information to submit proposals is available on Cordis

Source GMES.Info

Following the adoption of the Space Council Resolution in May 2007, this Report published on 11 September 2008 provides an overview on the main progress achieved in the first year of the implementation of the European Space Policy (ESP), as elaborated jointly by the European Commission and the
Director General of the European Space Agency (COM212).

The need to establish a European Space Policy has also been endorsed by EU Heads of State and Government. The Member States of the EU and ESA highlighted that the further implementation of the GALILEO and GMES programmes, the development of a Strategy on International Relations in Space and the need to develop adequate instruments and funding schemes for Community actions in the space domain should be first priorities, followed by improved coordination and synergies between defence and civilian space programmes and technologies, in a user-driven approach. This report describes both the important steps forward made since May 2007 and the further actions which are priorities in the coming period.

On its European Space Policy Progress Report, published on 11 September 2008, the European Commission stated that the three main GMES services (Ocean, Land and Emergency) will be pre-operational by the end of 2008. Moreover a new atmosphere service will be developed and user requirement for security services will be identified. A communication is expected before the end of 2008 on GMES governance and financing.

The European Space Policy Progress Report aims at providing an overview on the main progress achieved in the framework of the European Space Policy, initiated by the EU Member States. Given that one of the key objectives of the ESP is the further implementation of the GMES programme, the report describes the GMES priorities in the forthcoming months.

The Commission affirms that the GMES three main Services (Land, Ocean and Emergency) will be pre-operational by the end of 2008 and user requirements for security services should be identified. Moreover, an additional Atmosphere Pilot Service should be developed, as well as a potential contribution of GMES to addressing climate change.

Data provision on climate change is supported by relevant programmes of EUMESAT (the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites) and ESA. The latter is preparing a Climate Change Initiative to be tabled on the November 2008 ESA Ministerial Council. This initiative shall consolidate ESA’s archives after 30 years of Earth Observation data to support the re-analysis processes by climate research centres.

During the 2 years pre-operational phase (2008-2010), ESA will be responsible for the provision of coordinated data for GMES Services. At the same time, EUMESAT will make freely available to GMES Services data and products from its operational satellites.

GMES needs obviously an institutional framework in order to ensure its sustainability. Thus the Commissions will issue a proposal for appropriate governance and financial schemes in a Communication to the EU Council and Parliament due for the last quarter of 2008.

Key issue ahead is also an agreement between ESA Member States and the EU with regard to the funding of the GMES Space Component ‘Segment 2’. This agreement is expected to be decided during the November 2008 ESA Ministerial Council.

More information at:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2008:0561:FIN:EN:PDF

Source GMES.Info

Remote sensing solution provider DMCii’s Chief Scientist, Dr Steve Mackin, has pioneered a new approach for deriving quality control indicators from Disaster Monitoring Constellation data. The new framework, which is being implemented by DMCii, holds great potential for quality control and consistency in multi-source imaging projects such as the European Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES).


Dr Mackin commented: “This has never been done before and its application holds great potential for projects where imaging is sourced from multiple providers and satellites. As a GMES contributor, DMCii has begun implementing this new quality control framework within the Disaster Monitoring Constellation to validate it for wider use.”

The European Space Agency (ESA) has expressed interest in the techniques that Dr Mackin presented in his role as one of the UK’s representatives in the Working Group for Constellation Calibration on the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS). The first dedicated GMES satellites, Sentinel 2 and Sentinel 3, will demonstrate (at least in part) the new framework as a quality control measure for GMES.

From research conducted with the National Physics Laboratory it was clear that making extra quality information available to describe imaging products would be of significant benefit to imaging experts. The new framework provides a clearer quality statement with defined error budgets at each stage and hence identifies low quality data before it can be issued. The traceability of data is also improved, enabling the rapid identification of the processing area at fault.

Dr Mackin states that the proposed methodology holds many benefits for imaging users:

“It makes sense for any customer to request standardized quality control information from imaging suppliers. Only then can you be sure of the quality of your end product and its fitness for purpose. It also allows users to compare data across image providers in a fast and simple manner and determine who meets the user’s requirements at the lowest cost – hence saving time and money for the end-user”.

The Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) is a unique cooperation between partners that own satellites and share their data. DMCii coordinates the constellation to provide high quality commercial imaging services and rapid disaster monitoring programmes. The DMC’s imaging capacity is set to grow to more than 10 million sq km per day by the end of 2008 with the addition of new satellites, UK-DMC2 and Deimos-1, which share a 20metre 600km swath imaging capability. The UK-DMC2 satellite will also offer a direct downlink service to X-band groundstations.

Last year, DMCii imaged 38 European countries for GMES in the 6 months between April and October 2007 as a GMES contributing mission. DMCii delivered precisely positioned data in each national map projection. This was the first time that the whole of Europe had been successfully imaged at high resolution in a single year.

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme is led by the European Commission with the aim of delivering environment and security services. It is the European response to the ever-increasing demands of effective environmental policies. GMES is the European contribution to the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS).

About DMC International Imaging Ltd

DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) is a UK based supplier of remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMC data is now used in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

In partnership with the British National Space Centre (BNSC) and the other DMC member nations (Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain), DMCii works with the International Charter: ‘Space and Major Disasters’ to provide free satellite imagery for humanitarian use in the event of major international disasters such as tsunami, hurricanes, fires and flooding.

DMCii was formed in October 2004 and is a subsidiary of Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd, the world leader in small satellite technology. SSTL designed and built the DMC with the support of the BNSC and in conjunction with the DMC member nations Algeria, China, Nigeria, Turkey and Spain.

Notes to editor:

The DMCii mosaic image of Europe is available from Robin Wolstenholme or Paul Stephens upon request as a jpeg file.

This press release can be downloaded from www.ballard.co.uk/dmcii

Press contacts:

Robin Wolstenholme, Ballard Communications Management
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288
Email: r.wolstenholme@ballard.co.uk
Paul Stephens, Sales & Marketing Director, DMC International Imaging Ltd.
Tel: +44 (0)1483 804299
Email: p.stephens@dmcii.com

Source DMCII and Ballard

The next generation of earth observation and geoinformation services begin with RapidEye’s constellation of five satellites.

Brandenburg/ Havel, September 26, 2008 – After the successful launch of RapidEye’s constellation of five Earth observation satellites late August 2008, RapidEye reports that the commissioning activities on all the five spacecraft continue to progress well. All satellites have been stabilized, subsystems have been activated and detailed check-out is in progress. This phase will last about three months and will culminate in the MPAR milestone (Mission Preliminary Acceptance Review). The system will then go operational and RapidEye satellite data will be available to customers from all over the world.

The satellites will download their image data to an X-band antenna in northern Norway. The data will then be transmitted to the processing facilities at RapidEye headquarters in Brandenburg/Havel, where it will be processed and analyzed, and the products for customers generated. Another part of the ground segment is the control station, which monitors and controls the satellites. The combination of the satellite constellation, the control station and the data processing facilities enables RapidEye to offer cost-effective and efficient solutions for its customers in the agriculture, forestry and cartography industries and others. The RapidEye system is supported by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) as the next generation of optical earth observation and as an important public/private partnership in aerospace.

A countdown and launch celebration was held at the RapidEye headquarters, attended by Jochen Homann, State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology, Head Official of the Ministry of Economics, Michael Richter, as well as the Mayor of the City of Brandenburg, Dr. Dietlind Tiemann. The RapidEye team along with their family and friends also shared the exciting day with several hundred interested citizens of the city of Brandenburg.

In response to RapidEye’s contest and the unique chance to name a satellite, more than 40 submissions from all over the world arrived at the headquarters in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. Donations for the local youth project “Gollwitz Manor House Trust”, an institution focusing on the elimination of racial, ethnic and religious biases among young people, totaled the impressive sum of 2,394.50 EUR. The winning names are all Greek words, related to the company’s name and its mission: TACHYS (Rapid), MATI (Eye), CHOMA (Earth), CHOROS (Space) and TROCHIA (Orbit).

Wolfgang Biedermann, CEO of RapidEye AG, explains what expectations customers from around the globe have of the RapidEye satellite system, “With our satellite constellation, we are able to observe large areas of our earth with a high revisit rate in high spatial resolution. The earth observation data obtained with our system is the basis for important management information services that haven’t been commercially available until now, especially in the agriculture and forestry industries. We expect to play a decisive role in the quickly growing geospatial information market.”

“Earth observation satellites achieve weather, climate and environmental monitoring with the highest precision worldwide.The federal government pursues a leading position for Germany and wants to offer German companies a better chance in the European and global markets to commercialize their products and services. For this purpose, the government has created a positive business environment for the industry and specifically targets projects concerned with this topic. Germany has supported the RapidEye project through the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in this Public/Private Partnership,” explains State Secretary for the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology Jochen Homann when discussing the commitment of Germany to RapidEye.

Brandenburg’s state Minister for Economic Affairs, Ulrich Junghanns, who was represented at RapidEye’s launch event by Brandenburg’s Head Official of the Ministry of Economics Michael Richter, explains, “There is a growing need for geospatial information. Market surveys show good chances for the geoinformation sciences to tap into new and innovative markets, therefore it’s a growing area which is supported by the state of Brandenburg’s Business Development in particular. RapidEye AG is a key investment project for the development of this industry with a bright future in Germany’s capital area. Their abilities will be particularly needed and recognized worldwide for their environmental monitoring and early detection of risks, since RapidEye can monitor large areas within a short amount of time.”

The significance of RapidEye’s data for scientific purposes is highlighted by Dr. Hans-Peter Lüttenberg, Head of the earth observation department at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), “We have been convinced from the beginning about RapidEye’s business model and have been supporting them from the start. From the image data from the RapidEye satellite constellation, we hope for new findings in research for Geo-sciences and Environmental studies. A long existing gap in demand will be closed with RapidEye’s service offerings.”

Dr. Dietrich Heine, Deputy Chairman of RapidEye’s Supervisory Board emphasizes the importance of this project: “This constellation of five satellites with their special sensors makes RapidEye the first Geospatial Service Provider worldwide able to reliably deliver large quantities of high resolution images from every point of the earth. A wide variety of information can be derived about the earth for a myriad of uses. RapidEye’s services for the agricultural sector will become more and more important in the course of globalization, since they can provide better planning tools and allow for more efficient land utilization.“

“This has been a huge undertaking that could not have been realized without the commitment of our investors, partners and our dedicated team in the last 10 years. I would like to thank everyone that contributed to this project on this special day. We are looking forward to the first images from the satellites, which will set another important milestone in the Geo-Information sector,” remarked Wolfgang Biedermann, RapidEye’s CEO.

About RapidEye AG
RapidEye is an ISO-certified geospatial information provider focused on integrating customized and industry specific solutions into the workflow of global customers in agriculture, forestry, energy, infrastructure, government, security and emergency. RapidEye’s experts and the satellite system – a constellation of five satellites capable of downloading over 4 million km² of high resolution, multi-spectral imagery per day, a control station and a ground segment for processing and archiving data – allow for cost effective, customized services. The unique combination of large area coverage, high spatial resolution and the possibility of daily revisit to an area provide for superior management information solutions. Currently more than 90 experts from more than 20 countries worldwide are employed by RapidEye. Following a successful launch, plans are being made to increase the team to over 140.
For more information, please visit www.rapideye.de
For updated information on the launch, please visit www.rapideye.de/launch2008

About DLR
DLR is Germany´s national research center for aeronautics and space. Its extensive research and development work in Aeronautics, Space, Transportation and Energy is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. As Germany´s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility for the forward planning and the implementation of the German space program by the German federal government as well as for the international representation of German interests. Furthermore, Germany’s largest project-management agency is also part of DLR.
Approximately 5,700 people are employed in DLR´s 29 institutes and facilities at thirteen locations in Germany: Koeln (headquarters), Berlin, Bonn, Braunschweig, Bremen, Goettingen, Hamburg, Lampoldshausen, Neustrelitz, Oberpfaffenhofen, Stuttgart, Trauen and Weilheim. DLR also operates offices in Brussels, Paris, and Washington D.C.
For more information on the DLR please visit www.dlr.de

Contact:

RapidEye AG
Molkenmarkt 30
14776 Brandenburg a. d. Havel
press@rapideye.de