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After announcing the existence of its aeroGRID® French Cities programme, Aerodata is now pleased to announce the availability of the first set of brand new aerial photo datasets at 12,5cm GSD of various large French cities, metropolitan areas and suburbs.

(Feb 2007) Imagery of the following cities is now available off-the-shelf:
• Arles, the second city after Rome during the Roman Empire and also known as home to Vincent van Gogh
• Le Mans, known for the Le Mans 24-hours race
• the greater Lille area (Lille, Lens, Bethune, Arras) in the most northern department (state/province). Lille, the departments’ capital has spawned a lot of famous people, among which former general, resistance fighter and president of France, Charles de Gaulle.
• Limoges, known best for its medieval enamels on copper and its oak barrels for Cognac production
• Lourdes, near the Pyrenees in the south and the largest Catholic place of pilgrimage in France
• Nancy, a major Art Nouveau city
• Nimes, famous textile town and name giver of Denim, the fabric of blue jeans
• Orléans, a former Roman city freed from siege during the Hundred Years’ War by Jeanne d’Arc in 1429 and much visited by tourists for its impressive Cathédrale Sainte-Croix built in 1278.
• Poitiers, where the “Battle of Poitiers” was fought in 1356 during the Hundred Years’ War
• Reims, home to many famous Champagne houses
• Rennes, capital of the Bretagne region
Please keep visiting our site for updates regarding aerial imagery availibity.
As with all other Aerodata data sets, the end product will be included in the aeroGRID® archives, and will be made available for any interested party both online and offline.
For commercial inquiries, please contact us at info@aerodata-france.com.

New 2007 OBS Studies

During 2006 and 1Q, 2007, NPA have added large volumes of new data to our Global Offshore Seep Database in a variety of basins across the world, as listed below. For the remainder of 2007, NPA will continue to add new data by screening several large areas, as indicated by the yellow-shaded areas in our global coverage map. The focus area will be in East Asia (Area 10), to provide 100% coverage of China and Korea waters and Arctic Russia (Area 8) with an initial focus on the prospective Laptev Sea and the North Sakhalin and Okhotsk Sea regions.
In parallel, NPA will be providing seep screening projects for on-going or planned licencing rounds. To date, NPA have compiled a number of licence-specific studies combining existing and new data, as follows:
Africa:
Guinea Bissau 3rd Licencing Round Study, 2007
South Africa Study (2007 re-demarcation of licences)
Australasia:
• Great South Basin Bid Round Study, New Zealand
• September 2006 Licencing Round Study, offshore Papua New Guinea
Further information can be found on the global catalogue pages, or directly from the NPA OBS team.
Recent 2006/2007 regional study additions to the database are (from west to east):
• Alaska North Slope and Beaufort Sea.
• Labrador Sea, Canada.
• West Caribbean, Colombia and Panama.
• Argentina.
• Kanumas/East Greenland.
• Iberian Peninsula.
• Andamans/Myanmar.
• Western Indonesia – including Java and Sumatra forearcs.
• Gulf of Carpenteria, Australia.
• Irian Jaya/Gulf of Papua.
• Circum New Zealand – coastal basins.

JMJ Petroleum-NPA Link
JMJ Petroleum, now Singapore-based, have agreed to develop joint projects in the S.E. Asia region, both on and offshore.
A regional, geotectonic, map of South-East Asia is being prepared for the Seapex 2007 conference in April, combining data supplied by NPA, JMJ, DIGS and IHS.
DIGS-NPA Agreement
Dickson International Geosciences (DIGS) and NPA signed an agreement to exchange information in specified regions, such as West Africa. A poster on this area entitled “Doing The Geochemical “Cotton Eye Joe” In West Africa (Niger Delta To Angola): Identifying The Source Of Radarsat Slicks With Piston Cores, Oil Samples, Potential Fields And Near-surface Seismic” will be presented at the 2007 AAPG meeting in Long Beach, California, which will also include data supplied by TDI-Brooks International, Geochemical Solutions Int., and Grizzly Geosciences.
(Source NPA Group)

Metria is a service provider, whose focus is on the operational use of remote sensing and GIS techniques for environmental and forestry applications, as well as security-related aspects.

Metria is based in Sweden. During 2006 we conducted several remote sensing/GIS projects under contracts with Swedish users, such as the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, the Armed Forces, the National Board of Forestry, E.O.N, Holmen Forest and other forestry companies.
Metria is presently involved in several projects, from local to international levels, relevant to GMES. The activities include the use of remote sensing and GIS for mapping as well as change detection (time series). During 2006 Metria was part of a successful consortium for GMES Service Element Stage 2 (2005-2008), GSE RESPOND. Metria is already a partner in GSE Forest Monitoring, GSE LAND, and GSE RISK-EOS.
Metria also has the responsibility for the Water Observatory in the EU 6FP GMES integrated project (IP) Geoland. Additionally, Metria is a partner in the PREVIEW IP-project within the same program. Metria was also a partner in ASTRO+ (ended 2006), which is a project within the EU Preparatory Action on the enhancement of the European industrial potential in the field of Security Research (PASR).
During 2006 Metria has been involved, as a forestry expert, in the ESA Sentinel 2 mission definition study. We also were a partner in the ESA EoVox study aiming at strengthening the voice of the European & Canadian earth observation industry.
Metria also aquired a contract to perform orthocorrection for Image2006 in northern Europe as a subcontractor to DLR.
(Source Metria)

On Friday 6 April, at Campobasso, the Regione Molise and Telespazio will sign a memorandum of understanding for the development of a technology programme entitled “Geodatabase: Europe’s first cluster of centres of excellence for the provision of leading-edge geospatial services”.

The agreement is part of the Molise region’s drive towards encouraging the development of top-class professionals and boosting the local manufacturing base. The idea is to launch carefully selected projects and advance applied research into new satellite technologies for remote sensing and state-of-the art broadband telecommunications.
This policy has enabled Molise to develop the “Molise-Space” initiative, which aims to give the region a role in big European space technology programmes, as well as security and civil protection projects, and to promote the launch of a conference of European regional authorities that use fixed technologies.
The memorandum will be signed by Michele Iorio, President of the Molise regional authority, and Giuseppe Veredice, CEO of Telespazio.
(Source Telespazio)

One of the greatest challenges to be met by man in the coming years is to understand and contain global climate change.

This also includes investigation into whether and to what extent the ice masses are changing at the Earth poles. This question will be answered by Cryosat-2, a new research satellite being developed and built by Europe’s largest space company Astrium for the European space agency ESA. First hardware components have arrived in recent days at the Astrium satellite centre in Friedrichshafen, thus enabling the start of the mechanical integration of CryoSat-2. The satellite is expected to commence its space activities in March 2009.
Scientists assume that the polar ice masses will retreat considerably due to global warming; up to now, however, there is little selective data on these large, unpopulated and difficult-to-access polar regions. The radar satellite CryoSat-2 will remedy this information deficit and provide a global overview for researchers.
For at least three and a half years, CryoSat-2 will measure the thickness of sea-ice and changes at the land-ice margins with a precision previously unattained. The radar satellite data will help to pin down the connection between the melting of the polar ice and the rise in sea levels.
The first CryoSat was completed by Astrium in 2005. But because of a technical launcher defect, the satellite plunged into the Arctic Ocean during the launch attempt in October 2005. A few months later, ESA decided to build the satellite again. the design and configuration of CryoSat-2 are mainly based on CryoSat-1. Nevertheless, as many as 85 modifications are implemented in CryoSat-2.
Polar ice as a climate factor
Polar ice plays a key role in regulating the global climate. Despite being thousands of kilometres away from the most inhabited areas, the ice has a profound effect on the climate in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Three aspects are most important:
Firstly, the polar ice reflects a large portion of the sun‘s light. As polar ice melts, less sunlight is reflected, leading to the polar regions becoming warmer. Consequently, more ice begins to melt and the reflective capacity is further reduced. This could result in a self-accelerating cycle of global warming.
Secondly, open water radiates a large quantity of heat during the night. Thick sea-ice has a negative effect on this. To a certain extent, it acts as a thermal blanket and therefore plays a significant part in regulating the heat balance of the Earth.
Thirdly, melting polar ice can greatly affect the ocean currents with unforeseen consequences for the climate. They act as giant heat pumps, distributing the energy stored in the oceans around the globe. The best known example is the Gulf Stream, which transports warm water from the tropical latitudes across the Atlantic to northern Europe.
Radar provides more detailed views of ice
CryoSat-2 will circle the Earth in a polar orbit at an altitude of 720 kilometres. The special on-board radar instrument will provide data to determine the thickness and circumference of the polar ice sheets and sea-ice cover. Earlier radar satellites, such as the European ERS 1 and 2 or Envisat, are only equipped with a single antenna which enables them to gather information about uniform ice surfaces over a large area. CryoSat-2, on the other hand, has two antennas. Similar to the way in which humans, with two eyes, can see in 3-D, CryoSat‘s double radar will be able to scan the surface very precisely. This is called radar interferometry.
With this system, an average accuracy of one to three centimetres can be reached. Thus it can also collect data on non-homogeneous ice structures with very steep sides in the polar seas, glaciers or ice sheets. CryoSat-2‘s radar altimeter works day or night and can also penetrate clouds. Therefore, it is particularly suited to the research of the large polar ice sheets, which rise up to 4,000 metres above sea level and which are often covered by clouds. The data from the CryoSat mission will provide information about the rate of change of these huge ice sheets.

Astrium and CryoSat-2
Astrium, as the prime contractor for CryoSat-2, is responsible for a consortium of around 25 companies. Astrium in Friedrichshafen is building the satellite platform and integrating all instruments. Ultimately, Astrium is responsible to ESA for the reliability of the whole satellite. The industrial contract is valued at approximately €75 million.
Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services. In 2006, Astrium had a turnover of €3.2 billion and 11,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are: the business units Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure and Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment, and its wholly owned subsidiary Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.
EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of €39.4 billion and employed a workforce of more than 116, 000.
Media Contact:
Mathias Pikelj
+49 (0) 7545 8 91 23
Cryosat-2 Figures
Mass:
720 kg
Dimensions:
4.6 x
2.34 x
2.2 m
Payload:

Radar
altimeter (SIRAL)

Data
receiver (DORIS)

Laser
retro-reflector
Star
trackers (3)
Height
resolution:
1 to
3 cm
Horizontal
resolution:
approx.
300 m
Industrial
contract:
approx.
75 million euros
Mission
duration:
at
least 3,5 years
Orbit:
720 km altitude,
92
degrees inclination
Planned
launch date:
March
15, 2009
(Source EADS Astrium)

Infoterra provides lidar height data to Wessex Water. Infoterra supplies aerial imagery for new flight simulator scenery. Infoterra Ltd re-awarded prime contractor role for GMES Respond.

Infoterra provides lidar height data to Wessex Water (March 2007)
Infoterra Ltd, a leader in the provision of geospatial products and services, has supplied regional water and sewage treatment provider Wessex Water with lidar* height data of the urban landscape throughout the South West of England.
Infoterra supplies aerial imagery for new flight simulator scenery (March 2007)
Infoterra Ltd (an EADS Astrium company and a leader in the provision of geographic information products and services) today announced that it will receive further funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) for the next phase of the GMES project Respond, which provides the humanitarian relief community with geographic information services and support.
Infoterra Ltd re-awarded prime contractor role for GMES Respond (February 2007)
Infoterra Ltd (an EADS Astrium company and a leader in the provision of geographic information products and services) today announced that it will receive further funding from the European Space Agency (ESA) for the next phase of the GMES project Respond, which provides the humanitarian relief community with geographic information services and support.

Indra Espacio will draft a study that will enable the European Space Agency to provide efficient support to European companies in the sector for their export activities in the Latin American market.

Indra Espacio will draft a study for the European Space Agency (ESA) that will allow it to define a strategic plan for providing efficient support to European companies in the Earth Observation sector for their export activities in the Latin American market, with special emphasis on promoting cooperation between companies and institutions on both continents.
This ESA initiative is based on initial market studies that indicate that only approximately 15% of the turnover in the sector‘s added value companies comes from international markets outside of Europe.
The duration of the project, called Jaguar, is 12 months, during which time the characteristics of the Latin American market will be analyzed through contacts and interviews with different players: national space agencies, local businesses, major institutional and private clients, etc. Contact will also be made with the most important international donation agencies that work in the region, such as the Inter-American Development Bank or the World Bank.
The study also establishes the selection of an initial group of users to whom a series of pilot services will be provided for evaluation. The areas of interest in the region include, among others, risk management, town planning, agriculture, forest management or oceanographic applications.
(Source Indra Espacio)

GMV has been nominated for the 2006-2007 “Premios Príncipe Felipe a la Excelencia Empresarial” (Príncipe Felipe Prizes for Business Excellence) in the category of Technological Innovation of major firms.

The “ Príncipe Felipe a la Innovación Tecnológica ” Prize is a special mention for those firms that have successfully brought an important technological innovation product or project onto the market or have managed to open up lines of great interest to society at large. GMV submitted Palview, the platform of internet-based fleet-tracking services .
The Premios Príncipe Felipe a la Excelencia Empresarial are given in a total of nine categories. The prizes have now been up and running for nine years and are recognized as the most prestigious award for business excellence in Spain.
The prize-giving ceremony, presided over by His Royal Highness Príncipe Felipe de Asturias (April in the Conference Room of the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade).
(Source GMV)

GMV has signed a licensing agreement with Raytheon Company to migrate software support services for the satellite ground system software originally provided by Raytheon to some 65 Boeing-manufactured commercial, geostationary satellites around the world.

GMV will provide software maintenance, training, operations, analysis, consulting, help-desk support, on-site support, software upgrades, and software patches to commercial operators around the world who are currently operating their Boeing-manufactured satellites with Raytheon‘s telemetry command and ranging (TCR) software, Orbital Operations (OrbOps) software, and related software programs.
This agreement allows GMV to significantly expand its reach to commercial operators around the world, and will provide a valuable service to those customers whose satellites have years of life left in them. With this agreement, GMV will be providing operational SW and support services to over 150 satellites around the world.
GMV is one of the leading suppliers of satellite ground system software in the world, and is the global leader in satellite flight dynamics for all types of satellite missions (LEO, MEO, GEO, HEEO and interplanetary). GMV has been providing satellite ground system software to satellite manufacturers, commercial operators, and Space Institutions around the world for over 22 years. There are currently more than 70 satellites being operated from five continents and 18 countries with GMV‘s operational software.
(Source GMV)

The Global Monitoring for Environment and Security – GMES -Programme was introduced to H.E. Ban Ki-moon by Dr. Christian Hoffmann, CEO of the GeoVille group, on the occasion of an invitation of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber.

(Feb 2007) Mr. Hoffmann explained how GMES, one of Europe‘s flagships in space, can assist the UN in their environmental & humanitarian aid programmes.
Among the United Nations organisations identified to profit from GMES are the World Bank, the Environment and Food Programme, UNESCO and the Offices for Humanitarian Affairs. Examples centred on countering negative effects of urban sprawl, monitoring of habitats and adaptation to climate change as key challenges of the 21st century.
GMES
GMES represents a concerted effort to bring together data and information providers with users. Thereby they can better understand each other and make environmental and security-related information available through enhanced or new services. GMES is driven by the European Union (EU) and the European Space Agency (ESA), together with their Member States.
GMES will strengthen Europe‘s role as a world leader in collecting and managing environmental and civil security information for the benefit of its citizens and institutions.
GeoVille group
GeoVille is an internationally operating group based in Austria and Luxembourg and uses satellite data to provide products and services in the environmental and geo-spatial domain.
GeoVille group is a leading GMES service provider supplying geo-information products to the EU, ESA the European Environment Agency as well as national ministries and regional administrations. GeoVille products centre on land based applications related to land use and land cover mapping, urban and regional planning, forestry, environmental monitoring and modelling.
GeoVille group has long term project experience in working with UN organisations such as the World Bank, United Nations Operational Services and UNESCO. Currently GeoVille is implementing a habitat monitoring system in seven Central American countries for ESA and UNESCO.
In GMES, GeoVille group is putting urban growth on the map in nine European countries within the ESA financed GSE Land project. In the project geoland, financed by the EU 6th
Framework Programme, Geo-Ville has successfully developed environmental indicators for urban and regional development.
(Source GeoVille Group)