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Euroconsult, the leading international research and analyst firm specialized in the satellite sector, announced that the satellite-based Earth observation sector is entering a new expansion phase.

Nearly 200 new satellites expected to be launched through 2017, almost double the number launched over the previous ten years. Growth will be fuelled primarily by the promising private sector and dynamic emerging space programs. “The satellite-based Earth observation sector is in a period of transformation.” remarked Adam Keith, Senior Analyst at Euroconsult, “Previously, established government programs were the dominant actors in the industry. Now we see many new projects coming from the private sector and emerging government space programs. This diversification of the industry is creating growth and opportunity, but also challenges market players” he continued. “As new actors and business models emerge we are also seeing a re-shaping of the value chain,” he concluded.

According to Euroconsult’s new report “Satellite-Based Earth Observation, Market Prospects to 2017” this departure from near-total dependence on established government programs is leading to a reshaping of the value chain as actors define new strategies and growth of the commercial data market.

Departure from dependence on established government programs

According to the Euroconsult report, the world manufacturing market for EO satellites will grow from $14.8 billion to $16.9 billion, a 14% increase. Established government programs (such as NASA, ESA, CNES, ISRO etc.) that have historically dominated the Earth observation sector will remain the leading actors in terms of number of satellites to be launched, with 54 satellites expected in the 2007-2016 time period, relatively flat compared to the last decade when 53 satellites were launched. However, their share of total satellites to be launched will drop from a whopping 77%1 (1997-2006) to 36% in the next ten years (2007-2016).

Emerging government programs

Emerging government space programs will give a major boost to the Earth observation sector in the coming years. According to Euroconsult, 52 EO satellites will be launched by emerging government space programs in the coming ten years, a five fold increase compared to the last decade. This represents a 34% share of EO satellites to be launched over the period, rivalling traditional government space programs. A number of countries2 have recently established national space agencies or dedicated entities to manage their program, or are planning to do so. These emerging actors are developing small EO platforms to rapidly acquire space technology, primarily to meet specific local and regional needs such as disaster management, natural resource monitoring and infrastructure planning.

The emergence of these new space programs is one factor pushing the industry toward smaller, lighter, and less expensive satellites, and certain established manufacturers have already enjoyed some success in selling smaller generic satellites. Emerging countries also commonly look to develop technology-transfer partnerships between larger space primes who pass along know-how for developing satellite capabilities, such as has been observed between EADS Astrium and Algeria. This kind of partnership will continue to foster and support growth in emerging space programs.

Increasing private sector activity indicates greater market maturity?

According to the Euroconsult report, from 2007 to 2016, 29 Earth observation satellites will be ordered by private satellite operators, representing 19% of EO satellites launched during the period. This compares to a 7% share during the previous decade (5 satellites) clearly illustrating the rise in prominence of these non-governmental actors.

However, relatively strong direct or indirect government backing has been a key success factor in the business model of these private ventures.

DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, both US companies, initially benefited from the US Department of Defense contracts which enabled them to get an early start and establish leadership positions as data providers. Both companies have gone on to fund their growth through more traditional private sector financing methods: GeoEye is quoted on the NASDAQ. DigitalGlobe is supported by a series of private investors including an investment bank and companies inside and outside the sector.

A third private EO satellite operator, ImageSat, is a Netherlands Antilles company owned 46% by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (IAI), a quasi-governmental entity, 14% by a subsidiary of Elbit Systems and the remainder by minority shareholders.

In Europe, Public Private Partnership (PPP) has become an attractive model to develop commercial ventures with both RapidEye and TerraSAR-X funded by a mix of government funding and private financing.

Growth anticipated in the data market

According to Euroconsult, the development of the private sector should give encourage the data sales market. From a base of $735 million in revenues in 2007, data sales are expected to grow by approximately 15% per year in the next ten years, reaching about $3 billion in 2017.

The improving capabilities of satellite systems to deliver better tailored and more suitable data products to public and private customers is contributing to data sales growth such as in the high resolution domain for defense and security applications. Simultaneously, consumer-oriented programs such as GoogleEarth and Microsoft Virtual Earth are raising awareness of Earth observation capabilities which will over time create demand for services and drive innovation. They are also providing a new model for data distribution via Internet.

Major changes in the EO value-chain

Previously the EO value-chain was clearly defined from manufacturing down to the value added segment. Currently it is being reshaped as established market players’ strategies include a role in the growing data sales market. Newcomers to the sector are also having an impact as they too are looking at this growing opportunity. Finally, manufacturers and other market players are looking to tap into a variety of other new opportunities, giving rise to integrated companies with access throughout the value chain. Euroconsult expects further integration and consolidation in the sector in light of these new entrants and market growth.

Report Profile

Satellite-Based Earth Observation, Prospects to 2017 is an exclusive market survey of this growing segment of the satellite industry. This exclusive report contains 140 pages of expert analysis, including 30 full-page color graphs, and exhaustive benchmarks of governments and commercial players. The report includes forecasts for commercial imagery and satellites to be launched (commercial, civilian government & military) as well as comprehensive assessment and analysis of commercial operators & distributors (financing mechanisms, capacity); government programs (focus & strategy, look towards commercialization, emerging initiatives); drivers and risk facing the industry and a complete analysis of the value chain.

[1] All percentages in release are calculated using non-meteorology satellites only : 69 satellites (1997-2006); 151 satellites (2007-2016)
[2]Algeria, Chile, Iran, Nigeria, Turkey, South Africa, etc.

About Euroconsult. Euroconsult is the leading international research and analyst firm specialized in satellite applications, communications, and digital broadcasting. Euroconsult develops comprehensive research reports and forecasts; provides strategic consulting and analysis; and produces world summits. With 25 years of experience and more than 350 satellite-related consulting assignments, Euroconsult is a worldwide reference. Euroconsult has over 560 clients in 50 countries, including leaders throughout the satellite value chain: satellite operators and service providers; satellite manufacturers and launch service providers; equipment providers and integrators; governments; media and broadcasting companies; and banks and investors.

Source: Euroconsult

Info at Skycontrol

Test the most advanced object-based image analysis software available to GIS Professionals: Definiens Developer

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More info at Definiens

Thales Alenia Space welcomed the successful launch of the fourth SAR-Lupe satellite, which occurred at 18:15 hours from Plesetsk on March 27th.

The spacecraft will join three other SAR-Lupe satellites as the constellation grows, all providing high-resolution images to the German Ministry of Defence. The satellite was boosted into orbit from the Plesetsk space center by a Russian Cosmos-3M rocket, which released the satellite into its intended orbit about one-half hour after launch.

Thales Alenia Space was responsible, on behalf of the prime contractor OHB-System AG, for the design and development of the Sensor Electronic Units, comprising radio frequency, processing and control sub-units.

The SAR-Lupe program, which has a life-time of 10 years, comprises a constellation of five identical small satellites (720 kg), which will be positioned into 3 quasi-polar orbital planes at approximately 500 km altitude, plus a ground segment.

The program is based on sophisticated technologies in SAR radar field, able to get images under any weather or light conditions (day or night). The satellite’s SAR will provide image in X-band and offer a spatial resolution of less than 1 metre. The last SAR-Lupe satellite is planned for launch this summer. The German Space Agency DLR in Oberpfaffenhofen is handling the satellite control, with the German Armed Forces to assume responsibility for the spacecraft in about four weeks time. All of the preliminary tests indicate this fourth satellite is working properly without the need of even minor adjustments—Cannes, France

Source SatNews

GAF AG, an internationally active geo-information company, has completed its consultancy services including technical assistance, know-how transfer, provision of skills and experience in the fields of coral reef ecology, coral reef management, GIS, web and institutional strengthening to the headquarters of CRITC in Gedung LIPI, Cikini, Jakarta and 8 districts in Sumatra.

Works started in January 2005 and has been performed under a contract for the Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program (COREMAP), Phase II.

Indonesia has 17,600 islands with 80,000 km of shorelines and is known to have the richest coral reefs in the world. The coral reefs of Indonesia serve many purposes for their adjacent coastal communities: natural barriers that protect the beach; natural barriers that are there to be modified to make boat launching less difficult; habitats for locally consumed seafood and habitats for seafood harvest and cage rearing for net income generation to the village. The coral reefs, however, are facing immense threats from human activities such as overexploitation, destructive fishing, and pollution, which have become widespread throughout the country. Using coral reef resources properly will sustain and increase their value to coastal villagers in the long term as habitats for diverse fisheries, sources of building materials, and protectors of shorelines.

Community based resource management (CBRM) is the underlying concept for COREMAP in the management of coral reefs. CRITC has supported the CBRM processes in the following sectors :

  1. characterize (compiling specific local information for preparing a coral reef management plan),
  2. design (providing support in preparing coral reef management plans including zoning maps, regulations and alternative income generation schemes).
  3. Implement (supporting role by collaborating in public awareness and education) and
  4. monitor (CRITC`s major ongoing activity as Benefit Monitoring and Evaluation using the indicators of reef health and socio-economic well-being.

Major contributions were made for the development and refinement of the Coral Reef Management Information System (CRMIS), reflecting the National CRITCs important role as the central coral reef information repository for Indonesia.

David Peters, GAF representative in Indonesia observes: The successful completion of CRITC project is an important milestone for GAF, now providing technical assistance services to this geographic area from its new representative office in Jakarta. The CRITC project underlines the emphasis GAF is now devoting to environmental consulting in the coastal and marine domains.

CRITC is funded by a loan from the Asian Development Bank, Manila. Works have been performed under contract to LIPI, the Indonesian Institute of Sciences by GAF AG as the lead firm in association with Coffey International Development of Australia and PT. Geosys Intipiranti of Indonesia. In total 101 person months of on-site technical assistance and consulting were provided. For more details on CRITC please visit the project website.

About COREMAP
COREMAP (Coral Reef Rehabilitation and Management Program) began in 1998. It is a long term program with the overall objective to establish a viable, operational, and institutionalized coral reef management system in priority sites in Indonesia. It consists of three phases: Phase I: Initiation (1998- 2004), Phase II: Decentralization and Acceleration (2004-2009), Phase III: Institutionalization (2010-2015). COREMAP is now in Phase II, with goals of establishing viable reef management systems in at least six priority participating districts in order to empower and to support coastal communities to sustainably co manage the use of coral reefs and associated ecosystem resources. The second phase expands the number of program sites to build upon the pilots tested in Phase I and focuses on promoting collaborative management partnership between communities and local governments. The COREMAP website offers further details and access to the COREMAP reef GIS.

About GAF AG: (www.gaf.de)
GAF AG is an international consulting company with leading competence and expertise in applied remote sensing and spatial information systems. GAF has been active during the last 20 years in more than 100 countries throughout Europe, Africa, South-America and Asia. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of services including the supply of geo-data (e.g. satellite and aerial imagery, digital elevation models) and geo-services (e.g. image processing, thematic mapping, GIS/DBMS applications and software development), as well as consulting, capacity building and training. GAF AG has a proven track-record in performing technical assistance projects in the natural resources and environment sector. The company�s activities are overseen by the CEO, Dr. Peter Volk.

ReSAC, together with BulgaRisk Project partners – organised a training seminar for the Bulgarian administration focused on the use of Earth Observation data and GIS for disaster management.

Partners Involved in French-Bulgarian project BulgaRisk: SPOT Image, SERTIT, DDSC, ReSAC, Infoterra, Boost Technologies Bulgaria is highly exposed to natural and man-made hazards, as evidenced by repeated flooding and pollution in the Danube river basin, earthquakes, fires, and pollution in the Black Sea.

As Europe is working to organize the security and defence of its populations and monitor the environment through the GMES programme, the increasingly frequent disasters that Bulgaria is experiencing, and their human and economic costs, are motivating a concerted drive within the country to improve hazard management. Government decisions, legislation, Bulgaria’s international presence and the allocation of funding to support crisis management and reconstruction are all part of this effort.

BulgaRisk is a French-Bulgarian project, finance by the French Government, aiming at the integration of satellite imageries in the operational procedures of risk management in Bulgaria. Main beneficiaries are the Bulgarian State Agency for Information Technologies and Communications – SAITC and Agency for Sustainable Development and Eurointegration – ASDE. Authorised users will be the National Fire Safety and Protection of Population Service – Ministry of Interior, Aerospace Monitoring Center and National Civil Protection Service – Ministry of State Policy for Disasters and Accidence, Ministry of State Administration and Administrative Reform, National Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology – BAS, Institute for Oceanology – BAS, and some regions and municipalities.

The project is lead by Spot Image (France) with partners from SERTIT, DDSC, Infoterra, Boost Technologies. The Bulgarian partner in the project is ReSAC.

The specific objectives of the project are defined as:

• To create a report for the status and the needs of the governmental institutions in Bulgaria for geographic data during all stages of disaster management – prior, during and after their occurrence.
• To demonstrate to the decision makers and to other interested parties the usefulness of satellite imageries as a source for natural hazards information and as a key instrument for their management for whose purpose to present the most resent achievements in this field and to create 3 data base prototypes for 3 pilot regions for 3 types of disasters (floods, forest fires and water pollution).
• To list the recommendations for the creation of the Bulgarian Information Center for Disaster Management and for the integration of satellite imageries and new information and communication technologies in the development of national data base for the disaster management (database content, human and material resources, necessary for the creation and support of the database).

The project started in June 2007 and is planned to finish in October 2008.

On the 6th and 7th of March 2008 in the SAITC, the first of the training workshop series related to the BulgaRisk project was held.

The seminar was opened by Mr.Petar Iliev – Director of the Network Integration and Planning Directorate, SAITC. The lectures and exercises were prepared and presented by lecturers from the Bulgarian partner ReSAC and the French company SERTIT. The main topics discussed during the training workshop were: remote sensing, GIS technologies, image processing, including radar data for natural hazard risk assessment, such as forest fires, floods etc.

The participants were experts from State Forestry Agency, Center for Aerospace Monitoring at MSPDA, NFSPPS at MIn, NIMH/BAS, IO, Municipality of Rousse and Basin Directorate – Pleven at the Ministry of Environment and Water

For more information
Remote Sensing Application Center – ReSAC

GESEIN and AURENSIS develop a system for the Spanish Ministry of Development + The Spanish Ministry of Developments entrusts Aurensis a management system + Events

GESEIN and AURENSIS develop a system for the Spanish Ministry of Development – 28/03/2008

The Spanish Ministry of Development, to manage the payments related to the EU FEDER funds that it allocates, needs to know the identifying data of each FEDER target and their associated data (economic, etc…).

With this objective in mind, the Spanish Ministry has entrusted GESEIN and AURENSIS the development of a secure web application for the management of the payments of the EU FEDER funds distributed by this Ministry. With this application, which is integrated into the Intranet of the Ministry, it is possible to define the FEDER targets, and to obtain, consult and revise the economic data of these targets, export the data in different formats and make reports and summaries.

The Spanish Ministry of Developments entrusts Aurensis a management system – 18/03/2008

This project for the MFOM includes the management of the inventory of Immovable Properties owned by the State. This system called SGBI, centralizes all the inventories of the different Ministerial Departments and Public Bodies related to the General Administration of the State. The tool developed will be accesible from the Intranet of the Ministry of Development and will be integrated into the IDE System of the Ministry of Development.

AURENSIS participation in the ICC Seminar – 03/03/2008

Barcelona, 15th of April, 2008. Soon, it will take place the ICC (Cartographic Institut of Catalonia) Seminar with the title “The Cartography, an essential tool to analyse the territory”. The Director of the Dept. of Digital Cartography and Remote Sensing, Iwona Maciejewska, will take part in the round table to debate “If cartography is produced according to the real needs of cartography”

1st International Congress of Geomatic and Surveying Engineering – 03/03/2008

Valencia, Spain, 18-21 February, 2008. Along with the IX National Congress TOP-CART, the 1st International Congress on Geomatic and Surveying Engineering began this year its activity. To this congress attended specialists of Europe, China, South Africa and Nigeria among other. The Congress program covered extensively many topics of interest for the Geomatics and Surveying sectors. It was outstanding the anouncement of the Spanish National Cartographic Plan. These international congresses are an important tool to exchange ideas and make contacts.

AURENSIS attendance to the ICC Seminar “Changes in the Reference System” – 27/02/2008

On the 1st February, AURENSIS attended the seminar organized by the ICC (Cartographic Institute of Catalonia) regarding the substitution of the reference system ED50 by the ETRS89. The aim of this change is to achieve a global and unified reference system throughout Europe. This system will be compatible with other global reference systems and will enable the expansion of the terrestrial, maritime and arerial positioning and navigation systems

Aurensis takes part in a workshop of the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) – 01/02/2008

This workshop of the FIG Commission3 will take place this time in Valencia, the 18th-21st February, 2008 in the framework of the 1st International Congress of Geomatics and Surveying Engineering. The title of this edition is “Spatial Information Management Toward the Environmental Management of Mega Cities”. In this occassion, the director of the Dept. of Digital Cartography and Remote Sensing, Iwona Maciejewska, together with Ralf Schroth, Director of Sensors and Photogrammetry of Hansa Luftbild, takes part with the paper “Disaster Response in Maritime Zones of Harbour Cities by Robotic Systems”.

Telespazio, a Finmeccanica/Thales company, has acquired full control of Aurensis SL, a Spanish company specialized in technologies for territorial applications and aerial, satellite and Earth observation services.

The signing of the contract was held in Madrid in the presence of the Italian Ambassador to Spain, Pasquale Terracciano.

With this acquisition, Telespazio continues its international expansion and consolidation of its position as European leader in the Earth observation sector.

Aurensis, along with German company GAF AG, acquired in 2003, represents for Telespazio a further step towards the development of an international distribution network of data and products for environmental monitoring and territorial control in a highly competitive market.

For the Finmeccanica Group, this is the first direct investment in Spain, a fast-growing market where the government is pursuing a policy of strong support for space activities.

Aurensis is specialized in technologies for territorial applications and aerial, satellite and Earth observation services. Aurensis manufactures, processes and markets territorial information (cartography, remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems / GIS), with offices in Barcelona (headquarters) and in Madrid. With around 150 employees and a turnover of EUR 8.4 million in 2007, the company boasts a portfolio of Spanish and international corporate and business clients.

(Source Avionews)

Aerodata adds Ultracam-X to their camera stable + Many Spanish cities now high-res on Google Earth, flown by Aerodata.

Aerodata adds Ultracam-X to their camera stable – Feb 29th, 2008

Today Aerodata International Surveys (Antwerp, Belgium) and Vexcel Imaging GmbH (Graz, Austria) have signed a purchase agreement for an UltraCam-X large format digital aerial camera system.

As a long-time UltraCam owner and operator (since February 2004), Aerodata already acknowledged early on that Vexcel’s concept for large format digital frame cameras was “best-in-class” at the time.

Over the years the UltraCams have proven to be the best fit-for-purpose systems for the type of work Aerodata executes. In the meantime over 300.000 images were collected using these cameras.

The UltraCam-X now furthers this concept and is still “best-in-class”. It will add additional capabilities to Aerodata’s aerial survey fleet.

Aerodata continues to build up and streamline capacity through leverage of the camera’s USP’s, combined with Aerodata’s vast expertise as digital camera operator and easy integration into the Aerodata PixelPipe workflow.

The full integration of Vexcel cameras and the Aerodata PixelPipe (NAS clustered storage and processing array, nearly 200TB of space and distributed processing over tens of cores) makes for a winning concept of speed and economy, which benefits both the customer and Aerodata.

Many Spanish cities now high-res on Google Earth, flown by Aerodata – Feb 21st, 2008

Yesterday marked the publication of high resolution aerial imagery of a large number of Spanish cities on Google Earth.

It marked the first 2008 push of aerial imagery onto Google Earth, details of the push can be seen here on Google’s map blog

The imagery of the cities was flown and processed by Aerodata International Surveys, one of Google Inc’s preferred European partners for aerial imagery content.

The project is included into Aerodata’s aeroGRID® European Cities Program, that covers many cities and some entire countries throughout Europe.

The high resolution aerial photography has a ground resolution of 15cm and covers over 3000 sq km of Spanish territory and more than 24 urban areas across the country.

You can see which cities are covered by opening this KMZ file (Google Earth required).

The aerial imagery of all of these cities is available for purchase as “raw” stereo imagery in colour (RGB) and colour-infrared (CIR) with orientation parameters and/or as tiled mosaics in in colour (RGB).

For inquiries, please contact M. Taylor of aeroGRID Limited or +33 950 201305.

PARC Archipelago: Monitoring Posidonia on Arki island.

Earth Observation is a precious information source that support people operating in the field of the management and conservation of natural areas. The integration of EO data with other traditional information enable users to run more efficient monitoring of sensitive areas and to evaluate impact of human and natural changes upon land and sea.

PARC Archipelago (Posidonia Advanced Remote Cognition ) project is about monitoring Posidonia Oceanica seagrass beds in East Greece and specifically the area around the Arki island, by using satellite images (IKONOS, LANDSAT, MERIS). The area of interest is to be included in the foreseen Marine National Park of the North Dodecanese. The user organization is Archipelagos, the Institute of Marine and Environmental Research of the Aegean Sea, a non-profit, non-governmental, environmental organization.

Project description


Posidonia sea grass beds are of fundamental importance for the productivity of Mediterranean marine ecosystems and fish stocks, however their status cannot be always easily and properly assessed. The Scope of the project was to demonstrate how an integration of different technologies can facilitate the user during its operational duties. For this purpose the following two activities were carried out:

1) Detection of Posidonia and classification of the seabed using satellite images;
2) Development of a WebGIS system for the representation of the environment and site promotion to a wider user segment.

The cooperation between Planetek Hellas and the Archipelagos Institute resulted into the implementation of the PARC-Archipelago system. The system functionalities supports sustainable eco-tourism applications while addressing specific data collection towards the design of sustainable environmental practices.

The PARC application is centred around the monitoring of Posidonia seagrass which becomes part of a 3D WebGIS for below sea level visualization. This service aims at facilitating the representation of the below sea level environment (thematic maps of submerged vegetation), so that information related to the posidonia seagrass beds can be included, managed and shown to public.

The system may include data of different sources and type, namely: mapping trough EO in clear and shallow waters, geophysical data (e.g. temperature, oxygen concentration etc.) plus general information such as pictures.
The 3D WebGIS ensures a wider use of the system thanks to a to a visualization module fully integrated into Google Earth.

To have a look at the 3D WebGIS system PARC Archipelago

PARC-Archipelago is based on Planetek’s Cart@net technology already applied on PARC Service, a European Space Agency funded project realized in Italy. The system is designed to support natural park management and promotion using EO data and web mapping technology.
PARC service is now a tool used by the well known Italian Natural Park Parco delle Cinque Terre
located in Liguria Region.

About Planetek Hellas EPE
Planetek Hellas EPE is a company of Planetek Italia Group with headquarters in Athens, Greece. Starting from the experience and assets of the group leader, the Greek market approach of Planetek Hellas is lead towards the development of systems and applied solution that benefits of the know-how gained in relevant european programmes in the field of Aerospace Research, system integration, and in the management, analysis and sharing technologies applied to land information.

Planetek Hellas EPE
Address: 2-4 Messogeion Avenue, 11527, Athens (Greece)
Phone: +30 210 7454306 – Fax: +30 210 7454300
Contact Person: Stelios Bollanos
E-mail: bollanos@planetek.gr