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(Feb 2014) By Adam Keith, director of Space and Earth Observation, Euroconsult (www.euroconsult-ec.com), Montreal, Canada.] From 2003–2012, 164 Earth observation (EO) satellites, including those for meteorology purposes, were launched by civil government and commercial entities from 32 countries. This number is expected to expand to 360 satellites from 2013–2022, generating $35.8 billion in manufacturing revenues. New government and commercial entrants also are anticipated, with 42 countries expected to launch at least a first-generation EO satellite by 2022.

Overall civil government investment in EO totaled $7.7 billion in 2012, representing four years of continued investment growth. Absolute figures show that $5.5 billion (71 percent) of total investment in 2012 was attributed to North America and Europe. However, budget pressure through austerity measures has been felt across both continents.

For example, the European Space Agency received a budget lower than requested for its EO program during the 2012 Ministerial Council, and questions still remain over the long-term funding commitments of Copernicus—formerly the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) spending on its next-generation systems also is under scrutiny and has given rise to propositions from the private sector to support meteorology and environmental monitoring data collection. NASA already cancelled two of its “Tier 1” missions in 2011 due to budget constraints.

Conversely, other regions and EO programs are growing significantly. Investments in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), the Middle East, Africa and Asia have been growing more strongly than the global average. Russia, India and China have ramped up their spending to support ambitious programs spanning myriad application areas. Their goal is to support national policy interests, such as autonomy in space-based applications and the continued development of a national industrial base.

In addition, emerging EO programs continue to develop as first-generation satellites advance to more capable second-generation systems, requiring increasing investment. These budget patterns will alter the EO investment landscape while vastly increasing global data supplies.

Why Invest in EO?

Space technology development often accelerates a country’s social development, with benefits for user populations, various industry sectors, education and research. Most emerging space programs have integrated the inception of their EO/space program with a wider national plan for science and technology aimed at developing a country’s high-tech industries, science and innovation, rather than aiming only at space infrastructure.

Assessing the benefits of EO requires governments to analyze national and international markets, which can help them determine system specifications. At the national level, a complete review of user requirements is essential to meet user needs and determine secure conditions for future use. Projects pushed by a government or space agency without consulting a system’s users can fail to meet those users’ needs.

Countries often begin an EO program to test and demonstrate technology. Following such initial missions, countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Algeria seek to develop next-generation satellites with operational data supply, meaning data are collected with end users in mind who return for services. By supporting other government departments, EO satellites benefit wider policy objectives within a country, such as monitoring natural resources, supporting infrastructures and strengthening defense.

Engaging end users isn’t an easy task, especially given the cost of space technology. In addition, no single EO satellite can support all sector requirements.

For example, defense users have a strong requirement for high accuracy and ground resolution, whereas resource-monitoring users focus more on wider image swath and greater spectral attributes. In all cases, end users who aren’t accustomed to using EO data require a cost-benefit analysis to ascertain the data’s value.

Ongoing Commercialization

As EO programs become more developed, data commercialization promises a return on investment. The global EO data market continues to grow, reaching a market value of $1.5 billion in 2012.

However, most revenues associated with commercial data relate to high-resolution, high-accuracy systems from companies such as Astrium and DigitalGlobe, which primarily serve government defense needs. Nonetheless, data demand also is increasing for natural resource monitoring applications, which require fewer constraints on data parameters and can be provided at a lower cost.

For example, Thailand’s Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency commercializes data collected by THEOS-1, and the agency is expected to commercialize THEOS-2 data. Chile intends to sell some SSOT-1 imagery, and Astrium will commercialize data from two Kazakhstan EO satellites. Although the return isn’t the same as the revenues generated by the commercial operators, revenues can provide support to next-generation systems or service development.

Technology Transfer

Another important benefit of an EO program is more affordable access to space capabilities than that of other space applications. Launching a communications payload or supporting a space science program comes at a much greater cost, which poses a dilemma in procuring an EO satellite. The lowest-cost solution is to purchase a satellite built on an established low-cost platform and payload. However, direct procurement doesn’t allow local industry to participate in development. Therefore, countries may wish to pay a higher price or use technology transfer or technology localization as a bargaining tool within the program.

South Korea is a good example of such a process. Surrey Satellite Technology contributed to the country’s Satrec Initiative by developing, jointly with Korean engineers, the Kitsat-1 satellite. The Satrec Initiative now exports to countries willing to develop their own satellites through technology transfer, such as Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. In addition, Turkey has created its Satellite Assembly, Integration and Test Center, following earlier technology transfer with Surrey to develop Bilsat in 2003. Other countries, such as Nigeria, Algeria and Malaysia, also are moving closer to autonomous satellite manufacturing.

Additional domestic capabilities will grow in the coming decade as countries develop satellite missions. Ultimately, new industry players will take their experiences and compete internationally for satellite manufacturing. A skilled workforce often leads to an autonomous high-tech manufacturing capability and potentially the development of a space program.

Source
Earth Imaging Journal

In February 2014, EDISOFT signed the new partner and reseller agreement with BlackBridge.

For our company, this partnership represents more than a mere continuation of a similar agreement with the formerly known RapidEye, but is expected to enable EDISOFT to boost up its activities in the GIS markets both in and beyond Portuguese borders and to offer new earth observation based services to a variety of markets such as environment, forestry, agriculture etc. as well as public security and defence.

With a constellation of five Earth Observation satellites, BlackBridge’s RapidEye satellites image up to 5 million square kilometres of Earth every day and reached 5 billion square kilometres in its archive in January this year. Apart from its traditional offer relying on an unprecedented combination of wide area repetitive coverage and five meter pixel size multi-spectral imagery, the integration of RapidEye into the BlackBridge group has stimulated the inclusion of new value-added products into the portfolio, namely country mosaics, extended ortho suit products and very recently digital surface models from Intermap NEXTMapWorld 30 DSM.

Source

(Rome, 27 February 2014) OpenGeoData Conference “Istruzioni per il RI-uso” (Instructions for Re-use), Centro Congressi Frentani

e-GEOS’s objective, commented Maranesi, in making this data available is to encourage the public sector and companies to make greater use of services and applications based on Earth Observation data, which would also benefit the public

visit the dedicated REALVISTA website

(Jan 2014) Fishing is an essential activity for the development of the territories covered by the COI, which groups France (with Reunion Island), the Union of the Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and the Seychelles. To improve the management of its marine resources, the COI has asked CLS to set up a satellite- based fishery management system.

Under the terms of this contract, CLS will be installing a regional fishing surveillance centre at COI headquarters in Mauritius, which will enable local authorities in the sub-region to monitor the activities of about 1000 boats licensed for fishing. The contract also includes the upgrading of the National Centre in Madagascar.

Whereas the maritime fishing sector of the COI was traditionally small-scale, it has developed over the last 20 years into an important economic sector: the number of jobs has doubled, activities such as processing and exporting have been created and fishing now accounts for the second biggest export sector after agricultural production such as sugar cane farming on Reunion Island. However, the fishing industry is fragile as its resources are under heavy pressure.

In order to protect marine resources and fisheries which rely on them, the commission is relying on satellite technology and CLS, which will be setting up a regional information system for permanent communication of fishing ship positions (VMS – Vessel Monitoring System). CLS has also been called upon in this region for the detection of illegal fishing by means of satellite radar. Given the vast maritime territory covered by the COI, only satellite technology is capable of providing an all -inclusive view of off – shore fishing activities in real time.

The regional Information System will consist of a regional center for fishing surveillance which will receive real- time positions of fishing vessels operating in the exclusive economic zones of the COI. Since 2000 CLS has been working to protect marine resources in the Indian Ocean. The Toulouse – based company has already set up a system to combat illeg al fishing in the southern hemisphere, on behalf of CROSSRU. The system has proven its effectiveness as it has eradicated illegal fishing around the Kerguelen, Heard and McDonald Islands. The system will soon be extended to cover all COI territory using a SEAS-OI satellite radar imagery receiving station , installed by CLS on Reunion Island in 2010 as well as another station installed in Bali. These two stations will provide real – time access to data in these exclusive economic zones.

CLS key figures

  • 490 employees around the world including 325 in France
  • 17 offices and subsidiaries
  • Turnover:€90M in 2013 (€79M in 2012)
  • 80 data-processing instruments flown on 40 satellites
  • 15,000 radar images processed
  • 6 million locations provided each day
    Source

(11 Mar 2014) BMT ARGOSS, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd, has announced a joint initiative with the Met Office, the UK’s national weather service, and Oceanweather Inc, to help support oil and gas majors with offshore engineering design and operational planning in the mid-Atlantic region.

The main deliverable of this project, entitled the Mid-Atlantic Current Hindcast (MACH), is a 20-year high quality ocean current reanalysis for the mid-Atlantic region, with nested high resolution grids covering principal oil and gas concession areas.

Robin Stephens, Metocean Group Manager at BMT ARGOSS explains: “In recent years, ocean modelling technology has significantly advanced – therefore we recognised the importance and timeliness of conducting a comprehensive, new West Africa ocean current hindcast. Much of the oil and gas activity in this region is in deep water and involves the design, installation and operation of floating production systems with substantial subsea components such as risers and moorings, both of which are very susceptible to current-induced loadings. By simulating ocean current, temperature and salinity in profile we can provide customers with a long term simulation which has been validated and optimised against data that has been measured in the region.”

Following completion of a pilot two year integration and a detailed validation study against available concurrent in-situ current measurements, a full 20-year integration is underway to produce an ocean current hindcast database, suitable for use in offshore engineering and operational planning.

Arwel Griffiths, Business Development Director at the Met Office comments: “This initiative is an exciting opportunity to demonstrate to the oil and gas community our technical credentials in ocean modelling.

With BMT ARGOSS’ extensive experience in providing metocean services, Oceanweather’s strong standing in the provision of high integrity wind and wave hindcast data, and the Met Office’s world class science and forecasting expertise, we are confident that we can provide oil and gas customers with a robust ocean simulation which will help them plan future projects.”

With an initial focus on the West Africa region, the hindcast will provide a strong framework for conducting fine resolution modelling in other parts of the mid-Atlantic basin, including Brazil.

Source

ReSAC was nominated for access the European Space Agency (ESA) – ESA Earth Online database imagery. The research project that ReSAC participates is “Research with synthetic aperture radar – SAR imagery. Application of SAR advanced techniques – interferometry and polarimetry for the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria”, and was selected by ESA, that will provide 80 SAR – imagery for the territory of Bulgaria.

The satellite images are derived from ENVISAT and ERS satellites, which cover different periods and regions of the country. The study will test the applicability of SAR imagery for the Study of Disaster Management; SAR advanced techniques is going to be tested in disaster situations to assess their significance in comparison with the results of ground-based or other remote sensing investigations. The test area will cover areas within the country subject to past earthquakes and landslides. Furthermore, products will be developed to assess the damage from natural disasters, assets mapping and mapping products for the risk of these natural disasters.

With the Nomination for Principal Investigator of ESA Database, ReSAC continues its traditions in research and collaboration with the world’s leading space agencies and related organizations, on behalf of successful cooperation with ESA database for the needs of program Copernicus, with JRC MARS Unit for assessment KOMPSAT satellites and FORMOSAT-2, for their application in SAR, and DLR / NASA for use of data from the SRTM Mission.

Remote Sensing Application Center (ReSAC)
61, Tzar Assen Str., fl. 2, 1463, Sofia, Bulgaria. Tel: +359 2 980 0731 / Fax: +359 2 981 8216. e-mail

(Munich 26.03.2014) GAF has developed and successfully demonstrated a new innovative approach for deriving bathymetry from space. With this method, GAF can generate bathymetric maps covering large areas by simultaneously using differential spectral attenuation and stereo-information from satellite imagery.


The approach only requires the use of satellite stereo imagery with precise ephemeris data and is therefore not dependent on ground truth data like echo sounding or lidar depth measurements. As such time consuming and costly in-situ measurements are not required, the technique is more flexible and cost-effective than traditional approaches. This method has recently been used, for example, to successfully map a large area in the Caspian Sea. The results provide the company RWE Dea Azerbaijan with valuable information suitable for hydrocarbon exploration and for the performance of seismic surveys.

Bathymetry is the underwater topography of lakes or ocean floors and constitutes an important information layer on hydrographic charts. Traditional ways of acquiring bathymetry data include the carrying out of depth measurements using sounding lines, sonar or lidar. However, as ship-based or airborne measurements take time to prepare and perform and can only cover fairly small geographic areas in a single pass, quite significant expenditure is usually required in terms of time and money. Bathymetric information is of importance in offshore hydrocarbon exploration: knowledge of the seabed morphology and of subtle submarine features, such as so-called mud volcanoes, can provide valuable indicators to prospectors. Furthermore, accurate sea-bottom morphology facilitates the correct interpretation of 3D seismic surveys.

RWE Dea Azerbaijan tasked GAF with the performance of a bathymetric survey in its area of interest in the Caspian Sea. GAF made use of satellite remote and its new stereo approach for this task and mapped an area of 230 sqkm. The bathymetric analysis was based on a stereo pair of very high resolution multispectral satellite images. First, stereoscopic measurements were performed, which provided depth information about clearly recognisable submerged features and topography. In a second step, a bathymetric model was created using these features and the satellite imagery, in order to provide area-wide bathymetric mapping of depths and seabed morphology. The bathymetric information was collected in a regular grid with a spatial resolution of 4m and had an absolute vertical accuracy better than 2m. The modelling approach utilises the spectral absorption of light in the water column, which is dependent on the water depth. The method is based on the amount of light penetration into the water column, which under favourable circumstances can reach depths of up to 20m. It should be noted, however, that strong sun glint, and dense accumulations of microorganisms, vegetation or suspended load can hamper the application of the method.

Dr. Christian Bücker, Manager of Research and Development at RWE Dea, states: “The satellite-derived bathymetry provides valuable information for our area of interest in the Caspian sea. The bathymetric analysis was performed successfully and has sufficient accuracy to detect and map mud volcanoes. The existing sparse bathymetry knowledge of the areas has thus been greatly improved.”

Dr. Sebastian Carl, Head of the GAF Data and Products Department, adds: “A cornerstone of GAF`s philosophy right from its very beginnings in 1985 has been to develop and embrace new technologies and methodologies in order to benefit our clients and our business. The GAF stereo method is another example of this and provides innovative area-wide bathymetry in a rapid and cost efficient way”.

About GAF AG – Germany

GAF AG is a leading solutions-provider with an international reputation as a skilled provider of data, products and services in the fields of geo-information, satellite remote sensing, spatial IT and consulting for private and public clients. GAF offers solutions in the sectors of mining and geology, natural resources, water and environment, security, land, agriculture, forestry and climate change. Over the past 28 years, the company has been active in more than 500 projects in over 100 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia. GAF is also a one-stop-shop for the provision of Earth observation satellite data. The company is part of the Telespazio Group, which belongs to Finmeccanica and Thales, two European technology leaders.|

About RWE Dea AG

RWE Dea AG, headquartered in Hamburg, is an international company operating in the field of exploration and production of natural gas and crude oil. The company deploys state-of-the-art drilling and production technologies, and has many years of experience in the sector. RWE Dea has also set new standards in the fields of safety and environmental protection. RWE Dea has stakes in production facilities and concessions in Germany, the UK, Norway, Denmark, Egypt and Algeria and holds exploration concessions in Ireland, Libya, Mauritania, Poland, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago and Turkmenistan. Moreover, in Germany, RWE Dea also operates large subterranean storage facilities for natural gas. RWE Dea is part of the RWE Group, one of Europe’s largest energy utilities. The Caspian region, where the company has been active since 1995, is one of the focus areas of interest for RWE Dea.

To obtain more information, please contact:
GAF AG
Daniela Miller
Arnulfstr.199, 80634 Munich
Tel. +49 (0) 89 12 15 28 0
Fax. +49 (0) 89 12 15 28 79
info@gaf.de
www.gaf.de

Eurosense Bulgaria, organized a conference held in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Tuesday, 10 December 2013 with subject: “Geospatial Innovations for Sustainable and Safe Environment”, dedicated to the use of new innovative geospatial technologies in support of the successful implementation of EU funds. The conference was with regional, national and international range.

The conference was attended by Ms. Iskra Mihaylova – Minister of Environment and Water of Bulgaria and Acad. Stefan Vodenitcharov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. For conference speakers were invited: four members of EARSC as a three of them are executive board members -Mr. Geoff Sawyer, General Secretary of EARSC, Mr. Francis Vanderhagen, Senior Advisor of the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mr. Kamen Iliev, Director of Bulgarian Centre for National Security and Defence Research and Mrs. Milena Kurteva, General Manager of Eurosense EOOD Bulgaria as well as government experts from the Ministry of Environment and Waters of Bulgaria, Ministry of Economy and Energy of Bulgaria and other bulgarian government structures.

The Conference presented two panels. The first panel explored the synergy between the business and the state for successful implementation of the operational program “Environment” 2014-2020. The second panel discussed how research and innovation can be a key tool to achieve competitiveness in the field of public-private partnerships in the new programming period of the European Union. The panels were very well received, with high approval ratings.

The conference was attended by more than 100 persons including representatives of the state and municipal governments, non-government organizations, scientific society, private companies offering services in the field of aero-space technology, geodesy and cartography, as well as students and interested citizens.

In conclusion, the participants expressed high satisfaction with the conference goal and also complimented the organizers for bringing together exclusive group of speakers, all of whom are leading practitioners in their own field.

The conference was closed by cocktail reception in the occasion of the 10th anniversary of EUROSENSE on the Bulgarian market.

The company is leader in geospatial innovations in Bulgaria and all services offered by EUROSENSE are fully integrated within the organization: aerial photography, processing and interpretation of digital satellite images, development of photogrammetric and topographic maps, digital orthophoto images, aerial laser scanning, hydrographic and thermographic measurements, development of databases in the field of GIS and consulting services.

Thanks to its highly qualified personnel EUROSENSE provides customers with true and reliable geospatial data with precision and high quality, in open and clear project management within the agreed time and project budget.

During the conference EUROSENSE presented its technology solutions and services in the field of remote sensing, 3D modeling for urban planning, management of coastal zone, dikes, highways, railway lines and power lines heating systems, waste deposit and warm water drainage, heat losses through roofs, urban and regional land management, applications for agriculture, risk management, safety and security.


Source Eurosense

Metria (Sweden)and GeoVille (Austria) joined forces to map forest and land cover in Liberia.

Recently a contract was signed with the Forest Development Authority in Liberia to map the entire country during 2014. The team of service providers have proven to be successful in detailed mapping and in Liberia the products will be used to support the REDD + reporting on forests. Besides from the mapping, operational routines for forest change mapping will be introduced and run at the client´s premises.

Source Metria

(Winter 2013) The recently completed mid-term review of TIGER-NET marks a major milestone for the project, in which DHI GRAS and GeoVille Information Systems (Prime) – in collaboration with partners – successfully developed an Earth Observation (EO)-based Water Observation and Information System (WOIS).

This system was implemented in selected African water authorities, thereby ensuring continued EO support delivery for African Water Resource Management.

In spring 2012, the TIGER-NET project was launched as a major three-year component of the TIGER initiative of the European Space Agency (ESA). The main goal of the TIGER project is to support the African EO capacity for water resource monitoring. The aim of TIGER-NET specifically is to build capacity for water resources monitoring based on EO technologies at selected African water authorities. This is done through the development of an open source WOIS that integrates satellite information for the monitoring, assessment and inventory of water resources.

DHI GRAS has, in partnership with GeoVille Information Systems and the Technical Universities in Vienna (TU-WIEN) and Copenhagen (DTU-ENV), successfully developed the WOIS and implemented the system in six African water authorities:

  • Lake Chad Basin Commission
  • Nile Basin Initiative
  • Volta Basin Authority
  • Department of Water Affairs of Namibia
  • Department of Water Affairs of South Africa
  • Department of Water Affairs, Zambia

Moreover, the operational and practical use of the WOIS to support decision making has been demonstrated via a series of user-specific demonstration cases covering a wide range of themes and information products. These include:

  • lake water quality
  • flood monitoring
  • land degradation and land cover characterisation
  • water bodies and wetlands mapping
  • hydrological modelling
  • hydrological characterisation (soil moisture, precipitation and evapotranspiration)
  • soil erosion potential indicators
  • water supply and sanitation planning support

By providing this licence-free, powerful and extendable system, we look forward to the second cycle of TIGER-NET. In this phase, the user base will be expanded and the WOIS development and consolidation will continue. This will be done in order to accommodate the latest software developments and to provide adaptations for continued user requirements. It will also particularly focus on ensuring the support and development of processing capacity for the upcoming Sentinel satellite systems which will turn the WOIS into a fully operational monitoring system.

For more information on monitoring and managing Africa’s water resources with EO data, please visit ESA homepage as well as the project website