Skip to content

After leaving Thales Alenia Space in the south of France on 15 September, ESA’s SMOS Earth Explorer has arrived safely at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome in northern Russia, where it will be prepared for launch on 2 November.

The Antonov aircraft carrying the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite, along with seven containers of support equipment, arrived at Arkhangelsk early in the morning of 16 September. Once unloaded from the aircraft, the precious cargo was transported by truck to the train station and then loaded onto wagons for the 12-hour ride to the launch site.

The train arrived at the Plesetsk Cosmodrome yesterday morning and the containers have now all been placed in the integration facilities where they are being unpacked today. The long journey seems to have gone well, and the signs are that satellite and equipment have arrived in good shape.

The SMOS team will now spend the next six weeks testing the satellite and preparing for launch. SMOS will be encapsulated, along with ESA’s Proba-2 satellite, in the fairing of the Rockot launcher in preparation for liftoff at 02.50 CET on 2 November.

The_Proba-2_ team have already carried out their initial preparations and will return to Plesetsk later this month to resume the campaign.

The arrival of SMOS at the launch site marks a significant milestone for ESA’s next Earth Explorer mission. Also known as ESA’s Water Mission, it is the first satellite dedicated to providing global measurements of soil moisture and ocean salinity. By regularly and consistently mapping these two variables, the mission will improve our understanding of the water cycle.

ESA’s Project Manager for the SMOS mission, Achim Hahne, commented, “I am really excited that the end is getting close, and so is the team.”

SOURCE ESA

Following the launch and in-orbit testing of the most sophisticated gravity mission ever built, ESA’s GOCE satellite is now in ‘measurement mode’, mapping tiny variations in Earth’s gravity in unprecedented detail.

The ‘Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer’ (GOCE) satellite was launched on 17 March from northern Russia. The data now being received will lead to a better understanding of Earth’s gravity, which is important for understanding how our planet works.

It is often assumed that gravity exerts an equal force everywhere on Earth. However, owing to factors such as the rotation of the planet, the effects of mountains and ocean trenches, and density variations in Earth’s interior, this fundamental force is not quite the same all over.

Over two six-month uninterrupted periods, GOCE will map these subtle variations with extreme detail and accuracy. This will result in a unique model of the ‘geoid’ – the surface of an ideal global ocean at rest.

A precise knowledge of the geoid is crucial for accurate measurement of ocean circulation and sea-level change, both of which are influenced by climate. The data from GOCE are also much-needed to understand the processes occurring inside Earth. In addition, by providing a global reference to compare heights anywhere in the world, the GOCE-derived geoid will be used for practical applications in areas such as surveying and levelling.

A little over six months after launch, GOCE is now delivering the first set of data that will build into the most detailed map of Earth’s gravity field ever realised. Before entering this mode, the satellite was tested thoroughly. It was then gently brought down from an altitude of around 280 km to its current orbit slightly below 255 km, which is extremely low for an Earth observation satellite.

During the three months after launch, the satellite was commissioned and calibrated, which is standard procedure to ensure that all systems are working as they should. This included testing GOCE’s cutting-edge electric ion engine that helps keep the satellite’s orbit ‘drag-free’, and its highly sensitive gradiometer instrument, which senses the gravitational tug of Earth.

Gravity is stronger closer to Earth, so GOCE was designed to orbit as low as possible while remaining stable as it flies through the fringes of our atmosphere. To help avoid drag and ensure that the gravity measurements are of true gravity, the satellite has to be kept stable in ‘free fall’. Any buffeting from residual air at this low altitude could potentially drown out the gravity data.

GOCE’s sleek aerodynamic design helps this unique satellite to cut though what remains of the atmosphere at this exceptionally low altitude. Moreover, the electric ion thruster at the back continuously generates tiny forces to compensate for any drag that GOCE experiences along its orbit.

Space gradiometry and the use of the sophisticated electric propulsion are both ‘firsts’ in satellite technology, so the commissioning and calibration were particularly important for the success of the mission. This phase was completed in the summer, ready for the tricky task of bringing GOCE down to its operational altitude, which took a couple of months.

“You wouldn’t want to place a satellite like GOCE at the measurement altitude from day one,” commented Michael Fehringer, ESA’s GOCE System Manager. “We needed time to check the satellite without running the risk of decaying below the point where the ion propulsion could not compensate for the air drag. Therefore, at launch we injected GOCE into an initial orbit about 25 km above the measurement altitude. After commissioning, we brought it to its current altitude of 255 km, which we reached on 13 September. The ion propulsion started immediately and now we are in drag-free mode, ready for operation.”

It turns out there is very little solar activity at the moment, which means a calmer environment for GOCE. So its current orbit of 255 km is a few kilometres lower than engineers had originally planned. This is good news – the gravity measurements being made at the moment will be even more accurate.

Now fully operational, with its solar panels bathed in sunlight, GOCE has truly embarked upon its mission: to sense Earth’s gravity as never before.

Rune Floberghagen, ESA’s GOCE Mission Manager, said that, “The completion of the commissioning and first in-flight calibration marks an important milestone for the mission. We are now entering science operations and are looking forward to receiving and processing excellent three-dimensional information on the structure of Earth’s gravity field.”

Source ESA

…will be held at EUSC, Torrejon air base – Madrid (Spain) on November 3-5, 2009.

Motivation

Today the analysis of a few, very high resolution, multi-spectral images can be complex and challenging. In addition, the emerging needs from major applications (e.g.: mapping, global monitoring, disaster management support, non proliferation, etc.) and large programmes / initiatives (e.g.: Kopernikus, GEO, GEOSS), and the continuous increase in archives’ size and EO sensors’ variety, require new methodologies and tools for information mining and management, supported by shared knowledge. The manual process performed by experts to mine information from images is currently too complex and expensive to be applied systematically on even a small subset of the acquired scenes. This limits the full exploitation of the petabytes of archived or new data. The issue might become even more challenging in future since more missions – including constellations – are being planned, with broader sensor variety, higher data rates and increasing complexity. As an example, ENVISAT alone accumulates 400 terabytes of data every year. The problem is common also to other domains, like medicine, multimedia, and to a broad spectrum of other sensors’ data.

Results from current R&D activity might ease the access to the imagery (today mostly retrieved using spatio-temporal and a few more attributes) also through their information content. The need to access information also in large volumes of image data has stimulated the research in the field of content-based image retrieval during last decade. Many new concepts have been developed and prototyped. However the dramatic increase in volume, details, diversity and complexity, and the user demand for simultaneous access to multi-domain data urgently require new approaches for image information mining, multi-domain information management, and knowledge management and sharing (in support of information mining and training).

This year’s conference continues to focus on automation in support of applications and services for geospatial intelligence, for which Image Information Mining is considered of very high interest and appropriate. This theme proves most successful when cross-cued from other intelligence disciplines, therefore the conference topics are broadened towards more generic Information Mining. In addition, because the future will be marked by an explosion of satellite imaging missions, the conference is expected to bring new stimulating ideas, concepts or methods also for the use of multi-temporal images.

The event is the sixth in the series jointly organised by ESA and EUSC, and by JRC since 2009 , (see ESA-EUSC 2008).

Objectives

Presentations should focus on theory and applications leading to improve automation in geospatial information extraction and understanding from optical and SAR EO images and heterogeneous sources:
-Automatic image pre-processing (geo-referencing, ortho-rectification, radiometric calibration, etc.)
-Automated feature and information extraction from optical and SAR EO images
-Multi-temporal analysis
-Challenges for metre resolution optical and SAR EO images
-Geospatial Intelligence: synergies across images, maps and geo information
-Models, semantics and spatial syntax for image understanding
-Information mining from heterogeneous sources
-Human-machine communication for spatio-temporal reasoning
-Knowledge discovery and sharing
-Scenarios and constraints in Environment, Security and Intelligence applications
-System architectures for geospatial information processing

The main target audience includes the European space agencies and organisations, aerospace industry and research centres, research and academic institutions, commercial companies, value adders or service providers involved in any of above areas.

The “Panel on mining multi-temporal / -modal EO images and geo-information” will include topics like (final list will be made available with the programme):
-Users view points
-Multi-temporal EO images
-Multi-modal radar
-Geo-referenced text mining

Organisation

Participation: Participation to the Conference and the Panel is free of charge up to available seats (about 100)

Conference Date: November 3 – 4, 2009

Panel Date: November 5, 2009

Place: EUSC Torrejon air base – Madrid (Spain)

Important Dates:
-Extensive abstract, with indication if it is for interactive presentation or poster session, via e-mail to mihai.datcu@dlr.de, copy Sergio.DElia@esa.int, (subject: IIM ESA-EUSC-JRC 2009) by mid June, 2009
-Notification or acceptance (and format for article submission) will be provided to authors by mid September, 2009
-A limited number of demonstrations can be accepted: demonstration description and resource requirements shall be provided by e-mail to (Lucio Colaiacomo) l.colaiacomo@eusc.europa.eu (subject IIM ESA-EUSC-JRC 2009) by end September, 2009
-Deadline for registration to the Conference is mid October, 2009

Conference Chairman
-M. Datcu, DLR

Organising Committee
-S. D’Elia, ESA
-L. Colaiacomo, EUSC
-I. Sarantzis, EUSC
-M. Lafitte, EUSC
-J. Ebeltjes, EUSC
-P. Soille, JRC
-C. Gomez, EARSC
-K. Seidel, ETHZ
-R. King, MSU

Scientific Committee
IIMCG members
J.C. Tilton, NASAUSA

Conference Contributions will be published by ESA as Workshop Proceedings

This SIXTH CONFERENCE on IMAGE INFORMATION MINING is sponsored by:
European Image Information Mining Coordination Group, founded by:

-ASI, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana – Italian Space Agency
-CNES, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales – French Space Agency
-CNR, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche – Italian National Research Council
DLR, Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft und Raumfahrt – German Aerospace Center
-EC-IST, European Commission – Information Society Technology
-ESA-ESRIN, European Space Agency – European Space Research Institute
-ETHZ, Eidgenussische Technische Hochschule Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich
-EUSC, European Union Satellite Centre

And extended to:
-EARSC, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies
-INGV, Istituto Nazionale Geofisica e Vulcanologia
-JRC, Joint Research Centre
-MSU, Mississippi State University

SOURCE.

A conference entitled ‘Earth observation and the water cycle: towards a water cycle multi-mission strategy’ will be held from 18 to 20 November in Frascati, Italy.

Recent advances in Earth observation (EO) satellites have made possible improved global observations of several key parameters governing the global water cycle. In the coming years, an increasing number of EO missions will be launched by space agencies, enhancing our capacity to observe the Earth’s surface. The full exploitation of this capacity by scientific and institutional users requires coordinated research efforts to develop robust global and regional operational products using observation and modelling systems and data assimilation capabilities.

The specific objectives of this topical conference are: – to assess recent progress and uncertainties in the full range of water cycle observations: precipitation, soil moisture, clouds, evapotranspiration, water vapour, surface water and groundwater measurements as well as surface heat fluxes and the Earth radiation budget; – to identify the main needs and uncertainties in modelling and data assimilation from global to basin scales to improve our knowledge of water cycle science and our ability to quantify future changes in water cycle variables; – to advocate the challenges and opportunities in water cycle science in order to reduce uncertainties in water-related climate change impacts and adaptation strategies in water resources; – to consolidate a scientific roadmap outlining the main priorities for the development of robust global and regional geo-information data products, improved models and effective data assimilation systems.

For further information, please visit

Category: Events
Data Source Provider: European Space Agency
Document Reference: Based on an event announcement
Subject Index: Climate change & Carbon cycle research; Innovation, Technology Transfer; Space & satellite research; Water resources and management
RCN: 31309

Company Recognized at the 6th Annual Awards for Excellence in Satellite Management in Paris

Longmont, Colo., September 17, 2009 – DigitalGlobe (NYSE: DGI), a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution, world-imagery products and services for defense and intelligence, government, and commercial clients, today announced that it has been named Earth Observation Operator of the Year by Euroconsult.

“The Awards for Excellence in Satellite Management recognize companies who have made a particularly strong impact on the satellite industry through their vision, growth, profit or innovation,” said Pac�me Revillon, CEO of Euroconsult. “This annual tradition at the World Satellite Business Week allows the industry to celebrate their accomplishment, and the overall success of the industry.”

Euroconsult is the leading global research and analyst firm specializing in the satellite sector. Its annual awards for Excellence in Satellite Management are considered the highest tribute in the satellite sector, awarded to companies for outstanding achievement in important categories that include Earth Observation Operator of the Year. Awards are presented each September in Paris at World Satellite Business Week, now in its 13th year. A jury of industry experts applies rigorous quantitative and qualitative standards to determine award winners.

“I am pleased to see DigitalGlobe recognized as the best-in-class global provider of commercial high resolution earth imagery products and services,” said Jill Smith, chairman and CEO of DigitalGlobe. “The addition of this award category is a nod to the growing importance of commercial earth observation, and validation of DigitalGlobe’s success in expanding and shaping this market.”

About DigitalGlobe

DigitalGlobe (NYSE: DGI) is a leading global provider of commercial, high-resolution, world-imagery products and services for defense and intelligence, government, and commercial clients. Sourced from its own advanced satellite constellation, DigitalGlobe’s imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses for government agencies, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals, and navigation technology. With advanced collection sources and a comprehensive ImageLibrary containing more than 730 million square kilometers of imagery and imagery products, DigitalGlobe offers a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable clients to access and integrate imagery seamlessly into business operations and applications. For more information, please visit www.digitalglobe.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or our future financial performance. We generally identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or other similar words, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are based upon our historical performance and on our current plans, estimates and expectations. Such forward-looking statements are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Our actual financial and operational results may vary materially from those indicated in these statements. Additional information regarding risk factors, uncertainties and assumption concerning our business is described more fully in documents filed by us with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

Written by DigitalGlobe. 17 September 2009
Source GISUSER

Related info SYS

…Fastest Image Server on the Planet…

ERDAS Image Web Server’s optimized tile delivery enables you to quickly deliver massive amounts of raster and vector data. With optimized tile delivery, all of your data (not just a subset) is always served faster than you ever thought possible. This ERDAS solution is ideal for government organizations with geospatial data to share with the public. If your organization is interested in creating a public access website, IWS can show you how easy and inexpensive a powerful geospatial serving engine can be implemented. Solving the infrastructure congestion problems traditionally associated with deploying large amounts of image data, users quickly access the information they need. With ERDAS Image Web Server, individuals may access imagery using CAD, GIS, mobile, web and desktop applications.

Robust architecture ensures maximum availability and complete scalability to your your organization needs: – Windows, Linux, Solaris versions available, – Easy ArcIMS integration, ECW Layer I-Wizard for ArcIMS 3.x/4.x/9.x 7.01 and free ECW JPEG2000 Plug-in for ArcGIS® Desktop Products available, – Seamless integration of AutoDesk’s MapGuide Enterprise 2008 Platform , – ECW and JPEG 2000 plug-in for AutoCAD 2007 / 2008 / 2009.

Further information on product:

- NEW! Link to IWS websiteERDAS Image Web Server product site

Source

DigitalGlobe today announced that it has received October 8, 2009, as the new scheduled launch date for its WorldView-2 high-resolution remote-sensing satellite.

WorldView-2 will launch on a Boeing Delta II launch vehicle from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. DigitalGlobe expects images and products from WorldView-2 to be commercially available approximately 90 days after a successful launch.

WorldView-2: Deeper analysis. Faster insight

When WorldView-2 launches, it will be launching more than a new satellite. The satellte is introducing a truer view of the world. It will be the first commercial satellite to offer 8-band capability with unsurpassed accuracy, agility, capacity and spectral diversity expected. Along with the four typical multispectral bands – Blue (450-510), Green (510-580), Red (630-690) and NearIR (770-895) – WorldView-2 is introducing a Coastal Band (400 – 450 nm), a Yellow Band (585 – 625 nm), a Red Edge Band (705 – 745 nm) and a second Near Infrared 2 Band (860 – 1040 nm). So you’ll have a better visual understanding of the world.

WorldView-2 Spectral Response Overview

The Power of the Constellation

With the launch of WorldView-2, DigitalGlobe will have the most powerful constellation of commercial high resolution satellites around the globe. For customers, this means intra-day revisit to any place on Earth and easy access to the broadest range of geospatial information products possible from a single source. Resolution: 50 cm; Swath Width: 16.4 kilometers at nadir

Higher Capacity/Faster Revisit

With its improved agility, WorldView-2 will be able to act like a paintbrush, sweeping back and forth to collect very large areas of multispectral imagery in a single pass. WorldView-2 alone will be able to collect nearly 1 million sq km every day, doubling the collection capacity of our constellation to nearly 2 million sq km per day. And the combination of WorldView-2’s increased agility and high altitude enables it to typically revisit any place on earth in 1.1 days.

WorldView- 2 Documents:

WorldView-2 Datasheet
Constellation Guide
Overview Presentation
Spectral Response Overview
Bathymetry Datasheet
Vegetative Analysis Datasheet
Feature Classification Datasheet
8-Band Applications Whitepaper

Webinars:

DigitalGlobe founder on WorldView-2
New Spectral Band Applications

The launch of WorldView-2 will make DigitalGlobe the only commercial world-imagery provider with high-resolution, eight-band multispectral capability. The additional multispectral band capability of WorldView-2 is expected to enable higher levels of feature identification and extraction and more accurately reflect the world’s natural color, with the potential to benefit many applications, including environmental monitoring, change detection, and defense and intelligence.

About DigitalGlobe

DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial, high-resolution, world-imagery products and services for defense and intelligence, civil government, and commercial clients. Sourced from its own advanced satellite constellation, DigitalGlobe’s imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses for government agencies, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals, and navigation technology. With advanced collection sources and a comprehensive ImageLibrary containing more than 730 million square kilometers of imagery and imagery products, DigitalGlobe offers a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable clients to access and integrate imagery seamlessly into business operations and applications. For more information, please visit www.digitalglobe.com.

More info
Directionsmag

The seminar on Earth Observation Satellites will examine challenges faced by manufacturers of Earth Observation satellites, experiences of operators, the views of end-users and the future of Earth Observation technology.


It will provide a platform for satellite engineers to discuss their latest ideas, work in progress and research into solutions.

Register your place and submit your poster proposal at THEIET

It’s all go for the Earth Observation seminar!

This one day seminar will look at challenges faced by manufacturers of Earth Observation satellites, experiences of operators of Earth Observation satellites, the views of end-users of the products generated and collated by Earth Observation satellites and the future of Earth Observation technology.

Confirmed speakers include:

  • Dr Chris Chaloner, Systems Development Executive, Aero-Space Division, Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd, UK
  • Dr Arwyn Davies, Director, Natural Environment Research Council and Earth Observation,Natural Environment Research Council
  • Dave Hodgson, Chair, British Association of Remote Sensing Companies
  • Professor Mick Johnson, Director, Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation
  • Chris Mutlow, ATSR-1 Principal Investigator and ATSR-2 Project Scientist, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
  • Dr David Williams, Director General, British National Space Centre

View the full programme
Registration

Please visit our event website to check out the full programme, register your place and submit your latest Earth Observation work for consideration as a poster – the deadline for abstracts is Monday, 12 October. Find out more online at THEIET for more information.

QUICK LINKS
Register online
Download the brochure
Download the abstract submission template
Submit your poster proposal:zsquires@theiet.org
Phone us: +44 (0) 1438 765 657
Email us: eventscs1@theiet.org
Find out more about the IET

SOURCE

The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England & Wales (no 211014) and Scotland (no SC038698).

will address Europe’s most ambitious programmes: GALILEO and GMES and their prospective benefits to technology, industry and society.

On October 15th and 16th, the future of the European Space Policy will be discussed in Brusels. The conference, which is named “The ambitions of Europe in Space” will address Europe’s most ambitious programmes: GALILEO and GMES and their prospective benefits to technology, industry and society.

Prominent guests will include President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, the President of the new European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, and the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Philippe Maystadt. Several others European leaders, such as Vice-Presidents Antonio Tajani and Jacques Barrot, or Jean-Jacques Dordain, General Manager of ESA also confirmed their participation.

Conference organiser Business Bridge Europe (BBE) will bring together European Institutions, national and local public authorities, R&D centres, manufacturers and everyone interested in meeting and discussing space policy, space systems’ applications and their financing.

On the 15th SSTL CEO, Dr. Matt Perkins will deliver a keynote speech about “The external dimension of the space authority: the example of Africa” alongside other industry representatives. The following day, DMCii Managing Director, Dave Hodgson will join other remote sensing experts from ESA and industry to discuss “Environment, Energy, Home Land Security and Agriculture”. General themes throughout the conference will include:

  • Satellite navigation: for the time being, the EGNOS system improves GPS precision. Then, in the midst of this decade, the GALILEO system will give Europe an autonomous and very accurate positioning system.
  • In numerous fields: Galileo and GMES will work jointly, especially to assess climate change and to face its consequences, to improve our citizens security (surveillance of sensitive infrastructures, borders, maritime areas), or to manage natural or humanitarian disasters.
  • Telecommunications: with the potential offered by the satellites technologies, in particular in making high speed internet available in rural, mountainous and remote areas.
  • Finally: space exploration is to be integrated in the broader prospect of economic development in a wide scope of domains.

This Conference is organised by BBE in partnership with the European Commission, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and several industrial firms including SSTL.

Conference admittance is free, to find out more about this conference and to register visit SpaceConference.

The Industry Information day on the GMES Sentinel Data Policy was jointly organized by the GMES bureau of the European Commission and the European Space Agency (ESA).

The objective was to inform about the GMES governance and information policy in general and about the Sentinel Data Policy in particular, and to collect views from the European value adding and service industry, GMES services, other potential Sentinel data users, satellite data providers and distributors.

Valère Moutarlier (Head of Unit of the GMES Bureau, European Commission) and Günther Kohlhammer (Head of Earth Observation Ground Segment Department, ESA) co-chaired the sessions.

The meeting was attended by approximately 100 participants and was perceived as a positive, cooperative and constructive step towards an improved understanding between the European Commission, ESA and industry.

Presentations of the Information Day are available at the following link
Overview of GMES governance and the overall GMES data and information policy
Current joint the EC/ESA plan for the Sentinel Data Policy
Views of EARSC, the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies
Important frameworks for a GMES Sentinel Data Policy: INSPIRE and GEO

Other short contributions from workshop attendees expressing their view of the potential impact of the proposed Sentinel data policy on their business activities were also presented.

It was concluded that the dialogue with industry will be continued in order to take industrial stakeholders’ views into account when developing and implementing GMES and in particular its space component.

SOURCE GMES BUREAU