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The purpose of this information day is to introduce the concept and the content of an Integrated Application Promotion programme (IAP) and to describe the procedure that ESA will follow to implement the preparation of the IAP.

Date: January 15, 2008
Location: ESTEC, Newton

Objectives

  • Presentation of and consultation on the new ESA, Integrated Application Promotion (IAP) initiative
  • Offer platform/forum for interaction/dialog on integrated applications

Target audience

space and non-space industry, service providers, institutions, etc.

Subject

ESA Integrated Applications Promotion (IAP) initiative:
The purpose of this information day is to introduce the concept and the content of an Integrated Application Promotion programme (IAP) and to describe the procedure that ESA will follow to implement the preparation of the IAP. The aim of this initiative is to promote the development of Integrated Applications using a combination of space capabilities and delivering new services to citizens.

In this context, an “Integrated Application” for a particular user group is a user-driven service delivering, on a routine basis, high quality and innovative information products, generated through the combined utilisation of space and non-space technologies. Routine services require sustainability which necessitates partners able to take over responsibility for delivering the service beyond the promotion phase. Then partners of ESA must be identified as early as possible in the overall process.

Initial consultations with potential user organisations and with ESA Programme Directorates have led to the identification of a number of Themes as possible early candidates to take part in the IAP. Some of these themes are completely new (e.g. flight safety in relation to bird migration). Others will be based on existing projects and expand their scope (e.g. the MARISS maritime security project developed within the context of a GMES service). The Themes under current consideration can be broadly categorised as “Space for Safety”, “Space for Health”, “Space for Energy”, and “Space for Development”. The process includes the following objectives

Promote new applications based on the integration of data generated by several systems, space based and non-space based.

Set up a systematic transversal approach in order to integrate various space assets for a dedicated solution to address challenges in e.g. safety, health, natural resources, etc. Additionally, to address the cross links between “Climate and Health”, “Climate and Energy” etc.

Develop a user-driven approach and new partnership for the development of new services and information system (incubator of new services).

Promote the awareness of the space capability for new user communities and establish new partnership models.

GEO Ministerial Summit

The GEO Ministerial Summit will be held on 30th November 2007 in Cape Town, South Africa. Venue information sheet.

The Summit will allow to:

  • Report to Ministers on the early progress made in the implementation of the GEOSS and against the GEO 10-Year Implementation Plan ;
  • Bring emerging priorities to the attention of the Ministers;
  • Engage the commitment of Ministers to endorse The Declaration of Cape Town

The European Space Agency’s (ESA) has given the go ahead to its new generation of Earth Observation (EO) satellites as part of Europe’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme.

Dubbed Sentinel-1, the satellite will be the first of five Earth observation satellites to monitor changes in the Earth’s oceans, land, weather and climate.

Mr Volker Liebig, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, said Sentinel-1 will eventually benefit ‘environmental monitoring, sustainable development and resource management’.

GMES is the next logical step in the development of operational services under the European Commission to provide Europe with the environmental data to support political decisions as a global player, with particular emphasis on the issue of climate change,’ he added.

Sentinel-1 missions will focus on continuing the existing services exploiting EO data and satisfying user requirements derived from GMES applications.

The satellite is expected to be launched in 2011 and will be equipped with a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system, used to generate detailed radar images. By using radar, the satellite will have the capacity to make images at any time of the day or night, regardless of the Sun’s illumination.

The Sentinel-1 spacecraft is expected to weigh around 2,200 kilogrammes at launch and image the Earth in swathes of 250 kilometres in diameter with a ground resolution of five metres.

Sentinel-2 and 3 satellites, scheduled for launch in 2012, will support land and ocean monitoring, while Sentinel-4 and 5 will be dedicated to meteorology and climatology through atmospheric chemistry.

CPA For more information, please visit: http://www.gmes.info

Image Information Mining

The Conference will be followed on March 6, 2008 by a
“Panel on Information Mining from images, geo-information and text”.

Conference Details

Details are available at http://earth.esa.int/rtd/Events/ESA-EUSC_2008.

Participation to conference and panel is free of charge up toavailable seats.

Interested participants shall register within February 1, 2008,
sending an e-mail to “Patrizia“mailto:Farroni@esa.int.

The Conference is scientifically sponsored by IEEE GRSS.
ESA will publish related “Workshop Proceedings”.

Contributors are encouraged to make their interactive presentations, since only articles presented at the Conference will be published.

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 2008) by October 15, 2007.

Notification of acceptance (and format for article submission)
will be provided to authors by November 15, 2007

A limited number of demonstrations can be accepted:
demonstration description and resource requirements
shall be provided by e-mail to Sergio.Delia@esa.int
(subject: IIM ESA-EUSC 2008) within February 15, 2008.

Full articles and presentations by February 15, 2008.

Conference Topics

Presentations should focus on theory and applications leading to
more 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.)
  • 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 spatial reasoning
  • Knowledge discovery and sharing
  • Scenarios and constraints in Environment, Security and Intelligence applications
  • System architectures for geospatial information processing

The “Panel on Information Mining from images, geo-information and text” will include topics like (final list will be made available with the programme):

  • Tools
  • Use of KIM (interactive information discovery from images)
  • Use of KEO (component-based processing environment)
  • Image understanding
  • Speaking Images: Intelligence and Semantics
  • Understanding high resolution SAR images
  • Image Information Mining
  • Automatic classification strategies
  • Change detection
  • Mining Time Series
  • Heterogeneous information sources
  • Knowledge from Web content
  • Visualisation of geo information

IIMCG

The event is the fifth in the series jointly organised by ESA and EUSC (see the last one at http://earth.esa.int/rtd/Events/ESA-EUSC_2006).

It is promoted by the European Image Information Mining Coordination Group (IIMCG), initiated by:

  • ASI, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana
  • CNES, Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales
  • CNR, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
  • DLR, Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt
  • EC-IST, European Commission – Information Society Technology
  • ESA, European Space Agency
  • ETHZ, Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich
  • EUSC, European Union Satellite Centre

An extended to:

EARSC, European Association of Remote Sensing Companies

Emirates Institution for Advanced Science and Technology (EIAST), a Dubai government organization which aims to create the platform for scientific development and technological research in the UAE, has unveiled the various phases in the execution of its first satellite project, DubaiSat-1, in a press conference held today.

DubaiSat-1, which will be launched in 2008, aims to position the Emirates among the advanced nations in the world in science and technology development through the application of global best practices and cooperation with the world’s leading experts in the field. EIAST has already created a number of international agreements to collaborate with international industrial and research bodies in joint projects.

Ahmed Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of EIAST, said: ‘as the UAE continues to develop on all accounts, there is a definite need for an accurate multipurpose information system. DubaiSat-1 will support the infrastructural development by providing information that is central for the decision making process affecting the urban and rural planning as well as transport, utilities, and mapping, in addition to environmental applications such as monitoring pollution and detecting oil spills.

‘DubaiSat-1 will also help manage natural disasters and promote research and development, space science and other scientific disciplines.

This pioneering satellite project consists of three phases over a three-year period. The first phase started in 2006 and saw the institution develop the strategies, budget, administrative structure, and the necessary staff. In fact, a group of young specialized and internationally experienced national engineers were selected to train and work in internationally reputed Satrec Initiative where they take part in the design and production of the satellite. The team will also be involved in the management of the various educational centers including the Earth Observation Centre (EOC) and the Spatial Information Centre (SIC).

Salem Al Marri, Acting Project Manager, DubaiSat-1 said: ‘the national team is currently positioned in South Korean-based company, Satrec Initiative, which provides the most effective and integrated solutions for earth observation missions and applications. EIAST agreement with Satrec Initiative is essentially related to the company’s long standing as a specialist in the production of small satellite solutions and technology transfer which in turn support scientific research’.

EIAST officials mentioned that the second phase covering this year includes the design and development of the prototypes for the equipment and tools of the satellite, and mounting them on the satellite on an experimental basis, and contracting the launching company, Moscow-based International Space Company (ISC) Kosmotras. Al Mansoori confirmed that EIAST has selected the Russian company based on its technological capacities and the convenience of the time slot offered which coincides with the institution’s set deadline. During this phase and by the end of 2007, EIAST aims at completing the setting up of the earth station.

The last phase next year will cover the final testing of the satellite with all its equipment and specifications in actual space conditions and its performance as an integrated system. This will be followed by the actual launch of the satellite in the space in 2008.

DubaiSat-1 will be of crucial significance for the education in the UAE as it will strengthen scientific research on an unprecedented scale. The Graduate Institute for Scientific Research (GISR), a futuristic affiliate of the institution, will initiate specialized educational and training programs.

Third 02B satellite successfully launched by China

China launched the third Earth resources satellite co-developed with Brazil on 19 Sept. 2007 and the two nations will jointly develop two more satellites. The satellite, named 02B, was launched on a Chinese Long March-4B carrier rocket which blasted off at 11:26 a.m. (Beijing Time) from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in north China ‘s Shanxi Province . The satellite separated from the rocket 12 minutes after lift-off, entering its preset sun-synchronous orbit, at a perigee of 738 kilometers and an apogee of 750 kilometers. The satellite can collect information through high definition cameras.

Source: SpaceDaily

International GIS Crime Mapping Conference
September 24 – 26, 2007, Radisson SAS Royal Hotel, Brussels, Belgium

The fields of GIS (geographic information systems) and crime mapping present a very exciting opportunity for police forces, government bodies, councils and community partnerships. The added functionality of GIS over computer mapping, and recent developments in GIS and spatial analysis applications have significantly improved analysis of crime, increasing the capabilities of crime fighting and thus impacting on the reduction of crime itself.
IQPC is proud to bring together the world’s leading GIS experts at this important meeting, which provides an unrivalled platform to assess the developments in the field, and will offer new insights on how to extract the most potential that GIS crime mapping can offer.
Spencer Chainey from University College London’s Jill Dando Institute (UK) is one of the pioneers in the field of crime mapping and will speak about the progression of crime mapping necessary to add further value to analysis and intelligence development.
The UK Home Office will be discussing the most recent development to the Crime & Disorder Act Review of 2006. They will provide you with methods for effective data sharing and mapping for you to ensure complete buy-in from partner agencies.
Cláudio Beato, leading Political Scientist at Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil) works with the Brazilian Police Force to create community projects across Brazil to reduce crime. Cláudio is using GIS and prevention projects to control homicide in urban centres demonstrating how effective his work has proven to be.
Dawie van Vuuren from Metro GIS (South Africa) utilises GIS for disaster management. Dawie will discuss the imminent arrival of The World Cup, 2010 and will explain how you can use GIS to plan for and prevent major disasters, and minimise risk when incidents occur.
For more information about this conference, early booking discounts or to register go to www.iqpc.com/be/giscrime/earscnews
or freephone 0800 652 2363
or +44 (0)20 7368 9300,
Amy Jeffray
Marketing Manager
IQPC Ltd.
P: +44 (0)20 7368 9306
F: +44 (0)207 368 9303
Anchor House | 15-19 Britten Street | London SW3 3QL
(Source IQPC)

Siemens Communications, Inc. [NYSE: SI] announced that Siemens Enterprise Communications Belgium will lead a major project in order to provide NATO with a new Geographical Information System (GIS).

The GIS solution will ensure that NATO staffs will have the best available geospatial information at all times. They will be able to fuse geospatial content with other forms of information (logistics, etc.). A services-oriented architecture (SOA) will provide the technological capabilities for data fusion to create a common operating picture.
Siemens will be responsible for the project management and for the integration of the different components among which the world-leading GIS software provided by ESRI (USA), Oracle?s database technology and hardware (servers, workstations, back-up and storage systems, LAN-switches, scanners, printers, plotters, etc.).
This project clearly shows Siemens Enterprise Communications? ambitions in the fields of integration and ICT services.
About Siemens
Siemens AG (NYSE:SI) is one of the largest global electronics and engineering companies with reported worldwide sales of $107.4 billion in fiscal 2006. Founded 160 years ago, the company is a leader in the areas of Medical, Power, Automation and Control, Transportation, Information and Communications, Lighting, Building Technologies, Water Technologies and Services and Home Appliances. With its U.S. corporate headquarters in New York City, Siemens in the USA has sales of $21.4 billion and employs approximately 70,000 people throughout all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Eleven of Siemens’ worldwide businesses are based in the United States. With its global headquarters in Munich, Siemens AG and its subsidiaries employ 480,000 people in 190 countries.
For more information on Siemens in the United States: www.usa.siemens.com.
About Siemens Communications, Inc.
Siemens Communications, Inc. is one of the world?s leading vendors of Open Communications solutions for enterprises of all sizes, enabling business processes to be more productive, faster and more secure ? with any device, network or information technology infrastructure. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens AG with about 15,000 employees globally and headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla.
For more information, visit www.usa.siemens.com/communications.

UN/Austria/ESA jointly organise a symposium on Space Applications to support the plan of implementation of the world summit on sustainable development. (11-14 Sep)
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the Government
of Austria and the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2006-2008 are jointly
organizing the second series of three consecutive symposia to promote
activities to carry out the Plan of Implementation of the World Summit
on Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in Johannesburg, South Africa,
in 2002.
The first symposium in the current series of symposia, held in
September 2006, addressed the benefits provided by space technologies
for monitoring air pollution and energy production and use for
sustainable development.
Building on this event, the Symposium in 2007 will focus on space
tools and solutions for monitoring the atmosphere in support of
sustainable development, with the aim to support or enable participants
to develop and implement projects in this area, and to provide reliable
data and information for policy- and decision-making related to such
issues as air quality, climate change, ozone and ultra-violet
monitoring.
An information note and the application form to the symposium can be found at
(Source GMES.Info)

New product delivers detailed institutional data to facilitate emergency response and disaster preparedness

Tele Atlas (FSE: TA6, EUNV: TA), a leading global provider of digital maps and dynamic content for navigation and location based solutions, announced the availability of Tele Atlas places2protect, a premium product providing highly accurate location-based and property information on emergency medical services and critical access facilities and institutions, including hospitals, schools, daycare centers and government offices. Leveraging Tele Atlas places2protect, federal, state and local governments and commercial enterprises such as insurance and utility companies can integrate accurate location information into their mission-critical, map-based applications.
Tele Atlas places2protect provides relevant information for government officials, emergency planners and private companies developing emergency management applications or managing utility or pipeline assets. The product helps provide instant location and feature data for planning and preparedness and delivers up-to-date institution and location information. With Tele Atlas places2protect, detailed location information is accurately positioned on the map using Tele Atlas’ proprietary Address Points database, which is designed to pinpoint street addresses to a specific physical building, site or parcel.
The availability of Tele Atlas places2protect further strengthens Tele Atlas’ leadership position in the emergency services sector. Today, over 90 percent of E911 calls in the United States are routed with Tele Atlas data, systems which handle over 200 million calls for assistance annually*; 41 of the 50 states manage their critical infrastructure services using Tele Atlas data; and the vast majority of public safety agencies use commercial data relying on Tele Atlas.
Tele Atlas places2protect is available for partner application developers and device manufacturers in a range of public sector and enterprise markets. The launch of the product follows an announcement earlier this year regarding an agreement to incorporate MCH GeoPoints’ institutional data within Tele Atlas’ digital maps and points of interest (POI) products. Tele Atlas places2protect key features include:
— Complete and accurate location data for 21 different types of institutions in all 50 states;
— Extensive attribution needed to identify places at risk; and
— Information based on proven data collection methods and updating and quality assurance standards and practices.
“Whether guiding emergency response teams or driving economic planning, accurate location-based information is at the heart of public safety applications,” said John Cassidy, vice president, government and GIS markets, Tele Atlas.
“We are committed to delivering highly accurate digital maps to our enterprise and public service partners, and continually adding information that helps them develop vital navigation solutions.”
The Pennsylvania Geospatial Technologies Office (GTO) is one state office currently leveraging Tele Atlas digital maps to help ensure public safety. In 2006, the GTO made a strategic decision to purchase MCH GeoPoint’s places2protect Homeland Security datasets to support homeland security, public safety and mutual aid in Pennsylvania. Combined with the Commonwealth‘s Tele Atlas ONE digital map enterprise license, government agencies and first responders are able to display statewide base maps that include critically important location data.
“The GTO provides this important resource to all Commonwealth government and first responder agencies for their daily use and for emergency response purposes to help create a statewide Common Operating View (COV),” said Jim Knudson, deputy CIO, GTO.
“Our public safety business requirements called for these features and many of them didn‘t exist in state agencies or we didn‘t have statewide coverage. By utilizing Tele Atlas map data and the location-based information for critical access facilities, the COV filled an important public safety and emergency response data need for the Commonwealth.”
Tele Atlas places2protect will be demonstrated at the ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, June 18-22, in the Tele Atlas booth (#1307).
About Tele Atlas
Tele Atlas delivers the digital maps and dynamic content that power some of the world’s most essential navigation and location-based services (LBS). The information is the foundation for a wide range of personal and in-car navigation systems and mobile and Internet map applications that help users find the people, places, products, and services they need, wherever they are. The company also works with business partners who trust its digital map data to deliver critical applications for emergency, business, fleet, and infrastructure services. Through a combination of its own products and partnerships, Tele Atlas offers digital map coverage of more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The company was founded in 1984 and today has approximately 2,400 full-time staff and contract cartographers at offices in 24 countries and uses a sophisticated network of professional drivers, mobile mapping vans, and more than 50,000 data resources to deliver highly accurate and up-to-date digital maps. Tele Atlas is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (TA6) and on Euronext Amsterdam (TA).
For more information, visit www.teleatlas.com.
* According to Intrado Inc., 2006
(Source LBS-360.Net)