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On Jan. 12, 2016, the Philippines and two Japanese universities will hand over to the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) the country’s first Filipino-assembled satellite for launch in space.

Officials of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Tohoko University (TU), and Hokkaido University (HU) will be doing the handover after the completion of the assembly and testing in December, 2015, of the 50-kg Philippine Earth Observation Microsatellite, nicknamed “Diwata.”

In a text message yesterday, DOST Secretary Mario Go Montejo confirmed to the Manila Bulletin the launch of Diwata will push through in the first quarter of 2016.

He said the uses of Diwata include improved weather detection and forecasts, disaster risk management, detecting agricultural growth patterns, and monitoring of the forest cover and of the territorial borders of the Philippines.

The DOST chief expressed confidence the government “can develop a lot more uses for the microsatellite if we keep on improving its capability to expands its applications.”

Montejo said the space program of the DOST has two components, namely, the development of the Diwata and the Philippine Earth Data Resources and Observation (PEDRO) Center.

DOST’s Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) funded the government’s three-year (2015-2017) satellite program with around P1.2 billion, said Dr. Carlos Primo David, PCIEERD executive director.

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While the Philippines had satellites in the past, Diwata is the first “eye-in-the-sky” developed and assembled by Filipino scientists and engineers now in Japan in cooperation with their Japanese counterparts, he said.

“We, together with the two Japanese universities, will hand over the microsatellite to JAXA on Jan. 12,” Dr. David said on Friday in a mobile phone interview.

JAXA will send the microsatellite to the United States, where a spaceship will carry it to the International Space Station (ISS), orbiting 400 kms. above Earth, for launch in space, he added. Diwata will be launched either from California or Florida.

He said Diwata marks a milestone in the Philippines space program. DOST hopes it will hasten the establishment of a Philippine Space Agency, he added.

ESA’s Member States have selected FLEX as the eighth Earth Explorer mission, upon recommendation from the Earth Science Advisory Committee. The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) mission will map vegetation fluorescence to quantify photosynthetic activity.

The conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide and sunlight into energy-rich carbohydrates through photosynthesis is one of the most fundamental processes on Earth – and one on which we all depend.

Information from FLEX will improve our understanding of the way carbon moves between plants and the atmosphere and how photosynthesis affects the carbon and water cycles.

In addition, information from FLEX will lead to better insight into plant health and stress. This is of particular relevance since the growing global population is placing increasing demands on the production of food and animal feed.

Although most people have heard of photosynthesis, the process involves an extremely complex chain of events.

Working in sequence, there are two different ‘solar power systems’ inside plant and algae cells. They collect energy in sunlight and produce chemical energy for photosynthesis, heat and a faint fluorescence, subject to environmental conditions and the health of the plant.

So far, it has not been possible to measure photosynthetic activity from space, but FLEX’s novel fluorescence imaging spectrometer will observe this faint glow, which serves as an indicator of photosynthesis.

The FLEX satellite will orbit in tandem with one of the Copernicus Sentinel-3 satellites, taking advantage of its optical and thermal sensors to provide an integrated package of measurements.

Jan Woerner, ESA’s Director General, said, “FLEX will give us new information on the actual productivity of vegetation that can be used to support agricultural management and the development of a sustainable bioeconomy. It will therefore help to understand our ecosystem.”

“With the selection of the FLEX mission, ESA Member States have continued to show their determination to provide essential data to the scientific community to better understand our planet while at the same time serving society.”

Volker Liebig, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, added, “The selection of FLEX is an important milestone in our series of Earth Explorer missions.

FLEX will give us a better understanding of an important part of the carbon cycle and provide important information about the health and stress of the planet’s vegetation.

“Through this, FLEX might make a contribution to the understanding of feeding the increasing population of our planet.”

The planned launch date for the FLEX mission is in 2022.

About ESA’s Earth Explorers

The Earth Explorers are a series of satellites developed to further our understanding of Earth. Three missions in orbit are providing new insight into Earth’s cryosphere, soil moisture and ocean salinity, and the magnetic field. Future Explorer missions will provide new insight on wind, clouds and aerosol impact on the radiation budget, and global forest biomass.

About the European Space Agency

The European Space Agency (ESA) provides Europe’s gateway to space.

ESA is an intergovernmental organisation, created in 1975, with the mission to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space delivers benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.

ESA has 22 Member States: Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, of whom 20 are Member States of the EU.

ESA has established formal cooperation with seven other Member States of the EU. Canada takes part in some ESA programmes under a Cooperation Agreement.

By coordinating the financial and intellectual resources of its members, ESA can undertake programmes and activities far beyond the scope of any single European country. It is working in particular with the EU on implementing the Galileo and Copernicus programmes.

ESA develops the launchers, spacecraft and ground facilities needed to keep Europe at the forefront of global space activities.

Today, it develops and launches satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications and astronomy, sends probes to the far reaches of the Solar System and cooperates in the human exploration of space.

Learn more about ESA at www.esa.int

©ESA

(27 October 2015) DigitalGlobe announced an agreement with Intelescope Solutions to enable global-scale satellite imagery data for the forestry industry.

DigitalGlobe’s Geospatial Big Data Platform combines tools, data, and infrastructure to answer challenging questions about our complex and changing world. By coupling an innovative business model with modern cloud computing capabilities, DigitalGlobe enables customers and partners to extract information at scale from the world’s largest library of commercial satellite imagery.

Intelescope, a global provider of forestry analytical services, will run its own patented algorithms against millions of square kilometers of high-resolution earth imagery within the GBD Platform to generate timely and relevant information for its customers. Intelescope’s clients, which include forestry land owners, managers and consultants, timber REITs, TIMOs, and pension and hedge funds, are keenly interested to understand commercial timber volumes and health on a global scale.

“Intelescope Solutions is among the vanguard of cutting-edge companies that are leveraging satellite imagery and big data analytics to answer truly large and difficult questions,” said Dr. Shay Har-Noy, DigitalGlobe’s Senior Director of Geospatial Big Data. “DigitalGlobe’s GBD platform is tremendously valuable to industries like forestry and agricultural industries for its ability to assess the health and size of trees and plants on both an individual plot and aggregate global basis.”

“By partnering with DigitalGlobe, we are enabling more efficient management and a richer knowledge of timber assets, allowing for the optimization and preservation of valuable forest resources,” said Dr. Adam Messer, CEO of Intelescope Solutions. “Our customers will benefit from massively decreased processing times, increased cost-effectiveness, and our ability to take on projects that simply are not feasible without access to the world’s largest library of commercial satellite imagery.”

About DigitalGlobe

DigitalGlobe is a leading provider of commercial high-resolution earth observation and advanced geospatial solutions that help decision makers better understand our changing planet in order to save lives, resources and time. Sourced from the world’s leading constellation, our imagery solutions deliver unmatched coverage and capacity to meet our customers’ most demanding mission requirements. Each day customers in defense and intelligence, public safety, civil agencies, map making and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, navigation technology, and providers of location-based services depend on DigitalGlobe data, information, technology and expertise to gain actionable insight.

About Intelescope

Intelescope Solutions is a global provider of forest analytic services. Using its own proprietary algorithms, access to vast amounts of Geospatial Big Data, state-of-the-art drone and satellite imagery, the company is reshaping the way the forestry industry looks at timber resources, and manages its assets and risks. Intelescope has offices in Stamford, CT and Curitiba, Brazil, and its global research and development office is situated in Petach Tikvah, Israel.

(source: DigitalGlobe) and spacenewsfeed

(Nov 2015) A group of Russian companies are currently cooperating to develop a cutting edge satellite radar system for the country’s Defense Ministry. The new system will allow for creating a precise 3D model of Earth as well as tracking ground objects.


“In the beginning of 2015, the Defense Industrial Commission decided that Russia will develop the system on its own. Then, a roadmap was agreed,” a source in the industry told the Russian newspaper Izvestia.

According to the project design, the system will comprise five satellite vehicles. The first launch is scheduled for 2019, the source added.

The key component of the new system is an active phased array antenna for the on-board radar station.

Russia’s Roselektronika Company is expected to develop, test and unveil the first Russian-made transmitter-receiver device in the first quarter of 2016.

Earlier it was reported that the Defense Ministry wanted to purchase a radar system from Airbus Defense and Space (ADS).

In 2013, Russia’s Lavochkin Research and Production Association won the tender. The company was expected to buy electronic parts for the radar from ADS and then mount them on the satellite platform. After the West imposed sanctions against a number of Russian companies over the Ukrainian crisis the decision was made to develop the entire system in Russia.

If the project is successful Russia could import such systems, specialists said.

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Space Innovation Congress is the UK’s new space industry conference and expo, on April 7-8 2016 at St Paul’s, Aldersgate in London.

Space Innovation Congress is the UK’s new space industry conference and expo, on April 7-8 2016 at St Paul’s, Aldersgate in London.
This event will feature dedicated conference content and case studies covering the leading issues across the space exploration and Earth observation industries.

It will feature innovators and thought leaders representing Satellites, Big data, Crop monitoring, Earth Observation, Space debris, Maritime surveillance, Space weather and its impact on banking systems, Biomedical, Commercial space collaboration and Telecoms.

If the future of your business is in space, this event is for you.
Some of the speakers already confirmed include:

• Magali Vaissiere, Director of Telecommunications and Integrated Applications
• European Space Agency
• Michele Franci, CTO Inmarsat
• Dr David Kendall, Chair United Nations COPUOS, 2016-17
• Mark Rawlins, Director of Communication System Operations, Eutelsat
• Jonathan Firth, Executive Vice President of Spaceport and Program Development, Virgin Galactic
• Dr Alice Gorman, Space Archaeologist, Flinders University, Australia
• Professor Chris Welch, Professor of Spacecraft Engineering – International Space University, Vice-President – International Astronautical Federation
• Tony Azzarelli, Vice President Regulatory Affairs, OneWeb
Space Innovation Congress will also include an exhibition featuring a innovative products and businesses already making headway in the space industry.

Innovation Incubator: A platform to access business support
An Innovation Incubator, sponsored by SETsquared, Global #1 business incubator, will see start-ups, self-employed developers or businesses with new products or services pitching to a panel of experts for a chance to access funding and investment.

For more information, visit: www.spaceinnovationcongress.com/innovation-incubator/

The Space Innovation Congress Innovation Incubator is sponsored by Set Squared, the world’s no.1 universities incubator.
Simon Bond, Set Squared Innovation Director said: “Working with the UK Space Agency, we are looking for innovative space applications and technologies. The best will get the opportunity to attend our award winning Entrepreneurship Programme and be supported in our incubation facility.”

Notes:
For more information about Space Innovation Congress, please contact Rita.andrewsspaceinnovationcongress.com or on 0117 318 0643

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After two rounds of judging, a grand-prize winner has been selected for the Fall 2015 Virtual Poster Session (VPS) contributed by NASA’s DEVELOP National Program. The contest included 105 researchers conducting 26 projects across 13 DEVELOP locations.

The grand prize goes to A Changing Landscape: Monitoring Cheatgrass with Satellite Imagery conducted by a team of four participants at DEVELOP’s location in Fort Collins, Colorado. The project used remote sensing to study cheatgrass cover across the area burned by the Arapaho Fire in south central Wyoming.

The virtual posters were scored by a 13-member panel based on content clarity, scientific merit, substantial dialogue, and creativity. The winning Wyoming Ecological Forecasting team scored highest among four teams who won best-in-category honors in the first round of judging.

Each member of the winning team will receive a one-year trial version of ArcGIS software, furnished by competition sponsor Esri. The company creates geospatial and Geographic Information System (GIS) software that can incorporate NASA remote-sensing data.

Thanks to all the teams, Earthzine readers and Esri for participating in the VPS.

For more information about DEVELOP, visit the DEVELOP website. Previous DEVELOP Earthzine Virtual Poster Sessions are listed in the DEVELOP VPS Archive.

EarthZine

The Indian space agency is soon opening a 100-acre Space Park in Bengaluru where private industry players would be allowed to set up facilities to make subsystems and components for satellites.


“The Space Park is coming up near Whitefield for the private industry. It is over 100 acres. It is likely to be inaugurated this month,” Indian Space Research Centre’s (ISRO) satellite centre director M. Annadurai told IANS at the science congress in Mysuru.

With the space agency launching more satellites for various communication and earth observation services like remote sensing and navigation, the park will enable the industry to manufacture and supply their subsystems and vital components faster for spacecraft assembled at its satellite centre in the tech hub.

“We have told them (private firms) to increase their capacity building or join us at the Space Park and make components and other parts for our satellites, as they have been already using our own facilities,” Annadurai said

As India plans to launch at least 10-12 satellites a year using heavy rockets to deploy them in the earth’s lower or geo-stationary orbits for various applications and services, demand for subsystems and vital components for spacecraft to carry scientific instruments or transponders as payloads has shot up manifold.

“The space industry has to invest and build modular capacity to enable the country to launch as many satellites to meet the growing demand of the user industry, including the government, private organizations and overseas users,” said Annadurai.

The satellite centre also plans to allow the private industry to make satellites end-to-end, including integration and testing for launching them from its spaceport at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh, about 80 km northeast of Chennai.

“The Space Park will also contribute to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative, as the private industry and (state-run) firms like HAL (Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd) have been helping us in making rockets and satellites over the years,” Annadurai added.

The senior space scientist, who involved in the country’s maiden lunar and Mars missions, addressed delegates and students on ‘Space Science, Technology and Applications’ at the plenary session of the five-day science congress in the campus of the University of Mysore.

The space agency outsources about 80 percent of its requirements for rockets and satellites to the private industry comprising about 500 small, medium and large units across the country for supplying structures, subsystems, components and parts.

(IANS)

Beijing: China Today launched its most sophisticated observation satellite, Gaofen-4, as part of the country’s high-definition (HD) earth observation project, Xinhua reported.

Gaofen-4 was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the southwestern province of Sichuan at 00:04 a.m. (local time) aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket.

It was the 222th flight of the Long March rocket series, according to the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense (SASTIND).

Gaofen-4 is China’s first geosynchronous orbit HD optical imaging satellite and the world’s most sophisticated HD geosynchronous orbit remote sensing satellite, according to Xu Dazhe, head of SASTIND and China National Space Administration.

The successful launch of Gaofen-4 was the 19th space mission in this year. It will be used for disaster prevention and relief, surveillance of geological disasters and forest disasters, and meteorologic forecast, according to Tong Xudong, the chief designer of the Gaofen project with SASTIND.

Gaofen-1, the first satellite of the project, was launched in April 2013.

The Space Placements in INdustry scheme (SPIN) has been designed to provide an introductory link for undergraduate students considering employment in the space sector and space sector organisations looking to find the most talented and enthusiastic people to ensure the future success of their businesses.

The value of practical experience in the workplace has long been recognised to offer benefits to the student, providing valuable experience of the work environment and the skills that are crucial to a successful career, and benefits to the sponsor or host organisation who can identify a project that might otherwise not be achievable, carried out with a fresh pair of eyes and perhaps a fresh perspective on their own organisation and possibly provide an informal extended interview of a potential employee.

The Scheme has been running since 2013 and is growing in popularity. It will run again in 2016 and we would very much like to hear from potential host organisations who have a short-term project (typically of eight weeks duration) in mind, and who would like to offer students the opportunity to gain new skills and an insight into their business. We will welcome applications from students of all disciplines who are enthusiastic to work in the space sector and are keen to develop new skills, applying and building on the knowledge they’ve acquired in their studies to date.

Timeline

Each 2016 placement will be publicised on this website for four weeks, commencing in or before January 2016 or whenever you send it to us. All applications go through the SpIN office to ensure eligibility before being forwarded to the project host for consideration / acceptance on closure of this period. Selection is through normal processes, and all applicants should be notified either way, within 4 weeks of the closing date. We request that all hosts are kind enough to follow this nicety. The relationship is then between host organisation and student. We ask that hosts inform ALL applicants of their status as soon as selection is made.

We will host a group Induction Day at the Satellite Applications Catapult, Harwell on Monday 27th June 2016. This is an opportunity for all students and their hosts to meet each other and hear about the breadth of opportunities there are within the sector, develop their own networks, and find other like-minded people they can explore ideas with in the future. This event has proved to be one of the most important opportunities for all students over the past three years. The eight-week project can be carried out at any time during the summer vacation, by mutual agreement between student and host.

Students are then asked to produce a short report in agreement with the host for presentation at a Showcase Event in November 2016. This event gives the student the opportunity to demonstrate what they’ve got out of the placement and show off their ability to communicate in a professional scenario, not to mention waving the flag for your organisation.

If you may be interested in hosting a SpIN student, please email k.e.bowden@reading.ac.uk. For other questions regarding SpIN, please email spin@reading.ac.uk.