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Pleiades 1B, the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES) Earth observation satellite, has captured its first images using e2v high performance imaging sensors.

Two types of e2v sensors (for panchromatic and multispectral imaging) equip the satellites high-resolution optical imaging instrument; these were selected by Thales Alenia Space, who is providing the HR instrument to Astrium, developed under CNES contract.

Pleiades 1B has been designed to provide dual use optical observation coverage with a 70-centimeter resolution.

It was launched into space from French Guiana on 30 November 2012 and has accompanied its twin, Pleiades 1A, which was launched into space in December 2011.

The Astrium division of EADS built both Pleiades satellites for the French CNES space agency for use by the French and Spanish defence ministries, civil institutions, and private users. They are based on smaller, cheaper, more agile platforms than their predecessors – the highly-successful Spot satellite series.

The 200kg, high-resolution optical imaging instrument on board Pleiades is equipped with a panchromatic and multispectral focal plane.

Five e2v CCD98-50 imaging sensors equip the panchromatic focal plane; the sensors have 6,000 pixels each (giving 30,000 pixels per line), are back-thinned to improve sensitivity and have Time Delay Integration (TDI) functionality to enable them to capture high resolution images (70cm on-ground resolution).

The multispectral focal plane is made up of five e2v AT71554 imaging sensors. These imaging sensors cover four spectral bands, made up of 1,500 pixels each, with each spectral band providing 7,500 pixels once installed in the focal plane.

Bertrand De Monte, marketing manager of high performance imaging at e2v commented “We are very pleased to be continuing our successful relationship with Thales Alenia Space, Astrium, and CNES by supplying high performance image sensors for Pleiades 1B.

“e2v has provided image sensors for a number of Earth observation satellites including the original Pleiades 1A and SPOT 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. We look forward to seeing yet more high resolution images of the Earth, made possible by e2v solutions.”

Source Spacedaily

Thursday 28th February 2013, Charles Wilson Building, Main Campus, University of Leicester

The Centre for Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI) will be holding its next Challenge Workshop – Future Platforms for Earth Observation on Thursday 28th February 2013 at the University of Leicester.

This Workshop seeks to explore the potential of a range of future platforms for Earth Observation. In order to do this, the CEOI is keen to work with the community to help identify future platform needs and utility.

Areas for consideration will include EO and remote sending from balloons, high altitude platforms, airborne demonstrators, sounding rockets, techdemo-SAT/CAT-SAT type platforms and the international space station.

Active participation from the community will be encouraged in order to provide future direction.

Further information on this Workshop is available on the CEOI website via the following Link
Details about the venue location can be found on the University page – http://www2.le.ac.uk/maps
bq. If you wish to attend, please register interest with Chris Goddard (cg38@le.ac.uk)

Global Space and Satellite Forum (GSSF) is the Middle East’s leading space and satellite event, attracting over 1,000 global experts from across 30 countries to Abu Dhabi for 2 days of intense knowledge sharing and networking.

The Forum provides an invaluable opportunity for international experts to meet with regional leaders and tap into the multi-billion dollar satcom, space tourism, milsatcom and earth observation programmes underway across the Middle East, Africa & South Asia region.

Now in its 4th successful year, GSSF 2013 will host top ranking officials from over 50 regional national space programmes and research centres and feature 2 parallel conferences, numerous technical seminars, product showcase area and a number of networking events throughout the event.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

The 4th edition of the global space and satellite forum is packed with 2 cutting edge Conferences, topical workshops, panel sessions, and unlimited networking Opportunities. Join us in Abu Dhabi where you will:

Learn from forward thinking industry leaders, experts, policy makers, regulators About the latest in space and satellite applications, innovations and market trends

Connect with space and satellite professionals from across the Middle East Region who have successfully launched satellite applications or are planning new Projects

Share leading practices, critical insights and real actionable ideas to common Problems faced by space and satellite projects especially from emerging nations

Conference Programme
Who attends
Exhibit
Contact
Source

NASA will send a remotely piloted research aircraft over the tropical Pacific Ocean to study how a warming climate is changing Earth.

The project called Airborne Tropical TRopopause EXperiment (ATTREX) will perform a series of measurement campaigns using the long-range NASA Global Hawk (GH) unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to directly address these problems.

Despite its low concentration, stratospheric water vapor has large impacts on the earth’s energy budget and climate. Recent studies suggest that even small changes in stratospheric humidity may have climate impacts that are significant compared to those of decadal increases in greenhouse gases. Future changes in stratospheric humidity and ozone concentration in response to changing climate are significant climate feedbacks.

While the tropospheric water vapor climate feedback is well represented in global models, predictions of future changes in stratospheric humidity are highly uncertain because of gaps in our understanding of physical processes occurring in the Tropical Tropopause Layer (TTL, ~13-18 km), the region of the atmosphere that controls the composition of the stratosphere. Uncertainties in the TTL chemical composition also limit our ability to predict future changes in stratospheric ozone.

Source UAS

Waste management, improving air quality in the city, urban planning are hot issues for all local and regional authorities.

The Copernicus4Regions briefing that will take place in Brussels on 22 January 2013 is aiming to showcase how these matters can be efficiently tackled by space applications.

This briefing follows a first briefing that took place on 7 November 2011. The briefing is organised by ERRIN, the European Regions Research and Innovation Network.

More information and registration facility available here

Source Copernicus website

A new study uses the CMIP5 historical simulations to find out more about Arctic sea ice decline and ice export.

The Arctic sea ice is shrinking, both in extent and thickness. In addition to the manmade contribution to the sea ice loss, there are also natural factors contributing to this loss. A new study uses historical simulations to find out more about Arctic sea ice decline and ice export through the large gateway between Greenland and Svalbard – the Fram Strait.

Read more…]=860&tx_ttnews[backPid]=1&cHash=71daa530cf86db33aa54605df90dd738

(Source Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research) and Copernicus.eu

Göktürk-2 is Turkey’s first national high-resolution optical observation satellite and was produced by TÜBİTAK and the Turkish Aerospace Industry Corp.


Turkish Science, Industry and Technology Minister Nihat Ergün told members of the press on Tuesday that the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK) started receiving clear images from Turkey’s first domestically made high-resolution observation satellite, Gokturk-2, few days ago.

Ergün said the first images were from Turkey’s Antalya province and New Zealand’s Auckland region.

He said the satellite had been passing over Turkey four times a day and during those passages images could be obtained from every part of the country. The images would be used mostly by Turkish Air Force Command, Ergün added.

Göktürk-2 is Turkey’s first national high-resolution optical observation satellite and was produced by TÜBİTAK and the Turkish Aerospace Industry Corp. (TUSAŞ). According to a written statement from TÜBİTAK, the satellite will operate from approximately 686 kilometers above the Earth. The first images from the satellite should be received between Dec. 25 and 30.

After Göktürk-2 was launched into space from China in December 2012, a TÜBİTAK official stated that Turkey will complete its own satellite launching station in the next 10 years.

Turkey is among 25 satellite manufacturing countries and TÜBİTAK is working cooperatively with several other government institutions to construct the domestic satellite launching station.

Source and images at SatelliteToday and WorldBulletin

VietNamNet Bridge – The Space Technology Institute will send an Earth observation satellite worth 55.2 million euros (US$72.4 million) to the Earth’s orbit.

This will be the third satellite invested in by Vietnam, after Vinasat-1 and Vinasat-2. While the previous two versions mainly serve telecom business and capacity leasing, the third will be launched for scientific research.

Bui Trong Tuyen, vice president of the Space Technology Institute, informed the Earth observation satellite will be named VNREDSat-1A, and is scheduled for launch in April or early in the second quarter, depending on its progress and weather conditions,

French satellite manufacturer Astrium Satellites has been chosen as the general contractor. Besides, the institute intends to use the satellite launch service of Arianespace, which successfully sent Vinasat-1 and Vinasat-2 into space.

“The institute is following the necessary procedures for approval of the Prime Minister on this satellite launch plan. If approved, the plan will soon be implemented,” said Tuyen.

Astrium Satellites will supply a 120-kilo satellite equipped with information receiving and satellite control devices. In addition, the firm will provide training for 15 Vietnamese engineers at its satellite production facility in Toulouse, France.

After going into space, the satellite will operate in a Sun-synchronous orbit, at the height of 670 kilometers from the Earth. It will pass many latitudes at the same time, observing the changes over time of a certain point on the Earth based on the changes of light when it circles the Earth.

Tuyen said the Prime Minister had assigned his institute to develop a project for a natural resource, environment and disaster observation satellite funded by official development assistance (ODA) of France.

Source: SGT
and Vietnam.net

The Minister responsible for the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), the Honourable Minister Christian Paradis, has launched the next and final stage of Canada’s RADARSAT Constellation project.


“Our Government is ensuring we have the tools to assert our sovereignty, monitor and manage our resources, and keep watch over our vast territory and coastal areas,” said Minister Paradis. “The world-class RADARSAT Constellation Mission keeps Canada at the forefront of the design and operation of radar satellites.”

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission will provide complete coverage of Canada’s vast land mass, oceans and coastal approaches, at least once per day, and up to four times daily in the high Arctic. Data produced by the Constellation will support key Government of Canada priorities related to: the Northern Strategy, especially in the Arctic; Defence; Safety, Sovereignty and Security; the Environment; Natural Resources; and Agriculture.

“Canada has a hard-won reputation for expertise in a highly competitive global environment. Through strategic investments in R and D and space, our Government is fostering industrial innovation, promoting commercialization, creating high-quality jobs, and positioning our industry for continued growth in the global economy,” added Minister Paradis.

In Budget 2010, the Government of Canada allocated funds to complete the design and begin construction. The contract with MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) will lead to the completion of construction; the launch of the three satellites, planned for 2018; and the first year of operation of the mission.

The RADARSAT Constellation Mission project is led by the CSA and supported by its principal users: the Department of National Defence, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada and Public Safety Canada.

For more details about the RADARSAT Constellation Mission, click here

Source

(9 January 2013) MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates today announced the signing of a $706 million contract with the Canadian Space Agency to build, launch and provide initial operations for the Radarsat Constellation Mission (RCM).

The contract is expected to extend over a period of seven years and brings MDA’s current backlog to approximately $2.9 billion.

“This is exciting news,” said Daniel Friedmann, MDA’s president and CEO. “RCM builds on the world-leading geospatial and radar surveillance capabilities that MDA has developed through the Radarsat-1 and Radarsat-2 missions. We are now greatly expanding these capabilities with benefits for Canada and for MDA.”

RCM is a constellation of three satellites providing around-the-clock coverage. Information obtained from RCM can include repeat imaging of the same area at different times of day, dramatically improving the frequency of monitoring coastal zones, northern territories, Arctic waterways and other areas of strategic and defence interest. RCM will also incorporate automated identification system technology, which when combined with the powerful radar images, supports the immediate detection and identification of ships worldwide.

Already a leading supplier of radar-based surveillance and security, MDA’s service offering is expected to expand as it leverages RCM’s repeat imaging capabilities. The information provided by the RCM satellites will enable MDA to meet a larger range of recurring monitoring needs in growing market segments such as oil and gas, mining, defence and security, well into the next decade. “Demands in these operational segments are driven by the ability to provide frequent, reliable information. RCM’s all-weather, day-and-night satellites will help us meet this demand,” said Friedmann.

“This is a major step forward for MDA as a leader in the growing global surveillance and intelligence market” said Friedmann. “With this contract, MDA has a strong foundation for continued development of its space missions, satellite ground systems, radar payload and geospatial services businesses.”

About MDA

MDA is a unique global communications and information company providing operational solutions to commercial and government organizations worldwide.

MDA’s business is focused on markets and customers with strong repeat business potential. In addition, the Company conducts a significant amount of advanced technology development.

MDA’s well-established global customer base is served by more than 5,000 employees operating from 18 offices located in the United States, Canada, and internationally.

(source: MDA)