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(NASA) – Beginning today, all Earth imagery from a prolific Japanese remote sensing instrument operating aboard NASA’s Terra spacecraft since late 1999 is now available to users everywhere at no cost.

The public will have unlimited access to the complete 16-plus-year database for Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) instrument, which images Earth to map and monitor the changing surface of our planet.

ASTER’s database currently consists of more than 2.95 million individual scenes.

The content ranges from massive scars across the Oklahoma landscape from an EF-5 tornado and the devastating aftermath of flooding in Pakistan, to volcanic eruptions in Iceland and wildfires in California.

Previously, users could access ASTER’s global digital topographic maps of Earth online at no cost, but paid METI a nominal fee to order other ASTER data products.

In announcing the change in policy, METI and NASA cited ASTER’s longevity and continued strong environmental monitoring capabilities. Launched in 1999, ASTER has far exceeded its five-year design life and will continue to operate for the foreseeable future as part of the suite of five Earth-observing instruments on Terra.

“We anticipate a dramatic increase in the number of users of our data, with new and exciting results to come,” said Michael Abrams, ASTER science team leader at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, home to ASTER’s U.S. science team. ASTER data are processed into products using algorithms developed at JPL and the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) in Japan.

A joint U.S./Japan science team validates and calibrates the instrument and data products.

ASTER is used to create detailed maps of land surface temperature, reflectance and elevation. The instrument acquires images in visible and thermal infrared wavelengths, with spatial resolutions ranging from about 50 to 300 feet (15 to 90 meters).

ASTER data cover 99 percent of Earth’s landmass and span from 83 degrees north latitude to 83 degrees south. A single downward-looking ASTER scene covers an area on the ground measuring about 37-by-37 miles (60-by-60-kilometers).

ASTER uses its near-infrared spectral band and downward- and backward-viewing telescopes to create stereo-pair images, merging two slightly offset two-dimensional images to create the three-dimensional effect of depth. Each elevation measurement point in the data is 98 feet (30 meters) apart.

The broad spectral coverage and high spectral resolution of ASTER provide scientists in numerous disciplines with critical information for surface mapping and monitoring of dynamic conditions and changes over time.

Example applications include monitoring glacial advances and retreats, monitoring potentially active volcanoes, identifying crop stress, determining cloud morphology and physical properties, evaluating wetlands, monitoring thermal pollution, monitoring coral reef degradation, mapping surface temperatures of soils and geology, and measuring surface heat balance.

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ESA and Australia’s national geological survey, Geoscience Australia, today agreed to cooperate to ensure data from the EU’s Sentinel satellites are accessible in Southeast Asia and the South Pacific.

The agreement supports the Australian government and European Commission’s partnership to ensure the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme benefits their citizens and the broader international community.

A key component of the cooperation will be the establishment of a regional data access and analysis hub managed by Geoscience Australia (GA). This hub will greatly improve access to Copernicus data in a region which is densely populated and experiencing high rates of economic growth, but which faces significant challenges in areas where Earth observation can help. These challenges include the protection of environmental assets, promotion of sustainable natural resource development and risk reduction from natural disasters.

ESA will supply GA with high-speed access to data from the Sentinel satellites through its Copernicus data access infrastructure. Through a consortium with Australia’s CSIRO national research organisation and Australian state governments, GA will make the data hub available to users in the Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region.

The hub is projected to provide access to over 12 Petabytes of data by 2025, and is expected to go beyond simply providing users with the ability to download Copernicus data.

“The regional data hub will also provide a high-performance environment in which all the data can be analysed and applied at full scale to big regional challenges like the blue economy, sustainable livelihoods and climate change adaptation,” said GA’s head of Earth and Marine Observations, Dr Adam Lewis.

“By enabling multiple user groups, from multiple countries, to come together and ‘work around’ such a comprehensive set of data, we are helping to make sure the full potential of the EU’s amazing programme is realised and that regional partners can find regional solutions to regional challenges.”

The data access hub will be established at Australia’s National Computational Infrastructure, the largest facility of its kind in the southern hemisphere, taking advantage of the Australian government’s investments in science and research infrastructure to support the region.

The cooperation will also make it easier for European and Australian experts to collaborate on the calibration and validation activities that are fundamental to ensuring that users have access to high-quality satellite data and value-added products they can trust.

“Through GA, CSIRO and many other players, Australia has long made a valued contribution to our calibration and validation activities. Its technical expertise, world-class facilities and the diversity of geographies they have access to makes them a key player,” said Pier Bargellini from ESA’s Copernicus Space Component Mission Management and Ground Segment Division.

“Through this arrangement, we expect to see this grow even further, with Australia making a particular contribution to ensuring Copernicus data satisfies local and regional requirements.”

Under the arrangement, GA will also act as a coordinating point for European partners to obtain access to Australian in-situ data, which is made available through the efforts of many Australian government agencies, research partnerships and universities.

“The EU’s Copernicus programme is about applications and services, and these applications and services are most useful when satellite and in-situ data are integrated,” said Andreas Veispak, the European Commission’s Head of Unit for Space Data for Societal Challenges and Growth.

“We welcome GA’s commitment to act as a coordination point for access to in-situ data. Australia has a record of providing outstanding data, including through programmes like the integrated marine observing system and terrestrial ecosystem research network. We are looking at linking Copernicus more closely to these efforts.”

The regional data hub will become operational on 1 July.

Source ESA and spaceerf

Open Data Incubator for Europe (ODINE) for funding of SMEs with innovative ideas on how to use open data.

What is ODINE?

The Open Data Incubator for Europe (ODINE) is a 6-month incubator for open data entrepreneurs across Europe. The programme is funded with a €7.8m grant from the EU’s Horizon 2020 programme.

Our vision for the project

ODINE aims to support the next generation of digital businesses and support them to fast-track the development of their products. We are already championing the best of European digital talent and look forward to more outstanding companies to incubate.

We create a community

Open data is a new field, yet it is supporting a rapidly developing market for innovative business ideas. Startups and SMEs based on open data are creating an open data ecosystem, using data to build sustainable businesses that generate economic, social and environmental impact.

Within the six-months incubation programme, companies receive equity-free funding, mentoring, business and data training, high-quality media, visibility at international events and introductions to investors.

The ODINE incubation programme supports startups and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that build sustainable businesses around open data.

Representatives of Polish Armaments Group (PAG) and National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) signed on March 8 2016 agreement for joint development of Technologies for remote sensing Satellites.

Poland starts to expand its presence in global space industry. Recently one of the biggest Polish armament companies, Polish Armaments Group (PAG) and National Space Agency of Ukraine (NSAU) established joint group for creating plan of cooperation. Result of work was signing after five days agreement by Deputy President of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), Radosław Obolewski, and the Chairman of the State Space Agency of Ukraine, Lubomyr Sabadosh. Agreement, signed in Warsaw on March 8 2016, creates strong base for Polish-Ukrainian cooperation especially in satellite technologies – optical sensors and radar devices for Earth observation satellites. According to statement of Radosław Obolewski, PAG is strongly interested in cooperation with NSAU (quotation from official press release):

“We are very interested in cooperation with the Ukrainian space industry in the field of modern technologies. We are also glad that also the State Space Agency of Ukraine is ready to execute specific projects together with PGZ. We are going to seek opportunities together to cooperate in the development of technologies used in satellite Earth observation systems,”

It should not be surprising that PAG is looking for new opportunities and foreign markets for their products. Polish Armament Group consolidates 35 companies and manufacturers of various Military equipment from tires for military vehicles manufactured by STOMIL through highly efficient men-portable SAM “Grom” from Mesko to advanced military radars by RADWAR. Surely starting cooperation with independent space agency with impressive experience like NSAU is chance for development and good beginning of future participation in global space industry.

Ukraine attempts of developing own satellites were previously based on strong cooperation with Russia and Roscosmos. Until now Ukraine space industry manufactured six satellites in different types: Sich and Okean (Okean was mainly manufactured during lasting of USSR and last was launched in 1994). Sich series (1, 2 and 2M) along with Micron-1 were designed by Yuzhnoye State Design Office. Recently on Ukraine was also developed PolyITAN-1 Cubesat satellite by National Technical University of Ukraine. Ultimate communication satellite Lybid-1 is still not launched and its development was delayed due the tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

NSAU and Yuzhnoe are experienced with remote sensing satellites and Polish Armament Group has something important to offer. It is owner of PIT RADWAR – experienced and innovative radar manufacturer based in Warsaw, Poland. PAG is certainly interested in combining PIT RADWAR experience with Ukraine know-how in remote sensing satellites to eventually offer on global markets radar devices suitable to be installed on various satellite platforms. Participation of RADWAR would also improve possibilities of Sich series and creates new possibilities for developing new generation satellites.

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[Satnews] Africa can now rely on the services of a satellite constellation tailored for the continent to provide reliable data over a wide range of essential human activities and for the protection of the environment.

The constellation, which combines the services of ten satellites with the capability of covering any part of the continent at least once a day, was introduced at an African Satellite Remote Sensing Conference in Pretoria by Africa’s leading private space company, the Space Commercial Services Aerospace Group (SCS AG).

This service will be provided by SCS Global Information (SCSGi) is a subsidiary of the SCS Aerospace Group headquartered in Cape Town. The SCS AG group consists of three lines of business that include small satellite engineering, satellite component manufacturing and global information services.

The SCSGi African Satellite Constellation combines the capacity of the following satellites over Africa—the Chinese TripleSat Constellation, RadarSat-2, Deimos 1 & 2; KazEOSat 1 & 2; Landsat 8, MODIS and the Urthecast cameras IRIS, Theis and HRC-DM on the International Space Station. These satellites can be tasked to collect near real-time data on a 24/7-basis globally to deliver timely reliable information services.

Services are provided through an online ordering system which makes it easy for customers to order their imagery. The use of such an African virtual satellite constellation makes it possible for processes to be monitored in hours, minutes and seconds, instead of days.

“Satellite technology is set to become an indispensable component of smart governance and economic development in Africa to ensure growth and prosperity for all the peoples of the continent,” said Dr. Sias Moster, CEO of SCS AG in his address to the delegates. “Governments agencies and private companies can now have reliable, dependable, real-time high-quality data obtained through satellite imagery to support a wide range of services such as crop assessments, forestry management and deforestation, environmental protection, fire warnings, insurance risk assessments, address validation, infrastructure monitoring, urban and rural development, population counts, border control and maritime security. We are now in the position to provide monitoring and management services anywhere in Africa at least once a day with a minimum turn-around time of 30 seconds to 6 hours and a resolution down to 0.5 meter. Some types of services can be provided regardless of cloud cover or time of night or day.
“The time is right for Africa to become part of the worldwide outer space industry bolstered by amazing technological feats such as rovers on Mars, close-up satellite fly-by’s of Mercury and Pluto, a craft landing on an asteroid, NASA’s aim to send humans to Mars within two decades and commercial space travel now almost a reality. Within a decade every African in even the remotest part of the continent will be able to access the internet on a mobile device directly through satellites.”

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Part of broader US-Europe science agreement. The U.S. Geological Survey and the European Space Agency (ESA) have established an innovative partnership to enable USGS storage and redistribution of Earth observation data acquired by Copernicus program satellites.

The ESA-USGS collaboration will serve scientific and commercial customers who are interested in the current conditions of forests, crops, and water bodies across large regions and in the longer term environmental condition of the Earth. Data acquired by the European Union’s Sentinel-2A satellite launched in June 2015 are highly complementary to data acquired by USGS/NASA Landsat satellites since 1972.

“Landsat and Sentinel data will weave together very effectively,” said Dr. Virginia Burkett, USGS Associate Director for Climate and Land Use Change. “Adding the image recurrence of two Sentinel-2 satellites to Landsats 7 and 8 will increase repeat multispectral coverage of the Earth’s land areas to every 3 to 4 days. With more frequent views of the Earth, we will significantly improve our ability to see and understand changes taking place across the global landscape.”

The agreement is part of a broader understanding between the European Union and three U.S. federal science agencies — NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and USGS — that was signed in October 2015. All parties are committed to the principle of full, free and open access to Earth observation satellite data produced by the European Union’s Sentinel program and by the respective U.S. agencies. An ESA article further describes the cross-Atlantic collaboration.

“Free and open access to Landsat and Sentinel-2 data together will create remarkable economic and scientific benefits for people around the globe,” said Dr. Suzette Kimball, Director of the U.S. Geological Survey. “At the outset of our partnership we can only imagine the synergies between our two perspectives from space. But I’m confident that the final product of our partnership will be an enriched knowledge of our planet.”

Sentinel data are available at no cost from the Copernicus Scientific Data Hub. Additionally, in order to expedite data delivery around the globe, users may also download both Sentinel-2 and Landsat data at no charge in a familiar digital environment from USGS access systems such as EarthExplorer. Presently, only selected Sentinel data are available from the USGS in an early testing phase. Timely access to all Sentinel data will follow as the procedures for data transfer, user access, and data delivery continue to be optimized at the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center.

The MultiSpectral Instrument (MSI) sensor on board Sentinel 2A acquires 13 spectral bands that parallel and contrast to data acquired by the USGS Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+). Unlike the Sentinel-2 satellites, Landsat satellites also include a capability to collect thermal infrared data which is used in a variety of water and agricultural monitoring applications. NASA has published an online comparison of Sentinel-2A and Landsat bandwidths.

For technical details such as data availability, geographic coverage, acquisition frequency, and resolution, visit the Copernicus and Landsat websites.

The Landsat program is a joint effort of USGS and NASA. First launched by NASA in 1972, the Landsat series of satellites has produced the longest, continuous record of Earth’s land surface as seen from space. Landsat data were made available to all users free of charge by the U.S. Department of the Interior and USGS in 2008.

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Addis Ababa 31 January 2016- The African Union Heads of State and Government during their Twenty-Sixth Ordinary Session on 31 January 2016 in Addis Ababa adopted the African Space Policy and Strategy as the first of the concrete steps to realize an African Outer space Programme, as one of the flagship programmes of the AU Agenda 2063. They immediately urged the Member States, RECs, Partners and the Commission to raise awareness on the central role of space science and technology in Africa’s socio-economic development and mobilize domestic resources for the implementation of this policy and strategy. Adoption of the Space Policy and Strategy has set pace for collective revitalization of African space activities in contribution to the achievements of the overarching Agenda 2063.

The African Union being aware of the unique opportunities for the continent to collectively address socio-economic development issues through Space technologies, went further to request the development of an implementation architecture for the African Space Policy and Strategy, taking into account requirements of different sectors and end- user groups; as well as a Governance Framework that covers the relevant legal requirements and protocols for an operational African Outer-Space Programme.

The Commission, through an AU Member States-based Working Group guided by sectorial Ministerial Conferences drafted the space policy and strategy that outlines the ambitious high-level goals to mobilise the continent to develop the necessary institutions and capacities to harness space technologies for socio economic benefits that improve the quality of lives and create wealth for Africans.

However, the adoption of the policy although significant has no meaning in itself unless rapid steps are taken to implement it. The Heads of State and Government in their decision have also extended the timeframe for the African Union Space Working Group to continue with the exercise of drafting Governance and Implementation Frameworks. One of the next major steps to prepare such frameworks includes carrying out a comprehensive space technology audit to take stock of the African space heritage. This comprehensive audit will effectively inform the process of implementing the Policy and Strategy.

Dr Martial de Paul Ikounga, Commissioner for Human resources Science and Technology took the opportunity to congratulate the Space Working Group chaired by South Africa and comprised of members from Algeria, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana, Congo and Cameroon, and Namibia for job well done.

For further information please feel free to contact Dr Mahama Ouedraogo, Head of division science and technology, African Union commission: OuedraogoM@africa- union.org Journalists wishing to interview the leadership of the AU Commission during the Summit should submit their requests to Mrs Esther AzaaTankou, Ag. Director of Information and Communication of the AUC, via E-mail: YambouE@africa-union.org / esthertankou@yahoo.com
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Copernicus is the European Union system for Earth observation (EO). It provides users with reliable and up-to-date data from the Sentinels satellites, in-situ sensors and contributing mission. In addition, the Copernicus programme offers information through a set of services (Land-, Marine- and Atmosphere Monitoring, Emergency Management, Security, and Climate Change). The services’ information is prepared by our partners and available on specialised webpages. All data and information are provided through a free, full and open data policy.

The EU is designing a series of measures to promote the uptake of Copernicus and support companies in the EO field. In this context, we would appreciate your opinion on barriers to the exploitation of Copernicus data and your views on the types of initiatives that would help your company’s best. In addition, relevant questions will be used as part of the public consultation for the forthcoming Communication on “a Space Strategy for Europe”. As your time is precious, we designed this survey to last no longer than 10 minutes.

Are you a company using (or interested in using) Copernicus? Please fill in a survey we designed for you (the survey lasts no longer than 10 minutes).

The Commission is preparing a series of measures to promote the uptake of Copernicus and support companies in the EO field. We would greatly appreciate to have the opinion of business leaders on the types of initiatives that would best help their company. In addition, relevant questions will be used as part of the public consultation for the forthcoming Communication on “a Space Strategy for Europe”. We will send a summary of the results to interested participants.

Survey

The Commission has just published a roadmap concerning the European Space Strategy.

The main aim of the EU’s space policy is to use space-related technology to tackle some of the most pressing challenges today, such as fighting climate change, helping to stimulate technological innovation, and providing socio-economic benefits to citizens.

The European Space Strategy would address the following areas:

1. Implementation and market uptake of Copernicus and Galileo
2. New market opportunities for space-based applications and services
3. Governance of European space policy
4. Other areas of action

The roadmap can be downloaded here