INSA, leader of the FUEGO programme, a space system for the early detection and monitoring of fires, participates in several R+D projects within the scope of the GMES programme and, fruit of these efforts, has developed the REMFIRESAT system, currently being successfully operated by regional and national institutions and users. Furthermore, INSA has started working on a promising R&D line, “SANCHO”, related to the use of aerostatic platforms for observation and communications in emergency management applications
INSA, Ingeniería y Servicios Aeroespaciales S.A., is a leader company in Space services and Aerospace Engineering, with a solid experience based on more than 40 years managing, operating and maintaining NASA, ESA and INTA space stations, being the largest Spanish company in this field.
Due to the relevance and impact of the Mediterranean forest fires in Spain, INSA is specially committed in the use of Earth Observation and other satellite technologies in the benefit of emergency management, especially in fire fighting applications.
Space technology contributes to improving the efficiency and safety of fire fighting services: remote sensing, positioning and communications via satellite make it possible to know the location and status of the mobile brigades and vehicles taking part in fire extinguishing at all times; observation systems from space furnish very valuable information on the risk of fire, its evolution, flame front and damages sustained.
INSA, leader of the FUEGO programme, a space system for the early detection and monitoring of fires, participates in several R+D projects within the scope of the GMES programme and, fruit of these efforts, has developed the REMFIRESAT system, currently being successfully operated by regional and national institutions and users. Furthermore, INSA has started working on a promising R&D line, “SANCHO”, related to the use of aerostatic platforms for observation and communications in emergency management applications.
INSA led and managed the programme for forest fire satellite detection, FUEGO, performed with the financial and technical support of the European Commission (EC) and the European Space Agency (ESA). Thanks to the FUEGO Programme (started in 1995) and specifically thanks to the leadership experience and competences acquired in this Programme, INSA is managing other projects in the framework of applications for environment and risk management based on existing satellites.
The main initiatives and projects tackled by INSA in this field are:
• EMERGENCIES AND RISK MANAGEMENT: INSA has been cooperating with ESA during the last years in the design and deployment of a near-real time system for forest fire risk management which integrates the three main applications of space technologies: Communications, Navigation, and Earth Observation. As a continuation of this effort, the system (or parts of it) has been running in near-operational conditions in the Spanish regions of Galicia, Castilla y León, and in the General Directorate for Biodiversity (Central Administration).
Burnt area mapping with MODIS, integrated at user’s premises thanks to INSA’s REMFIRESAT Tool
• GMES and EURORISK: INSA takes part, within the framework of ESA and EC GMES initiative, in the RISK-EOS project. The first phase of RISK-EOS ended in 2004 and was devoted to set-up a service portfolio for Civil Protection organisms based on Earth Observation data. In September 2005, the next phase of the project has started pursuing the implementation of operational services. In the same line, July 2005 saw the start of the European Commission R&D project called UE PREVIEW, aimed at developing new applications. In both projects, INSA is responsible for the forest fire package as well as for the coordination activities among the Consortium and the Spanish and Portuguese authorities.
• UAV-SIVA: SIVA is a real-time surveillance tactical system based on Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAV). The vehicles, developed by INTA, carry an infrared/electro optic sensor which transmits images to the GCS (Ground Control Segment) along a radiolink. The UAV follows a pre-programmed mission which is designed and validated in the GCS. During the mission itself, the GCS controls the on-board sensor as well as the vehicle when its working mode is transferred to manual or semiautomatic. INSA has implemented INSA has implemented the Ground Control System (GCS) of SIVA as main contractor of INTA (Spanish Aerospace Institute) after completing the analysis, design, production and validation of the system.
Currently, the GCS has been used to operate SIVA in more than 80 test flights. INSA is likewise collaborating with INTA on feasibility studies for the incorporation of UAVs under air traffic regulations, modifying the station to establish communications with ACC (Air Control Center) .These and other upgrades, in addition to improve SIVA’s system performance, open the door to its utilisation in a larger range of civil applications. In particular, in the framework of GMES initiative, SIVA can complement space systems as an in-situ element, and can also contribute significantly to programmes.
SIVA-UAV: VIS image over a forest fire in Sanabria during a flight test
• SANCHO (Aerostatic Platforms): The SANCHO Project (Aerostatic System for Navigation, Communications and Observation Tools) seeks to acquire the technologies to enable the development of stratospheric aerostatic vehicles for emergency management, security and telecommunications applications. The fields of research include aeronautical, power control, telecommunications and Earth observation technologies.
Aerostatic Platform from the Astrobiology Center (CAB), one of the forerunners of SANCHO, during a test lift-off
(Credits INSA)