The European Space Agency (ESA) has selected LogicaCMG to develop a third generation calibration and validation facility for data from its current and future environmental satellites. In a contract valued at about €1.5 million, LogicaCMG will lead a team of specialist companies and scientific institutions from five countries to deliver this advanced system.
The Generic Environment for Calibration/Validation Analysis (GECA), as it is called, will be an important element in ESA’s role in monitoring how the world is changing – from ice-cap degradation and desert expansion, to demographic and weather information. Calibration and validation ensures that the data coming from the sensors on ESA’s satellites match those from other ground-, air- and space-based instruments. This process of calibrating satellite instruments and verifying their accuracy is critical to the delivery of reliable data to the end-user scientific community, and to the accuracy of subsequent research they conduct based on that information.
Josef Aschbacher, Head of the GMES Space Office of ESA said: “European policies supporting sustainable development and environmental protection can only be made effective with the ability to obtain reliable and timely information about the state of our world. European Union Heads of State at the 2001 Summit in Gothenburg requested that the EC and ESA work together to establish an operational European capability for the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES). As part of the GMES programme, LogicaCMG is developing a new calibration, validation and quality control facility which builds on experience gained from the first generations of ESA satellites. This is an important step that further enables ESA to fulfil its role as the main partner of the European Union in implementing its policies.”
Stuart Martin, Director for LogicaCMG’s Space and Satcoms business said “Calibration and validation lack some of the glamour associated with other types of space research, however they are absolutely vital if we’re to be able to trust and make decisions based on the data we see from the satellites later on. LogicaCMG has been providing facilities to process environmental data to ESA for more than 30 years, and we are proud to have been selected to deliver this new and critical element of GMES.”
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About LogicaCMG
LogicaCMG is a major international force in IT and business services. It employs around 39,000 people across 41 countries. LogicaCMG’s focus is on enabling its customers to build and maintain leadership positions using LogicaCMG’s deep industry knowledge and its track record for successful delivery. The company provides business consulting, systems integration and IT and business process outsourcing across diverse markets including telecoms and media, financial services, energy and utilities, industry, distribution and transport and the public sector. Headquartered in Europe, LogicaCMG is listed on both the London Stock Exchange and Euronext (Amsterdam) (LSE:LOG; Euronext:LOG) and traded on the Xternal List of the Nordic Exchange in Stockholm. More information is available at www.logicacmg.com/space