New Animation Marks Arrival of NASA's LDCM Satellite to its Final Orbit

by Holli Riebeek for Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD (SPX) May 22, 2013

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and NASA's Earth Observatory. Download video in HD formats.

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to watch the world fly by beneath you from space? That dream is elusive for most of us, but the Landsat Data Continuity Mission offers a vicarious flight with a crisper view than our eyes alone would be capable of if we were in space. That view is now available in a new NASA animation.
After two months of on-orbit testing and calibration, LDCM fired its propulsion system on April 12, 2013, and ascended to its final orbit 438 miles (705 km) above Earth. The animation, made from scenes taken a week later on April 19, allows viewers to fly with the satellite from its final operating orbit.
A 15-minute animation shows 56 Landsat scenes that have been stitched together into a seamless view from Russia to South Africa. The animation was produced at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.
Orbiting at 16,800 mph (27,000 kph), LDCM made this flight in slightly more than 20 minutes. The animation moves faster, covering 5,665 miles (9,117 kilometers) in nearly 16 minutes. You would have to be moving about 21,930 mph (35,290 kph) to get a similar view - only slightly slower than the Apollo astronauts who entered Earth's orbit from the moon at 25,000 mph (40,200 kph).

Those magnificent spooks and their spying machine: The spies help rescue Skylab

Photograph of the damaged Skylab station taken by the astronauts during their initial flyaround. An American reconnaissance satellite took a blurrier black and white image of Skylab that was used for planning the repair mission. That photo has not been declassified. (credit: NASA)

by Dwayne Day
Monday, May 20, 2013

Forty years ago—in fact, possibly forty years ago today—a top secret spy satellite was pressed into emergency service to help save the crippled NASA Skylab space station. The mission was a success, and a closely guarded secret, until a retired Air Force general decided to brag.

Skylab atop its Saturn V launch vehicle in May 1973. (credit: NASA)

Wounded bird

On May 14, 1973, NASA launched the Skylab Orbital Workshop atop its last Saturn V to fly. During liftoff the workshop’s meteoroid shield broke loose and ripped off one of its two main solar panels. The problems were immediately apparent to NASA technicians monitoring the launch. Telemetry went bad soon after the ignition of the mighty Saturn’s second stage, and ground-based radars detected multiple pieces of debris coming off of the station. Skylab entered orbit and jettisoned its large payload fairing as planned, but it was severely damaged.
NASA was aware of some of the damage to their expensive space station. Even without cameras aboard Skylab, they had enough data to figure out the broad outlines of the problems. For instance, temperature sensors inside of Skylab indicated that it was very hot, a clue that the exterior insulation had been ripped off. The temperature was so high that ground controllers worried that some plastics inside the station might start to melt. The spacecraft still responded to commands from ground controllers to shift orientation and minimize solar heating, but it would have to be repaired before it could enter service—assuming that it could be repaired at all.

Proteus Completes Red Sea Satellite-Based Bathymetric Mapping Project

July 18, 2012

ABU DHABI, UAE, and BRISTOL, U.K. – Proteus, a provider of satellite-derived bathymetric mapping and seabed classification services, announced that it completed a 200-square-kilometer bathymetric mapping project along the Red Sea coastline in just 10 days. Proteus derived the bathymetric data from DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 high-resolution, 8-band satellite imagery.

“If this project had been undertaken by boat, it would have taken six to eight months due to government permitting requirements and shallow-water navigation obstacles,” said David Critchley, Proteus CEO. “Satellite-derived bathymetric surveys are completed at a fraction of the time and cost, and within geographic locations where ecological constraints, submerged reefs or political issues hamper traditional hydrographic mapping methods.”

Proteus completed the project using a bathymetric and seafloor mapping method developed with its exclusive partner EOMAP GmbH & Co.KG, who specializes in deriving cartographic products from multispectral satellite imagery.

Technology & Business: Infoterra’s winning formula

Dave Fox, CEO of Infoterra Ltd, talks with GeoConnexion about the recent acquisition of Imass Ltd and how this will fit into the Infoterra Group, part of the Earth Observation Division of euro giant, Astrium.

GEO: WHAT IS THE RATIONALE BEHIND THIS ACQUISITION?DF: The first aspect to this is that the shareholder EADS Astrium is very keen to develop service related businesses and Infoterra Ltd, as part of the wider Infoterra Group, is at the forefront of this drive within the geospatial sector. EADS Astrium recently purchased the majority share in Spot Image so there is a pattern of their building capabilities and a portfolio of businesses in this area.In the UK we are particularly interested in growing our domestic footprint and are looking for new companies as partners whose business sits alongside what we do. We clearly identified that in Imass, who are predominantly a company that develops software with a strong GIS component, and have a great track record in delivering real solutions that people use every day. We also saw the potential to get very close to the users in Imass’ core markets, particularly utilities and public safety – police, fire, ambulance, and recognised the potential to leverage our increasing portfolio of data products, particularly 3D, into these markets which could benefit greatly through improved access to such products.The third aspect is that we met the people (at Imass) and liked the culture, the strong management and very strong technical skills which we can combine with Infoterra’s market access. Imass is focused strongly and deeply on a small number of markets, which they understand very well, whereas Infoterra has focused on a wider range of markets, so we could see the potential to use their business model and their technology to become more deeply embedded in some of our existing markets.

China Successfully Sends First Gaofen Satellite Into Space

Beijing (XNA) Apr 30, 2013

Gaofen-1 is the first of up to six satellites China is to launch for the high-definition earth observation system (HDEOS) before 2016.

China has launched its first Gaofen-1 high-resolution remote sensing satellite into orbit, Xinhua news agency reported on Friday.
The satellite was carried by a Long March 2D (Chang Zheng 2D) carrier rocket that blasted off from northwest China's Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the state news agency reported, citing China's State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. The same rocket also deployed three satellites from Ecuador, Argentina and Turkey as well as two satellite splitters from the Netherlands.
Gaofen-1 is the first of up to six satellites China is to launch for the high-definition earth observation system (HDEOS) before 2016, according to the report.
Chinese officials have said that they plan to use the satellite's high-resolution tools for cartography, ocean surveys and urban transportation management.
Source: http://www.spacedaily.com &  Xinhua News Agency

Skybox Imaging Announces Strategic Partnership with Japan Space Imaging

Mountain View CA (SPX) May 15, 2013

File image.

Skybox Imaging (Skybox), an emerging provider of timely high-resolution satellite imagery and full motion video, has entered into a multi-year, strategic partnership with Japan Space Imaging (JSI), a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation, to provide high-resolution imagery and full motion commercial video to the Japanese market.
The agreement, subject to U.S. regulatory approval, will enable JSI to directly task, downlink and receive imagery from Skybox's constellation of microsatellites on a reliable and frequent basis.
Skybox will provide JSI a rapidly deployable ground station, called a SkyNode, comprised of a 2.4 meter communications antenna and two racks of supporting software and equipment.
Skybox is pioneering the use of Apache Hadoop, an open-source framework that allows for the distributed processing of large data sets, for geospatial applications.

New Public Application of Landsat Images Released

Steve Cole for NASA Earth Science News Greenbelt MD (SPX) May 16, 2013

The decline of Alaska's Columbia Glacier is one of the Earth changes featured in the new Google imagery based on the Landsat data archive. For a larger version of this image please go here.

Google released more than a quarter-century of images of Earth taken from space Thursday compiled into an interactive time-lapse experience. Working with data from the Landsat Program managed by the U.S. Geological Survey, the images display an historical perspective on changes to Earth's surface over time.
NASA Associate Administrator for Communications David Weaver issued the following statement about the Google announcement:
"The Landsat data record -- humanity's longest continuous record of our planet from space -- has been an invaluable tool for scientists and decision-makers in many fields, from natural resources to agricultural productivity and climate change.
The release on Google's Earth Engine of new Landsat time-lapse data animations shows key changes across our planet and helps share this remarkable U.S. resource with the public in an engaging new way.

GMES and data, like geese and golden eggs

8 May 2013 A recent study brings forward the idea that data from the upcoming Sentinel series of satellites should be regarded as Public Sector Information, increasing their value for money.
Through the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) programme, decision-makers will have access to reliable, timely and accurate information services to manage the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change and ensure civil security.
The programme will rely heavily on data provided by the Sentinel family of satellites – the first of which is due for launch later this year.
The potential of these data and information to be ‘reused’ both for commercial and non-commercial purposes recently came into focus in an ESA-commissioned study. In the final report, the authors outlined how reusing the data could potentially generate new businesses and jobs, and provide consumers with more choice and more value for money.
The report notes: “GMES may well be Europe’s goose capable of laying golden eggs. But how can we ensure a steady sustainable business model: do we take one egg (direct returns from sales of data) or do we allow the egg to hatch, hoping more golden-egg-laying geese will follow?”

RADARSAT-1: Seventeen Years of Technological Success

Longueuil, Quebec, May 9, 2013

On March 29, 2013, Canada's first Earth Observation satellite, RADARSAT-1, experienced a technical anomaly after surpassing its expected lifetime by 12 years. In the days since, the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) assembled a joint CSA-industry team of engineers, who conducted an extensive investigation. Following numerous attempts to resolve the technical issue, the CSA, in consultation with its commercial distributor MDA Geospatial Services Inc. (MDA GSI) has concluded that RADARSAT-1 is no longer operational after 17 years of outstanding service.

"RADARSAT-1 is a great Canadian success story. It was among the first of the many world-leading technologies that have positioned Canada as a global leader in space," said the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for the CSA. "Our Government has always been a strong supporter of the Canadian space sector and we are committed to ensuring it continues to create jobs, growth and long-term prosperity for Canadians."

"RADARSAT-1 showcased Canadian technical innovation and fostered the creation of value-added applications development serving the needs of Canada and the world. Its successor, RADARSAT-2, continues to build on this advanced radar technology and provides clients with greatly improved and diversified images of the Earth," said Gilles Leclerc, Acting President of the CSA.

During its 90,828 orbits around the earth it provided 625,848 images to more than 600 clients and partners in Canada and 60 countries worldwide. It assisted with information gathering during 244 disaster events and literally mapped the world, providing complete coverage of the World's continents, continental shelves and polar icecaps.

Vietnam to launch second remote sensing satellite into orbit by 2017

Hanoi, Vietnam (XNA) May 14, 2013

The VNREDSat-1B will be originated from a group of PROBA ( Project for On-Board Autonomy) satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Vietnam plans to launch the second remote sensing satellite, VNREDSat-1B, into orbit by 2017, after successfully launching the first of this kind on May 7, local online VNExpress reported on Friday.
The report quoted a notice released on Thursday by the Embassy of Belgium in Vietnam as saying that Vietnam and Belgium had reached an agreement upon which Belgian companies under the auspices of Spacebel will manufacture the VNREDSat 1B, which will help monitor the natural resources, natural disasters, and improve management of the territory and main natural resources sources.
The VNREDSat-1B will be originated from a group of PROBA ( Project for On-Board Autonomy) satellites of the European Space Agency (ESA).
It will cost a total of over 60 million euros (78.2 million U.S. dollars) from Belgium's official development assistance (ODA) and the Vietnamese government's corresponding fund. The satellite has a weight of about 130 kg.

e2v image sensors launched into space on board Vietnam's first optical Earth observation satellite

Chelmsford UK (SPX) May 14, 2013

VNRED Sat-1 has one sole instrument, an optical camera, which is enabled by an e2v backthinned Time Delay Integrated (TDI), Charged Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor.

On 7th May 2013, e2v high performance image sensors were launched into space on-board Vietnam's first optical Earth observation satellite, the Vietnam Natural Resources, Environment and Disaster Monitoring Satellite (VNRED Sat-1). The satellite was carried into orbit from French Guiana by VERTA 1, the second Vega launcher.
VNRED Sat-1 was built on behalf of the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST) in Toulouse, France by Astrium, Europe's leading space technology company.
Its primary mission is to monitor and study the effects of climate change, predict and take measures to prevent natural disasters, and optimise the management of Vietnam's natural resources.
It will do this by monitoring the shape of Vietnam's coastlines, the erosion of its rivers and the condition of its crops and forests.
VNRED Sat-1 has one sole instrument, an optical camera, which is enabled by an e2v backthinned Time Delay Integrated (TDI), Charged Coupled Device (CCD) image sensor.

ESA opens its doors in UK

Oxford UK (ESA) May 15, 2013

ESA's presence in the UK is a clear sign that the Agency is supporting the increased importance given to space by the UK government.

David Willetts, UK Minister for Universities and Science, and Jean-Jacques Dordain, ESA Director General, have unveiled the Agency's first UK facility: ECSAT, the European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications, located at the Harwell Oxford campus.
ECSAT supports activities related to telecommunications, climate change, technology, science and 'integrated applications' - the combined use of different space and terrestrial technologies, data and infrastructures to create new everyday applications. The development of innovative public-private partnerships will be emphasised.
David Willetts noted: "The UK space industry is increasingly important to growth, contributing over Pounds 9 billion to the economy every year and supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs. ESA's decision to locate its high-tech facility in this country shows that we are creating the right environment for innovation and cutting-edge research.
"The centre will benefit from working closely with other space scientists and businesses at Harwell, including the Satellite Applications Catapult being officially launched this week."

World's major development banks look closer at Earth observation

Paris (ESA) May 01, 2013

File image.

International development banks often invest in regions where projects can be difficult to monitor and evaluate. Earth-observing satellites are proving to be important tools for the development sector.
From 800 km high, satellites enable objective observations consistently over space and time. They can detect changes in land cover, monitor water quality and identify pollutants, evaluate the health of a coral reef or help assess how coastal zones are influenced by sea-level rise.
During their spring meeting last week, members of the Multi-lateral Financing Institutions Working Group on Environment learned more about how satellites can support bank activities.
The Working Group consists of representatives from leading development banks and international financing institutions, including the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the African Development Bank. The meeting was organised and hosted by the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
ESA presented the work in progress in support of 30 bank projects distributed across the World Bank, European Investment Bank and IFAD.

Earth Observation Defense Data Sales Closing on $1 billion in 2012

April 25, 2013
Commercial sector expected to realize significant portion of future IMINT demand

Paris, Montreal & Washington D.C., April 25, 2013 – According to Euroconsult's newly released research report, Earth Observation: Defense and Security, demand for data to support imagery intelligence (IMINT) continues to grow globally to support defense activities and military operations. However, as a result of the relatively high cost to maintain and launch EO defense satellites and the investment required to fund R&D, only 11 countries have developed EO defense capacity dedicated to supporting IMINT.

“Since only a few countries operate proprietary high-resolution satellites, the commercial sector is expected to make up a significant part of future demand for IMINT,” said Adam Keith, Director of Space and Earth Observation at Euroconsult and Editor of the report.

The number of unclassified defense and dual-use satellites launched by these 11 countries totalled 75 over the past decade. This figure is expected to rise to 100 satellites over 2013-2022, with a further three countries launching dedicated capacity. With costs remaining high, and budgets strained, development of dual-use systems is therefore expected to increase, with costs spreading across multiple government departments in order to fulfill the data requirements of numerous public sectors, such as engineering, infrastructure and resources monitoring. Further mechanisms to re-coup system costs and/or to support national industry will include commercialization of government satellites through dedicated data distribution entities, such as those already observed in France and Italy through the sale of data from their dual-use systems.