Business

This week, the European Space Agency awarded DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) a contract to provide satellite imagery of 38 countries in Europe. Remote sensing will be used to monitor Europe’s environment and land use, including natural resources such as agricultural land and forests. High resolution DMC satellite images will provide valuable information for the European Global Monitoring for Environment & Security (GMES) services and European scientists.

It is difficult to achieve cloud free coverage of Europe in a single year, but DMCii coordinates a constellation (DMC) of 4 satellites carrying the same sensors, which can dramatically speed up the process when compared to a single satellite operating in isolation.

Paul Stephens, DMCii reflected on the constellation approach, “This campaign demonstrates the value of constellations for imaging large areas in a short time. With several new DMC satellites launching in 2008 and 2009 we plan to start providing multi-season imaging services in Europe and elsewhere to meet the operational needs of GMES services. ”

Images are acquired within dates specified by each of the 38 countries, and delivered as precisely positioned data in each national map projection. DMCii started to acquire high resolution imagery in April ‘07 and will complete the campaign in October.

It has been a busy couple of weeks at SSTL, with a number of people on the move.

Paul Brooks has been appointed Director of Business Development & Sales. Paul joined SSTL as Director of Projects in 2006 having long admired SSTL’s approach to affordable space missions.

An Oxford scholar, Paul joined the UK’s Defence Research Agency in 1991 (known as QinetiQ since privatisation in 2001), to work on space-based surveillance remote sensing systems, going on to lead the innovative TopSat mission and supporting the launch and operations of four communication satellites.

Joining SSTL in 2006, Paul has managed a team of project managers at SSTL working on a diverse range of missions and studies. In his new role Paul will lead his team in developing business opportunities for SSTL’s small satellites, including entry-level geostationary and affordable interplanetary missions.

SSTL has appointed Andy Bradford as Director of Projects following Paul Brook’s appointment as Director of Business Development and Sales.

Graduating from Cranfield with an MSc in Astronautics and Space Engineering, Andy was a young graduate trainee at ESA–ESTEC, before joining UK company, Space Innovations Ltd where he was a mechanical Systems Engineer.

Andy joined SSTL in 2000 as Project Manager for the Turkish BILSAT-1 microsatellite launched into the Disaster Monitoring Constellation in 2003. He went on to manage SSTL’s largest and most challenging satellite project to date, GIOVE-A, the first satellite of the Galileo navigation constellation launched in 2005


SSTL

SSTL has signed an order with the Federal State Unitary Enterprise - The Russian Research and Production Enterprise Pan-Russian Research Institute for Electromechanics (FSUE NPP VNIIEM) and Radioexport of Russia for the supply of satellite platform equipment and services for the KANOPUS Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Earth observation spacecraft.

The first satellite, KANOPUS-B, will be ready for launch in 2008. It will monitor the Earth's surface and will support the monitoring of disasters, agricultural planning and the management of water and coastal resources. Under the contract SSTL will supply FSUE NPP VNIIEM with the platform avionics equipment and software, and support their spacecraft assembly and integration activities in Russia.

SSTL's executive chairman Sir Martin Sweeting commented, "This contract is a unique opportunity for FSUE NPP VNIIEM and SSTL to further develop its co-operation on future Russian small satellite projects."

Last month ESA awarded SSTL a follow-on contract for the supply of a second navigation satellite, GIOVE-A2. 12 satellites are currently under construction and test at SSTL's facilities in Guildford for customers in Europe, North America and Africa.

Press Release: Russia places order with SSTL for satellite platform equipment

SSTL's team in Abuja, Nigeria are pleased to announce that the NigeriaSat-2 contract was signed this morning by the Minister of Science & Technology of Nigeria Prof. Turner Isoun, Prof. Boroffice (Director General NASRDA) and SSTL CEO Sir Martin Sweeting.

The Minister congratulated SSTL on the performance of NigeriaSat-1, the training of Nigerian personnel and for enabling Nigeria to take its first steps into space for the benefit of the nation: he now looks forward to building on this excellent relationship with SSTL to make NigeriaSat-2 an even greater success.

NigeriaSat-2 promises to provide valuable services to Nigeria and to Africa, such as monitoring water resources and assisting the response to natural disasters.

The signing ceremony was attended by about 100 people including TV and press. A celebration lunch is now about to commence hosted by NASRDA and this evening Sir Richard Gozeny will host a dinner at the the UK High Commission for the Minister, Permanent Secretary, DG NASRDA, SSTL & TeleSat.