Space blog - In the news

DMC captures Burma flood satellite images

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 08 May 2008 13:21:59 +0100

DMC imagery taken today by the UK-DMC satellite of Burma (Myanmar) shows the

Burma cyclone image

Rangoon (Yangon) area and flooded southern coastal regions. DMC imagery acquired of the region is being supplied to project managers of the International Charter "Space and Major Disasters" to be processed into information products that determine flood extents. DMCii has also supplied pre-disaster archive imagery to enable comparisons with post-disaster imagery for the production of emergency maps.

You can also find Burma cyclone images on the UNOSAT website.

DMCii ups Emergency on Call Officers

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:51:50 +0100

Volcano, Ecuador © NASRDA

The Disaster Monitoring Constellation's (DMC) operating company, DMCii, has been training up additional members to support emergency operations. These new Emergency on Call Officers (ECO) will expand the existing team to support the world's earth observing satellite feet in the event of major natural disasters.

Following recent training event, DMCii now provides 3 Emergency on Call Officers to service the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters. When the Charter is activated for a Major International natural disaster, the ECO's use there expertise to select and task different types of satellite appropriate to the disaster. For example, so far In 2008 DMCii ECO staff responded to flooding in Vietnam, Bolivia, USA and the Tungurahua Volcano in Ecuador.

Students Battle for Space Supremacy

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 11:36:05 +0100

Students from all over Britain have taken part in the BNSC’s “Space Experiment Competition”, the brainchild of SSTL’s very own Dr. Stuart Eves. From a sea of hopeful entrants, the judges have now whittled down the contestants to 6 finalists. The remaining students are from St George’s College Addlestone, Helston Community College, Langton Star Centre, Schome Park Project, Shrewsbury School and UKHAS.

The ambitious experiments will study a variety of space exploration issues, ranging from how to stop Near-Earth space dust damaging space craft to minimising the affect of electrically charged particles on space communication. In the race to outdo each other the students have come up with some really innovative ideas, including proposing ways to measure the resistance of bacteria in space and even measuring the number of meteors entering the atmosphere. So if you’re a budding physicist or engineer or are just interested in space, get yourself to the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) congress in Glasgow where the winning proposal will be announced in October 2008.

50 years of software in space

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 16:55:56 +0100

The Guildford Branch of the British Computer Society holds its monthly meetings on the University of Surrey campus.

This month's meeting "Fifty Years in Space - a Software Perspective" will review the synergy between space and ICT during the first 50 years of the space age (based on the author's 40+ years involvement in both sectors) and draw some conclusions for the future. Pat Norris MBCS, LogicaCMG and Chairman of the RAeS Space Group will host the lecture.

Here's the summary

Since the launch of Sputnik 50 years ago (October 4th 1957), the space age has helped push the boundaries of Information and communications Technologies (ICT). In the 1960s, the two main space applications were military surveillance and lunar exploration, both of which demanded more computing and communications capability than was available. Space projects still stretch what ICT can deliver, for example in monitoring global climate changes and in missile defence.

Thursday 24th April 2008, at 19:45 for 20:00, in Lecture Theatre E. There's no need to register in advance and University staff and students are welcome to attend, at no cost.

Minister discusses Moon at SSTL

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 18:00:04 +0000

Minister for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson today visited SSTL’s headquarters in Guildford to discuss the company’s important contribution to the UK space industry. His visit follows the release of the UK Civil Space Strategy on February 14th, which outlines the Government's future direction for the sector for 2008-2012.

Ian Pearson talks to Sir Martin Sweeting

Mr Pearson visited SSTL operations critical to supporting the Government’s space objectives. This included an introduction to SSTL’s DMCii Ltd subsidiary, where he met the team that are currently leading the International Charter: Space and major disasters on behalf of the BNSC. He also met project managers from the European Space Agency (ESA) missions such as the highly successful Galileo satellite, GIOVE-A, and discussed the role of small satellites in providing security and military capabilities.

Speaking at SSTL, Minister for Science and Innovation, Ian Pearson, said:

"The UK Civil Space Strategy outlined the Government's commitment to the UK space industry and measures to ensure UK businesses increase their share of the growing international sector. As I've seen today some of the most innovative work in this area is being carried out right here in Surrey."

The highlight of Mr Pearson’s visit was the presentation of plans that will secure the UK’s closer involvement in international initiatives on the future shape of space exploration to the Moon, Mars and beyond. SSTL will take the lead on landmark missions to prove new technologies that will provide low cost infrastructure for future lunar missions. These could include the provision of communications from the Moon back to Earth. This British-supplied infrastructure could also be used to relay communications back from interplanetary missions, for example Mars to Earth.

Sir Martin Sweeting, SSTL Group Executive Chairman, commented,

“SSTL is pioneering innovative low cost technologies that maintain and develop the UK’s market share in the global space sector. In particular, SSTL’s MoonLite and MoonRaker missions with NASA are of great importance to the British government’s space strategy going forward.”

In time, a constellation of satellites could also be built up to provide valuable services such as GPS in the same way as the Earth. This satellite infrastructure will provide essential services to the international missions on the Moon’s surface such as Rovers, Landers and smaller space experiments that are planned by nations such as Russia, China, India and the US over the coming years.

Classroom scientists shoot for space

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 16:49:00 +0000

Competition is hotting up as young students throughout the UK start work on their bid for the BNSC funded Space Experiment competition. The basic idea is to create an experiment that fits into a 10cm X 10 cm X 10 cm box. The student that wins will get expert help from SSTL and an astronomical £100,000 to support their efforts. If that sounds good, here's the best bit

The winning experiment will be flown on-board a real SSTL satellite in space.

Baffled? Cautious? Visit the Space Experiment website and get some ideas flowing.

Initial proposals are due in by the end of February so if you haven't entered already - get your skates on! If you are a parent or teacher and you know students that have a passion for science and technology - get your teenage students involved.

For those of you who missed our Space Experiment blog, here's some more details... and hopefully inspiration.

Why encourage more students to study science and engineering?

There has been a worrying decline in the number of students studying mathematics, science, engineering and technology subjects. The proof is evidenced by a 30% decrease in physics, a 25% decrease in mathematics, and a 19% decrease in chemistry entries at A level between 1991 and 2003. These are some of the most practical and strategically important subjects and could lead to skills gaps in industry, the risks to Britain’s economic success and a threat to Britain’s’ international reputation as a leader in science research. Source: Lord May, President of the Royal Society testimony to the Parliamentary Scientific Committee in May 2004.

School children find science and mathematics dull and difficult and do not see its relevance in their lives. Source; SET for Success Report for Sir Gareth Roberts Review for HM Treasury.

Why space and not something more ...practical?

Britain has a thriving space industry adds £7 billion to the British economy each year and supports 70,000 jobs, not just in the space research institutes and higher profiles but also in the vital high tech engineering companies that supply parts and technologies for use in space.

Space is one of the highest skilled workforces in the Britain and the technologies developed for satellites and missions to other planets can benefit the whole engineering sector, both in terms of available skills and also the creation of new technologies. Some of these technologies are "space-enabled". For example, Britain leads the world in global mobile satellite communications, earth observation, space enabled creative industries and in planetary science.

Space is key to sustainable development and can be used to map sea temperature changes, provide communications in the case of disaster relief and open up new opportunities in healthcare and new energy sources.

Fly your experiment in space!

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 14:36:20 +0000

BNSC and SSTL are offering UK schools the chance to fly an experiment on one of the small satellites built by SSTL. Any UK students, either individuals or teams, aged between 14 and 18 can enter their experimental package. Speaking about the Space Experiment on the BBC news website today Brainchild Dr Stuart Eves (SSTL) :

Satellites affect everyone on the planet. They deliver telephone communications and TV programmes across the globe, enable the safe navigation of ships and aircraft and provide the timing signals that are used to coordinate the national power grid and mobile phone calls.

The BNSC's Dr Ian Gibson also commented in the BBC report, expressing the essence of the Space Experiment.

This hands-on competition should be fun as well as educational

To hear more you can also tune in to the Today Programme on Radio 4. Use the "Listen Again" function for this morning (Thursday 13th December) and search around 6:55 am.

SSTL small satellite

The winning experiment can weigh up to 1kg and will have a development budget of up to £100,000. The deadline for receiving initial proposals is 28th February 2008, so get your skates on!

BNSC and SSTL hope that the competition will stimulate interest in Space, with many entrants. Out of the hopefuls, six finalists will be announced at the UK Space Conference at Charterhouse in March 2008 and invited to submit more detailed proposals for consideration.

The winners will be announced at the IAF Congress in Glasgow in October 2008 and the winning experiment will be integrated onto an SSTL mission due to fly in the 2010 timeframe.

The experiment could aim to measure some aspect of the space environment, investigate some aspect of the Earth, or test a new satellite technology in Low Earth Orbit What to include in an initial proposal (of up to 5 pages):

The purpose of the experiment you would like to fly.
What data you would expect to collect.
How you would use the data collected.
How your experiment would advance space science or technology.

For full details visit the Space Experiment website: www.spaceexperiment.info

Galileo opened to competitive bids

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 17:09:22 +0000

GIOVE-A under construction

Peter de Selding has reported today that Galileo has been opened up for competitive bids.

"European governments agreed to allow competitive biddings for the future Galileo satellite navigation constellation, clearing the way for Europe's two most successful small-satellite builders to make a joint bid against Europe's two biggest space-hardware builders." He went on to say "OHB Systems AG of Germany and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) of Britain are free to bid on contracts to build Galileo spacecraft without having to prove they can construct the entire 26-satellite constellation."

The news is welcomed by SSTL and OHB who signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) indicating their willingness to bid together for such contracts.

Team TopSat earns RAeS award

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:55:46 +0000

Last week at the Royal Aeronautical Society awards ceremony , the team responsible for the successful TopSat Earth observation mission, was awarded the Society's Silver Medal.

"Team TopSat" collect RAeS award

TopSat was developed for the MOD and BNSC by QinetiQ, SSTL, RAL and Infoterra and has been collecting tactical 3m imagery of the Earth for more than two years, setting a new world record for "resolution per mass of satellite". The engineering model is now on display in the Science Museum.

The award was accepted on behalf of the TopSat team by Dr Stuart Eves, the godfather of the programme, and Jenny Harding, SSTL's Projects Director who managed the programme.

This is the fourth Royal Aeronautical Society award won by SSTL staff this year. The team responsible for GIOVE-A received the Team Silver Award as well as the Geoffrey Pardoe Space Award, whilst Dr Mike Cutter was awarded the Society's Bronze Award for the design and manufacture of the CHRIS optical imaging system.

TopSat launched was launched in 2005. The small satellite's primary mission objective was to demonstrate that a microsatellite could deliver responsive high-resolution imagery directly from a satellite to ground terminals within the same footprint. Having fulfilled its original objectives, the satellite is now available for commercial service under the TopSat Consortium: QinetiQ (who own the satellite), SSTL, RAL and Infoterra, all original partners in the mission.

SSTL on Sky at Night this Sunday

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 14:31:40 +0000

Back in August, the Sky at Night invited Martin Sweeting down to Patrick Moore's home in Sussex to film an interview for a programme celebrating 50 years of space. This program will also include a discussion of SSTL's lunar studies with Andy Phipps.

The Sky at Night
Dr Chris Lintott finds out how British technology is leading the way in satellite science, while Sir Patrick Moore investigates the threat from space debris that astronauts face in space.

For anyone that would like to tune in, the Sky at Night will be broadcast this Sunday evening, 2nd December, on BBC 4 at 20:30.

ALSAT-1 maps forest fires

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 15:25:40 +0000

Algeria is celebrating the 5th birthday of its first satellite, ALSAT-1 this week.

Last summer, a heatwave struck Algeria bringing with it temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsuis. This dryed out the North African landscape, leading to forest fires in several forests.

The Batna region, which has some of the most densely forested regions in Algeria, was one of the worst affected areas. In particular, places like Djebel Belezma and Beni Fedhla were stricken by severe conflagrations accented by sirocco winds blowing at more than 80 kph.

Fire damage in the Bliza area

The fire has destroyed a significant part of the forests in the Batna region. For example, only this summer, fires have destroyed over 8000 hectares in Djebel Kimmel and in the area of Arris.

Forest fires: astronomical figures

Algeria used the SSTL-built ALSAT-1 satellite in a study to monitor forest fires and evaluate the damage caused and assess the forests’ ability to regenerate.

Fire damage surrounding Tipaza

The location referenced (geospatial) images from Algeria’s own satellite were supplemented where required with additional Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) data where required.

How satellite imaging is applied
The images were acquired from areas of interest are first pre-processed using the ENVI image processing software, these are then analysed and finely processed for later use. This results in cartographical (maps) that are easy to read with the human eye. The maps are then used to identify the various forest formations and the impact that this summer’s (2007) fires have had on them.
Both supervised classification and the vegetation index (NDVI) methods were used to determine the different forest formations and to deduct the fire impact on them. This methodology has allowed the Centre National des Techniques Spatiales (CNTS) to accurately assess the destruction of forest fires in the north of Algeria during this year’s (2007) campaign.

Satellites for breakfast anyone?

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 12:52:30 +0000

In a recent breakfast meeting, held at the University Of Surrey, SSTL Principal Engineer Dr Stuart Eves spoke to students about SSTL. The Company was formed in 1985 by the University of Surrey and was the first professional organisation to offer low-cost small satellites. SSTL has come along way since its University days and now employs more than 260 people at their purpose built offices on the Surrey Research Park, but the spirit of innovation and the will to challenge perceptions remains to this day.

Far out: MoonRaker

60 attended the talk “the PC computers of space”, which provided an introduction to small satellites and highlights of missions that have been launched to date, including updates on the status of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) and the GIOVE-A navigation satellite mission. The future applications of small satellites, including potential science, communications, and Earth observation missions were also discussed.

Stuart Eves is a Principal Engineer at Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) in Guildford. He spent 16 years with the UK Ministry of Defence where he initiated the TopSat satellite programme which is now on-orbit conducting its Earth-observation mission. He joined SSTL in 2004 and has an MSc in Astrophysics, a PhD in constellation design, and has been a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society for more than 15 years.

An, you can read his "Is Pluto really a planet" Space Blog here and school students will be interested to hear that Dr. Eves is responsible for a competition that will give the winner the chance to fly their experiment on an SSTL spacecraft! Keep your eye on Space Blog, or "subscribe" by RSS using the buttons on the top left for more information!

CHRIS the 6 year old scientist

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 16:37:12 +0000

The CHRIS (Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) Hyperspectral Mission, developed within SSTL's Optical Payload Group (OPG) in Sevenoaks has recently celebrated its 6th birthday.

CHRIS image of Mbengga

The instrument is flying on what was ESA’s first small satellite, PROBA-1. The main purpose of the instrument is to provide images of land areas for science applications, CHRIS has lent its hand to many other weird and wonderful applications. These range from coastal and aerosol monitoring to crater spotting and reef detection (in turbid waters)! The Mission also supports the International Charter: Space and Major Disasters which DMCii is currently leading on behalf of the BNSC.

The more technical Space Blog reader will be interested to hear that the platform provides pointing in both across-track and along-track directions, for target acquisition and multi-angle observations, particularly important for canopy discrimination. The instrument covers a spectral range from 400nm to 1050nm, at least 11nm resolution with a minimum ground sampling interval of 17m. In this mode it is possible to read out 18 spectral bands. The locations and widths of the spectral bands are programmable. Selectable on-chip integration can increase the number of bands to 62 for a spatial sampling interval of 34m. The swath width imaged is 13km at perigee. This highly flexible instrument also has the ability to mimic the spectral setting of other instruments and this has been useful in acquiring the same band sets as the Spot and IRS instruments, a useful feature for its role in the International Charter.

The Mission continues to operate successfully even in its sixth year of operation and demonstrates the success of the mission and the utility of the instrument and platform. Currently, approximately 90 scientists are serviced by CHRIS with data from 200 sites in 40 counties around the globe. SSTL continues to provide, on a daily basis, the control of the instrument and the processing of the data sets.

Galileo should go ahead

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:13:27 +0000

Today SSTL issued a statement following the publication of “Galileo: Recent Developments" report and the ensuing debate about the future of Europe's planned satellite navigation system. It welcomes cost benefit analysis and most of all competition at all levels of the project.

Galileo satellite GIOVE-A

SSTL's GIOVE-A remains the first and only satellite launched in the Galileo project. This small test satellite has demonstrated that other similar satellites could be completed in approximately two years at relatively low cost. GIOVE-A was completed on time and within budget and was launched at the end of 2005. It has been generating Galileo signals from space since early in 2006.

SSTL estimates the cost of building and launching a 12 satellite constellation to be approximately €600M. This compares favourably with other costs being floated and reflected in the committee’s report. In other words, a useful system could be put in place for a small fraction of the total cost for deployment mentioned in the report.

MPs have called for a review of Galileo and SSTL Business Development Manager Phil Davies has agreed with calls for review (see The Guardian). In fact, speaking on Radio 4's Today Program with guest Gwyneth Dunwoody on Monday, Davies reiterated the benefits of European involvement and stated that the prospect of a working satellite navigation system in the immediate future is entirely realistic. He also agreed with Dunwoody that a "flying pig" (gold trotters or not) approach to budgets was innappopriate and that the barrier to lower cost lies in the procurement process and not the technology.

Win a flight on SpaceShipTwo with the RAeS

nospam@example.com (Robin Wolstenholme) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:06:58 +0000

"To be able to float around in zero-g, I wish everybody could experience this. The view is so hard to describe. It's moving. It's emotional." John Glenn, Astronaut.

SpaceShipTwo

Through the generosity of Virgin Galactic, the Royal Aeronautical Society is delighted to offer their members the opportunity to win a ticket on SpaceShipTwo and experience weightlessness, gaining their “Astronaut Wings”.

To win, the participant will have to demonstrate how they would use the experience of a SpaceShipTwo flight to best motivate young people to enter the fields of aerospace and its applications. The competition is also open to non-members so get your skates on, you can register your interest online at http://www.aerosociety.com/galactic/

See preliminary details at the RAeS Space Group web site and click on "Win a flight on SpaceShipTwo".