Space blog

SSTL has won a contract worth €1.6 million from Astrium GmbH, Germany to proceed with work on a new contract to develop and supply the Multi-Spectral Imager (MSI) for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) EarthCARE Mission.

Earth Explorer Missions are part of the Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP). They are missions led by the European Space Agency to address primary research objectives. The EarthCARE Mission has been approved for implementation as the third Earth Explorer Core Mission. The mission will be implemented in collaboration with Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency who will provide one of the core Instruments. The EarthCARE mission has been specifically defined with the basic objective of improving the understanding of cloud-aerosol-radiation interactions so as to include them correctly and reliably in climate and numerical weather prediction models.

The EarthCARE mission aims to improve the understanding of the Earth's radiation balance and to minimize uncertainties in climate change prediction models by acquiring accurate vertical profiles of clouds and aerosols, as well as measurements of top of the atmosphere radiance. The Multi Spectral Imager produced by SSTL will provide information on the horizontal structures of clouds, such as cloud type and cover, and cloud optical and microphysical properties. The instrument's 150 km swath will be used to extend to three dimensions the validity of the aerosol, cloud and radiance measurements made by the active EarthCARE instruments which are all directed towards the satellite ground track.

This contract is for the first stage of the Phase B design study; the full Phase B is a 15 month programme. This will be followed by a Phase C/D leading to mission launch in 2013. SSTL is supported in the MSI programme by TNO from The Netherlands who are acting as subcontractors to SSTL.

The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (better know as INPE) has placed a contract for a third year with DMC International Imaging Ltd to acquire high-resolution satellite images of the entire 5 million square kilometres of the Amazon rainforest. Since 2004 INPE’s programme to monitor deforestation has dramatically reduced the rate of logging from 27,000 sq.km. per year to about 10,000 sq.km. in 2007.

In order to rapidly identify areas of cover change, DMCii is contracted to provide three repeat coverages in 2007 (June-July, July-August, September-October). In 2005, and again in 2006, DMC imaged the whole Amazon Basin in 6 weeks to provide Brazil with vital information to help monitor deforestation and combat illegal logging.

DMC imagery is provided by the five-satellite international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). The DMC small satellites, built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), use wide area cameras to capture the high-resolution images. The latest satellite, built for China, was launched into the DMC on 27 October 2005. Two new DMC satellites will be launched in 2008 and a third in 2009.

Speaking at the Royal Society in London, 25th October, Dr. Gilberto Camâra, Director General of INPE said,

“The DMC data is an important affordable contribution to our assessment of deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. The constellation is able to rapidly acquire and deliver high quality imagery so that we have up-to-date information to focus our efforts. It is our intention to develop a long term relationship with DMC”

The increasing amount of DMC imagery required by INPE since 2005 demonstrates the value of rapid revisit imaging. When the new DMC satellites launch in 2008, these will add considerably to INPE’s ability to monitor and combat changes in the rainforest and their consequences for both the local people and the global climate.

The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (INPE) help Brazilian society to benefit from new developments in space science and technology. This includes increasing Brazil's autonomy in a number of strategic areas, providing the means for Brazilian industry to participate and become competitive in the space area and encouraging the development and dissemination of space technology.

INPE has developed a near or almost real time monitoring application for deforestation detection known as the Real Time Deforestation Monitoring System (DETER) system. High-resolution imagery is needed when estimating the total area of deforestation and when identifying small clearings.

When it's not coordinating the response to natural disasters, DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) supplies remote sensing data products and services for international Earth Observation (EO) markets. DMCii supplies programmed and archived optical satellite imagery provided by the multi-satellite Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). DMC data is now used in a wide variety of commercial and government applications including agriculture, forestry and environmental mapping.

Monitoring and detecting greenhouses gases is of critical importance to the future of the planet. While there are some conflicting reports that attempt to quantify the rate of climatic change, one fact that the scientific community do seem to agree on is that greenhouse gases are adversely influencing our environment today and will continue to do so in the future. The Kyoto protocol requires such harmful gases to be monitored, therefore the European Space Agency (ESA) have awarded an important contract to a UK team lead by space experts Surrey Satellite Technologies Ltd (SSTL) to provide a solution to this global problem.

The impact of climate change on the global environment is currently attracting significant global coverage. The key question requiring an answer is how human activity affects the surrounding environment is a subject generating significant debate from both ?pro? and ?anti? lobbies. A number of inter-governmental treaties have been signed (including Kyoto) which attempt to limit the amount of greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O, O3) produced around the globe. Careful monitoring of greenhouse gases is essential if we are to understand fully the impact of these elevated levels on our environment. The key gases are CO2 (carbon dioxide) and CH4 (methane), which have the biggest impact on the Earth?s atmosphere.

Levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have increased dramatically in the last 50 years to levels currently (2005) exceeding 370 ppm. This alarming trend is thought to be a significant factor in global warming.

ESA is considering using a LIDAR instrument to monitor the levels of CO2 within the atmosphere. The most effective wavelength to detect CO2 is at 2 ?m due to its deep absorption signature at this wavelength.

SSTL has been awarded a contract from ESA to develop a new detector to address this spectral region. SSTL will prime the activity with Sheffield and Heriot Watt Universities and Lidar Technologies Ltd as subcontractors. The total contract value is ?400k and will be undertaken in 18 months.

SSTL attended the parliamentary reception on Africa and UK Space run by the Parliamentary Space Commission (PSC) on the 26th April. The reception highlighted the important role space has to play for African nations and the crucial role played by Britain's space community in tackling the major challenges of Africa today as the continent confronts the twin challenges of sustainable development and natural and humanitarian disasters.

The keynote speaker Professor Robert Borroffice, the Director General of the Nigerian Space Agency discussed how Nigeria is rapidly becoming the leading African nation to benefit from the use of space and Professor Borroffice will highlight progress and future plans.

SSTL have been instrumental in the development and support of Nigeria's space programme since the establishment of the Nigerian National Space Agency in 1999, which included the building and know-how transfer for Nigeria's first satellite, the NigeriaSat-1 launched in October 2003. Such cooperation is essential for space programmes in developing nations, Professor Borroffice was quoted by African news site www.thisdayonline.com, "it is impossible for a single country to go it alone."

Nigeria now hopes to progress their space programme further, with a second satellite NigeriaSat-2 to be built by SSTL with a 2.5m pan EO (Earth Observation) satellite currently under consideration.

Space was traditionally considered to be expensive and consequently, the poorest continent, Africa, was not involved in space programmes. In particular, Nigeria rejected space programmes entirely in 1976. However, in the last five years, low cost small satellites pioneered by SSTL in the UK have stimulated a series of space programmes in Africa.

These African space initiatives have resulted in great benefits to Africa with respect to space applications, capacity building and economic development. They have played an important role in international disaster monitoring and human global warming and climate change prevention efforts. They have also generated further demand for space assets, applications and services, particularly, telecommunications satellites to provide much needed infrastructure for economic development and bridging the digital divide.

Government support and the involvement of UK industry in the upcoming African Space Programme should enable a substantial return from investment in ARTES (communications payloads), MOSAIC (small satellites) and EO applications improving African lives with sustainable development.

Much focus has been given in Parliament, and in the media, of the importance of helping Africa find a sustainable way forward. British designed Earth observation instruments and satellites are monitoring the impact of Climate Change, natural resources, deforestation, crop failures and the impact of natural disasters on Africa's exposed populations. Nigeria First, the website of the Nigerian Office of Public Communications provides informaton on Nigeria's use of space technology.

Satellite-based mapping can also support aid operations so that decision makers in Africa and around the world to shape the right policies to reduce poverty or plan crops in Africa. For example, NigeriaSat-1 provides medium-resolution imagery with daily worldwide revisit for monitoring disasters.

SSTL work closely with developing nations, internationally acclaimed joint training initiatives with the University Of Surrey and Phd programmes forging strong relationships throughout the world. SSTL have pioneered technology for their satellites that reduce the cost for developing nations, whilst preserving the professionalism and project management essential to space engineering to change the economies space.