Earth Observation Satellites and Demands from Civil Security

Paper number

IAC-05-B1.5.04

Author

Mr. Gunter Schreier, DLR DFD, Germany

Year

2005

Abstract

The new geopolitical situation has caused a global demand on services and innovative technologies to increase the security of the citizens against a variety of existing and emerging threads. The European Global Monitoring of Environment and Security (GMES) programme so far has interpreted “security” as “environmental security”. However, the European actors – ESA, the European Commission and the European member states - are now starting to take initiatives to increase the range of GMES Earth Observation applications to civil and even to military security aspects.

Initiatives such as the SPASEC panel of experts on Space and Security and dedicated pilot programmes and projects – such as GMOSS - test the ground for cooperation with and supply for national and international security organisations and military forces.
But besides the military aspect, civil security covers a wide range of applications which can be supported by earth observation systems. The survey of critical infrastructure (e.g. pipelines, power plants), situation awareness in crime and trafficking (e.g. border control, illicit crop farming, cultural heritage site protection) and humanitarian relief in case of man made and natural disasters, is amongst the prime demands. The need for the latter was highlighted in the global Earth Observation alliance having acted under the mandate of the Charter to supply-up-to-date geo-information for the 2004 Asian Tsunami. The paper will show examples and test cases for the use of Earth Observation data in civil security applications.

The European ESA and national Earth Observation satellite programmes target the data supply for such civil security applications. Whilst ESA is planning for the Sentinel fleet of satellites, national initiatives are under way in high resolution optical (e.g. Pleiades, Rapid Eye) and SAR (e.g. TerraSAR, Cosmo) satellite systems. These system complement data from other non-European missions including those from new players on the agenda (e.g. India, Thailand).
As most of these missions are operated and exploited in co-operations with commercial entities (Public Private Partnerships), the business behind “civil security” will be addressed in the paper.

Abstract document

IAC-05-B1.5.04.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-05-B1.5.04.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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