Status and Future Prospects for Earth Observation
- Paper number
IAC-08.B1.5.1
- Author
Mr. Adam Keith, Euroconsult, Canada
- Year
2008
- Abstract
The Earth observation industry is at the start of a period of expansion with an increasing number of satellites being launched from emergent EO programs and the commercial sector.
By 2017 it is estimated that a minimum of 199 Earth observation satellites will be launched This compares to a total of 102 successful launches over the previous 10 years. With satellite systems becoming increasingly more capable and current government emphasis on defence, security and climate change strong growth is expected in the sector.
The next generation of high-resolution US commercial satellites WorldView-I/II (DigitalGlobe) and GeoEye-1/2 (GeoEye), private initiatives in Europe – the 5 satellite RapidEye constellation, and Infoterra’s TerraSAR/Tandem-X – and the CSA’s hand-over of Radarsat 2 to MDA sees the commercial market for EO satellite operation expanding.
Despite the growth of the commercial sector, government operators still dominate with the historical large programs (NASA, ESA, China, CNES…) and an increasing number of new countries looking to develop EO satellites capacity. As a result, in 2007, Earth observation including meteorology was the second largest government space application, with an overall investment of approximately $6.7 billion for satellite capacity, ground segment and operation (civil government and non-classified military).
The increasing satellites reflect government agencies concern by the cost and time of their projects, encouraging “cheaper, smaller and faster” missions, often using generic platforms.
Secondly, this demonstrates the growing number of countries that are investing in space research and technology for operational objectives to meet local/regional needs such as disaster management, natural resource monitoring and cartography.
These emergent players (such as Algeria, Thailand, Nigeria etc.) are developing small EO platforms as a low-cost way of rapidly acquiring space technology. SSTL has proved especially successful in selling a 50-kg satellite to space agencies and larger space-primes are also supplying know-how through technology-transfer.
Commercialization of data derived from government programs is also seen as a growing trend with national bodies looking for return on the satellite investment: COSMO-Skymed through Telespazio and Korean, Taiwanese as well as CNES satellites through SPOT Image. With government the first customer for defense and security application the data market is witnessing strong growth which should continue with more capable (increasing ground resolutions and re-visit times) systems.
With this, the EO market is seeing large players emerge with access through the value-chain: Infoterra (EADS Astrium Services), Telespazio, MDA…
- Abstract document
- Manuscript document
(absent)