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  • The evolution of Earth Observation satellites in Europe and worldwide and its Impact on the performance of emergency response services

    Paper number

    IAC-15,B1,1,8,x30419

    Author

    Mr. Gil DENIS, Airbus Defence and Space - Space Systems, France

    Coauthor

    Mrs. Hélène de Boissezon, Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES), France

    Coauthor

    Mr. Xavier Pasco, Fondation pour la Recherche Stratégique, France

    Coauthor

    Mr. Franck Ranera, Airbus Defence and Space, France

    Coauthor

    Mr. Bruno Montfort, Airbus Defence and Space, France

    Coauthor

    Mr. Steven Hosford, France

    Year

    2015

    Abstract
    The paper reviews the evolution of the Earth Observation systems in Europe and Worldwide and analyses the potential impact on the performance of emergency response services.
    
    
    Earth Observation satellites play a significant role in supporting the action of first responders in case of major disasters. The main principle is the coordinated use of satellites in order to ensure a rapid response and the timely delivery of images and geospatial information of the area affected by the event.
    
    
    The first part of the paper reviews the main instruments and evaluates their performance. 
    The International Charter "Space and Major Disasters", signed in October 2000, was the first international initiative aimed at establishing a unified system for the acquisition of space data. The charter is a cooperation agreement between space agencies and operators of space systems. 
    At regional level, a similar instrument exists in Asia: Sentinel-Asia.
    In the frame of the European programme Copernicus, the emergency management service was launched in 2009. Geo-information products derived from space imagery are delivered during all phases of the emergency management cycle, in either rush or non-rush mode, free of charge for the users. In both cases, the capacities were historically drawn on national missions, funded with public money and directly operated by the space agencies or by national operators.
    
    
    The paper focuses on the performance of the space infrastructure (satellites and ground segments).
    Several trends may have a significant impact on the current performance:
    - The increasing number of space systems which are privately-owned and managed by commercial operators (e.g. Spot 6/7).
    
    - The emergence in Europe of shared-ownership or community-owned systems. The Sentinel missions (Copernicus) or Eumetsat satellites are two typical examples.
    
    - The development of dual-use capacities and the sovereignty dimension of these systems.
    
    - The development of unmanned airborne vehicles (UAVs) for civil applications.
    
    - The development of social media and crowd-based initiatives in the domain of humanitarian aid and emergency response.
    
    - Possible disruptions, such as large LEO constellations or GEO infrastructures enabling a persistent observation capacity.
    
    A common feature is the increased number of information sources and the higher real time dimension.
    
    
    The results of creativity sessions based on these evolutions are presented:  typical scenarios for the future are described and their likelihood is discussed, including political acceptance and international dimension. Beside fast technological evolutions, the main driving factor is the capacity of national and international stakeholders to agree on governance.
    Abstract document

    IAC-15,B1,1,8,x30419.brief.pdf

    Manuscript document

    IAC-15,B1,1,8,x30419.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

    To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.