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Sentinel-3 : A new pair of glasses to view Earth Thu Oct 28 2010Our view of Earth is set to become even sharper with new instruments to be carried on ESA's Sentinel-3 satellites. In many ways, it will be like looking at Earth through a new pair of glasses. Sentinel-3 is one of the five missions that ESA is developing for Europe's Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative. Primarily, Sentinel-3 will deliver data for GMES services related...
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New UN-SPIDER RSO established at the Disaster Risk Reduction Centre of the University of the West Indies Tue Oct 19 2010On 8 October 2010 the University of the West Indies (UWI) and the UN Office of Outer Space Affairs signed the cooperation agreement that established the tenth UN-SPIDER Regional Support Office (RSO). UWI is the first university to host an RSO and to contribute its experience and capabilities to the UN-SPIDER programme by doing so. The Disaster Risk Reduction Centre at the University of the West...
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Call for Proposals: Global Spatial Data Infrasructure (GSDI) Small Grants Program Tue Oct 19 2010The Global Spatial Data Infrasructure (GSDI) Association announced its 2010-11 Small Grants Program. The GSDI focuses on international cooperation and collaboration in spatial data infrastructure developments on different levels support. Resources from the U.S. Federal Geographic Data Committee and the GISCorps of The Urban and Regional Infrastructure Systems Association (URISA) are allocated to...
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RP supports use of space tech to address climate change Thu Oct 21 2010In a statement delivered at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Libran Cabactulan shared the Philippine experience in the aftermath of tropical storm Ketsana and typhoon Parma last year. The Philippines has expressed its support for the use outer space technologies to help deal with disasters and calamities. “The Philippines is...
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Fourth United Nations International UN-SPIDER Bonn Workshop opened Wed Oct 13 2010This Tuesday, 12 October 2010, the Fourth United Nations International UN-SPIDER Bonn Workshop on Disaster Management and Space Technology: “The 4C – Challenge: Communication – Coordination – Cooperation – Capacity Development” was opened at the UN premises in Bonn. This year’s workshop brings together more than 120 participants from over 40 countries...
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Research on the UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal as a human-technology network Thu Oct 7 2010Mr. Florian Neisser, Geographer at the University of Bonn, has finalized his research on the UN-SPIDER Knowledge Portal as “An Interactive Platform to Foster Space Technology Utilization in Disaster Management”. His thesis addresses the problem of a communication gap between the space technology and the disaster management community by applying the Actor-Network Theory and analyzing...
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NASA Administrator launches SERVIR-Himalaya Programme with ICIMOD in Kathmandu Tue Oct 5 2010The SERVIR-Himalaya system is being launched today, 5th October, by Mr. Charles F. Bolden Jr., NASA Administrator, and Mr. Michael Yates, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator of USAID in Kathmandu. The SERVIR programme is designed to build the capacity of countries to use earth observation and geospatial information technologies in different regions around the world. The improved scientific...
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Satellite to provide images of disasters Fri Oct 1 2010Satellite to provide images of disasters KATHMANDU: A team of Japanese scientists has installed a receiver that will directly provide real time satellite imagery when natural disasters occur in the country. The receiver was installed on the premises of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Khumaltar of Lalitpur. The team led by Shinya Tanaka, senior engineer at...
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High Level Conference “Space for the African Citizen” in Brussels Thu Oct 7 2010UNOOSA/UN-SPIDER Senior Expert Jörg Szarzynski participated in the High Level Conference “Space for the African Citizen” in Brussels. Organized by the Belgian High Representation for Space Policy under the auspices of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the main goal of the Conference was to demonstrate the relevance of space technologies as a transversal...
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Application of earth-observation satellites to disaster monitoring Tue Sep 21 2010The small satellite constellation for environment and disaster monitoring and forecasting (SSCEDMF) is an important component of China's earth-observation satellite system. SSCEDMF is being deployed in two stages. On 6 September 2008, two optical satellites, Huan Jing (HJ)-1-A and B, were successfully launched. Each carries three main sensor types, including wide-coverage CCD cameras, IR...
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ESCAP launches Asia-Pacific mechanism on drought monitoring and early warning Mon Sep 20 2010The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), launched in to service a Regional Cooperative Mechanism on Drought Monitoring and Early Warning in Nanjing, China. The Mechanism provides satellite products for general drought monitoring and higher resolution products for identified high drought risk areas, and assists its members in developing localized...
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DMCii-led project exploits satellites to strengthen UK disaster response Thu Sep 16 2010The project is being run by a consortium of five organisations: DMCii takes the lead role, with Infoterra Ltd supporting the Earth observation components, Avanti Communications taking the satellite communications role, Nottingham Scientific Ltd working on satellite navigation and the British Geological Survey providing additional expertise on geohazards. The system will be used for all types...
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Flood mapping for Pakistan by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development Tue Aug 31 2010ICIMOD has taken up rapid response mapping for the flood affected areas in three provinces with the support from Sentinel-Asia partners and the request received from UN-SPIDER SpaceAid to support SUPARCO, Pakistan. A wide range of flood products focusing on different aspects of flood impact have been generated on a daily basis to support the space-agency and other relevant teams involved in...
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China launches "Mapping Satellite-I" Wed Aug 25 2010China successfully launched a new mapping satellite, "Mapping Satellite-I", from the northwestern Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center at 3:10 p.m. Beijing time on Aug. 24. The satellite, which was launched on a Long March-2D carrier rocket, had entered into the preset orbit, according to Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The "Mapping Satellite-I," which was developed by Dong...
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International Telecommunication Union Aids Pakistan Tue Aug 24 2010Geneva - ITU Secretary-General Hamadoun Touré has issued a global appeal for contributions to assist the flood-affected victims in Pakistan. ITU’s emergency telecommunications team is also working with the Government of Pakistan towards rehabilitating the telecommunication infrastructure, which has been rendered inoperative in many parts of the country. The floods ravaging Pakistan...
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SPOT 4 Availability in Russia Extended Mon Aug 16 2010ScanEx Research & Development Center (Russia) and French Spot Image (France) have signed an agreement, entitling ScanEx with exclusive rights starting late July 2010 to distribute SPOT 4 satellite data over the territory of Russia and Belarus. Granting of exclusive rights to ScanEx to operate with SPOT 4 data expands the possibilities of operating with satellite data and ensures a high degree...
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ISRO Launches Gagan Satellite Navigation System Mon Aug 16 2010The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has launched the GPS-supported Geo Augmented Navigation (Gagan) satellite navigation system to aid Indian air traffic, the organization announced Aug. 12. Gagan, based on a constellation of 24 satellites positioned in six different orbital locations, aims to provide seamless coverage of air traffic from South Asia to Africa and connect to the systems...
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FAO Launches Real Time Fire Monitoring Website Fri Aug 13 2010Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a new online portal on fire information and real time monitoring to help countries to control fire effectively and protect property and natural resources. The new Global Fire Information Management System (GFIMS) detects fire hotspots from satellites operated by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)....
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Remote Sensing of the Forests of Belize Wed Aug 11 2010CATHALAC and NASA in collaboration with the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment of Belize have completed a remote sensing-based assessment of deforestation and forest cover dynamics of Belize. The study has been validated, and covers 1980 through 2010 (it includes mapping of 1980, 1989, 1994, 2000, 2004, and 2010). CATHALAC intends to continue collaboration with Belize's Ministry of...
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NASA Instrument Tracks Pollution from Russian Fires Mon Aug 9 2010Drought and the worst heat wave Russia has seen in 130 years have sparked a devastating outbreak of wildfires across the nation this summer, primarily in the country's western and central regions. According to wire service reports and Russia's Emergency Situations Ministry, as of Aug. 6, 2010, some 558 fires were burning. The fires have killed at least 52 people, destroyed some 2,000 homes and...
