Oxfam UKOxfam UK

Satellite Technology in Satellite Technology in EmergenciesEmergencies

Potential?Potential?

• Mobilising for an emergency response is Mobilising for an emergency response is often conducted against a background often conducted against a background of uncertainties.of uncertainties.

• Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, flooding, military action and other flooding, military action and other events are mostly unpredictable.events are mostly unpredictable.

• Time is Lives!Time is Lives!• Timely satellite information could be Timely satellite information could be

very important. A same day service very important. A same day service might be possible?might be possible?

University of Surrey ~ University of Surrey ~ UniSUniS

• The University builds small satellites via a The University builds small satellites via a company known as Surrey Satellite company known as Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL). SSTL is a Technology Limited (SSTL). SSTL is a commercial organisation under the commercial organisation under the ownership of the University.ownership of the University.

• CEHE is a WHO Collaborating Centre and CEHE is a WHO Collaborating Centre and has been pleased to collaborate & has been pleased to collaborate & research widely with the Relief Agency research widely with the Relief Agency Community. Brian Clarke is totally non-Community. Brian Clarke is totally non-commercial and attempts to do things at commercial and attempts to do things at little or no cost to relief agencies.little or no cost to relief agencies.

Experienced Pairing?Experienced Pairing?

• SSTL is actually building and SSTL is actually building and launching the first launching the first Disaster Disaster Monitoring ConstellationMonitoring Constellation (DMC) at (DMC) at this time!this time!

• CEHE has completed satellite CEHE has completed satellite technology linked projects in the technology linked projects in the past.past.

Typical CEHE Research ProjectTypical CEHE Research Project

• Land use assessment in St Lucia Land use assessment in St Lucia carried out using Spot and LandSat carried out using Spot and LandSat images.images.

• Ground truth verification at 40 sites.Ground truth verification at 40 sites.• Image processing and classification Image processing and classification

into 15 land use/cover categories.into 15 land use/cover categories.• Objectives included to support Objectives included to support

catchment protection for catchment protection for sustainable water supply.sustainable water supply.

Decisions 1 ?Decisions 1 ?

• Where? How big? How many? Where? How big? How many? Predicted conditions? Water supply?Predicted conditions? Water supply? There are periods in an emergency There are periods in an emergency where where timetime is a critical factor and is a critical factor and decision making can only be crudely decision making can only be crudely aimed at saving lives.aimed at saving lives.

• Decision making often has to be Decision making often has to be taken against a background of taken against a background of uncertainties.uncertainties.

Decisions 2?Decisions 2?

• Can satellite surveillance help at Can satellite surveillance help at the moment?the moment?

• Satellite surveillance is a Satellite surveillance is a rapidly rapidly changing technology, what about changing technology, what about the next generation?the next generation?

• What about the Constellation?What about the Constellation?

Data Processing System SSTL - UniS

Data Interpretation System:CEHE - UniS

Report to Relief AgenciesGIS

System?G

Current Micro-satellite Current Micro-satellite TechnologyTechnology

• Could spot flooding, earthquakes, Could spot flooding, earthquakes, volcano eruptions, drought, large scale volcano eruptions, drought, large scale human activity.human activity.

• The next generation of satellites will The next generation of satellites will spot small congregations of people.spot small congregations of people.

• Very good at determining catchment Very good at determining catchment characteristics.characteristics.

• Skill in data interpretation very Skill in data interpretation very important.important.

Selection of Source WaterSelection of Source Water

• Catchment surveillance an Catchment surveillance an important matter.important matter.

• Recognise the impact of other Recognise the impact of other factors on water treatment and factors on water treatment and supply.supply.

• Never forget the environmental Never forget the environmental footprint of watsan activities.footprint of watsan activities.

SURREY SPACE CLUB

Surrey Small Satellites and

International Collaboration

SSTL has

• built and launched 20 satellites in 20 years

• trained 12 nations to design & build their own satellite

Satellites offer global Satellites offer global monitoringmonitoring

• Disaster Monitoring Disaster Monitoring – Flood, Drought, Landslide, Tsunami, Flood, Drought, Landslide, Tsunami,

Earthquake, Volcanoes, CycloneEarthquake, Volcanoes, Cyclone

• Disaster AssessmentDisaster Assessment– Central Government & Central Government &

Insurance CompaniesInsurance Companies

• Dynamic Earth Observation Dynamic Earth Observation ((fast changing phenomenafast changing phenomena))– Oil leakage & pollution, Drug crops, Oil leakage & pollution, Drug crops,

Agriculture, Oil pipelines, Forest, WaterAgriculture, Oil pipelines, Forest, Water

• Single satellites provide inadequate revisit times

• Constellations have been too financially demanding

EO systems in operationEO systems in operationSatelliteSatellite Revisit Revisit

timetimeVisible & NIR Visible & NIR

resolution resolution (GSD)(GSD)

ThermThermal al

InfrareInfraredd

Hyper Hyper spectralspectral

SynthetiSyntheticAperturcAperture Radare Radar

Radar Radar altimeteraltimeter

JERS-1JERS-1 44 days44 days 24m24m

LANDSAT -5LANDSAT -5 17 days17 days 30m30m

SPOT-3SPOT-3 14 days14 days 20m20m

LANDSAT-7LANDSAT-7 17 days17 days 30m30m

SPOT-4SPOT-4 14 days14 days 20m20m

ENVISATENVISAT 17 days17 days 30m30m

IkonosIkonos 12 days12 days 1m1m

RADARSATRADARSAT 10 days10 days

DMCDMC 1 day1 day 32m32m

World-wide efforts on World-wide efforts on International Global Observing International Global Observing

SystemSystem

• Co-ordinating existing satellite resourcesCo-ordinating existing satellite resources

• ESA & CNES Charter for Disaster MonitoringESA & CNES Charter for Disaster Monitoring

• CEOS & IGOSCEOS & IGOS

• EC GMESEC GMES

• Independent EC study concludes that Independent EC study concludes that constellation of low cost small satellites is only constellation of low cost small satellites is only viable solution to achieve frequent revisitviable solution to achieve frequent revisit

First constellation First constellation implemented - DMCimplemented - DMC

Disaster Monitoring ConstellationDisaster Monitoring Constellation– 5 - 7 satellites5 - 7 satellites– Multispectral imagerMultispectral imager– 600km swath width600km swath width– 32m ground sampling distance 32m ground sampling distance – Daily revisitDaily revisit

Novel international partnershipNovel international partnership– Each satellite owned by one nationEach satellite owned by one nation

DMC partnersDMC partners

Space partners Algeria Nigeria UK China Thailand

Associate space partner Turkey

Disaster relief partner Reuters AlertNet

Aspiring space partner Vietnam

Market evaluation partner ESYS

DMC Image sizeDMC Image size A tile is the smallest unit.

2500 x 2500 pixels (approx 80 km x 80 km)

Ground size varies slightly dependent on position in swath.

approximate scale only

80x80km tiles

UoSAT-12 Onboard data storage

Sized for 11 minute downlink

Holds 24 tiles

Scenes of 4 tiles can be targeted 5 satellites – 400 - 600 image

tiles/day

What will the first DMC output be like?UoSAT-12: 32m 4-band (Paraguay)

Deforestation

Illegal crops?

Flooding would show very clearly

Reuters Alertnet – Reuters Alertnet – IndependentIndependent

Independent news agencyIndependent news agency– The Reuters Trust Principles state: The Reuters Trust Principles state:

“Reuters is dedicated to preserving its “Reuters is dedicated to preserving its independence, integrity and freedom independence, integrity and freedom from bias in the gathering and from bias in the gathering and dissemination of news and dissemination of news and information.”information.”

– Provide information to Provide information to Humanitarian Aid Agencies Humanitarian Aid Agencies

Coordinating image requestsCoordinating image requests Extracting informationExtracting information Add information to imagesAdd information to images Deliver via WebsiteDeliver via Website

– www.alertnet.orgwww.alertnet.orgPartne

r Detail

DMC Manufacture DMC Manufacture Schedule Schedule

ID Task Name

1 DMC Satellites Schedule2

3 DMC Design

4

5 ALSAT-1 Build

9 Launch #1 (ALSAT)

10

11 NigeriaSat-1 Build

15 UK-DMC Build

19 BilSat-1

24 Launch #2 (NigeriaSat, UK, BilSat)

25

26 Potential DMC + 4m Schedules

27 DMC + 4m Design

28 Chinese DMC Build

32 Vietnamese DMC Build

36 Launch #3 (China, Vietnam)

02/09

31/03

01/03

MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J J A S O N D J F MA M J2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Follow-on missionsFollow-on missions• Earthquake prediction Earthquake prediction

• Higher Resolution Optical Micro- & Mini-satellites Higher Resolution Optical Micro- & Mini-satellites

• SAR MinisatellitesSAR Minisatellites

• IR Imaging MinisatellitesIR Imaging Minisatellites

• Hyper-spectral MicrosatellitesHyper-spectral Microsatellites

• LEqO or NEqO MicrosatellitesLEqO or NEqO Microsatellites

• Navigation constellationsNavigation constellations

• Ocean colourOcean colour

• Re-build commercially viable constellationsRe-build commercially viable constellations

Call for participation every three years for low cost small satellite constellations

Small nations/organisations play an important role in space

Small nations/organisations play an important role in space

Last ThoughtsLast Thoughts

• The Disaster Monitoring Constellation is The Disaster Monitoring Constellation is going to be launched. It represents a new going to be launched. It represents a new way. Do we want to talk with the way. Do we want to talk with the stakeholders?stakeholders?

• If we give active support (non-financial) to If we give active support (non-financial) to a CEHE~SSTL bid for research funds it a CEHE~SSTL bid for research funds it may be possible to use DMC 1 technology may be possible to use DMC 1 technology to develop a system for data processing to develop a system for data processing and interpretation that gives a and interpretation that gives a timelytimely view of major emergencies.view of major emergencies.

Last Thoughts 2Last Thoughts 2

• What about DMC 2?What about DMC 2?• Control over some systems prevent Control over some systems prevent

satellite scenes of “Jenin” style satellite scenes of “Jenin” style emergencies from being available.emergencies from being available.

• The next generation of small satellites The next generation of small satellites will provide a much higher resolution (1-will provide a much higher resolution (1-2m?) and could be designed to see 2m?) and could be designed to see through cloudthrough cloud

• (via SAR etc.)(via SAR etc.)

Last Thoughts 3Last Thoughts 3

• Should we seek to promote the concept Should we seek to promote the concept of a Euro-constellation that has only of a Euro-constellation that has only educational, non-commercial and educational, non-commercial and humanitarian applications.humanitarian applications.

• Individual satellites would need to be Individual satellites would need to be funded by partner countries?funded by partner countries?