British National Space Centre (BNSC) – A Government Partnership for Civil Space

1. CEOS Calibration & Validation Working Group Plenary 12th June 2007 UK Earth Observation in a National & International Context Presentation by Arwyn Davies BNSC British National Space Centre (BNSC) – A Government Partnership for Civil Space Space for Science, Enterprise & Environment

2. International Collaboration in Earth Observation The International space community has been cooperating for 20+ years through CEOS. The UK is proud to have been a proactive member from its inception, having chaired the group in 1992 & 2005. …………And here we are today continuing this tradition

3. The Value of International Collaboration in Earth Observation • It is well understood that space is highly technical, diverse and expensive. • In order to benefit from space - coordination, cooperation and collaboration is required to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort • And to realise the full potential of the data collected, Calibration and validation is essential

4. BNSC – A Government Partnership for Civil Space • British National Space Centre (BNSC) • Membership • DTI, DfES, DfT, MoD, FCO, DeFRA, NERC, STFC & Met Office • BNSC Space Plan Objectives • to enhance the UK's standing in astronomy, planetary and environmental sciences;  • to stimulate increased productivity by promoting the use of space in government, science and commerce; and  • to develop innovative space systems, to deliver sustainable improvement in the quality of life.

5. Presentation Structure The following slides provide a Brief overview of Earth Observation space activities in the UK • National activities • ESA Activities • Other International • Summary

6. 1. National Activities

7. National Activities • National activities are undertaken by individual BNSC partners • BNSC helps to coordinate national activities and reports to a Space Board comprising of BNSC partners who review and help to prioritise activities • National activities are aimed at preparatory work that will help to support UK bids into international programmes

8. National Activities (1) – Disaster Monitoring Constellation • UK success story • national ‘seed funding’ provided to build and fly a small optical satellite demonstrator -DMC • Leading to export contracts with Algeria, Nigeria, China and Turkey. (Spain & Nigeria sat 2) • Current constellation of 5 satellites providing daily images for applications including disaster monitoring • Negotiating with ESA on becoming a TPM • The UK is a member of the International Charter for Space and Major Disasters

9. National Activities (2) – Centre of Earth Observation Instrumentation (CEOI) • The UK is currently establishing the CEOI to help develop UK scientific and industrial expertise and bring them together for the design of future instrument development • Interaction between science and industry is acknowledged as a vital and important element in establishing long term UK expertise and capability if we are to rise to the challenges ahead. • The CEOI will help to focus UK expertise and prioritise those areas of UK strengths through a variety of mechanisms.

10. National Activities (3) – Government Information for the Space sector (GIFTSS) • What is it? • An initiative to encourage usage of space sector products • Driven by user’s policy needs • User involvement is a key part • How Does It Work (broadly)? • A BNSC-supplied facilitator works with potential users to identify areas where space may be helpful • Test project(s) are run in order to demonstrate/explore concepts • User develops product further • Impartiality,confidentiality & risk reduction are important • Expert Assessors supplied and funded by BNSC • Early stages not public; industry not involved before project stage

11. National Activities (4) – NERC Centres of Excellence The NERC centres of excellence do world class environmental research using earth observation data and models. They act as focus points for collaboration and training and focal in the following areas; National Centre Earth observation (NCEO) Centre for Observation of Air-Sea Interactions & Fluxes Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling Centre for Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics Centre for the Observation & Modelling of Earthquakes & Tectonics Climate & Land-Surface Systems Interaction Centre Data Assimilation Research Centre Environmental Systems Science Centre

12. 2. ESA Activities

13. The UK Membership of ESA • A significant amount of the UK’s space investment is channelled through its membership of ESA in support of EO, Sat Comms, Nav, space science and EUMETSAT for Met services • To reinforce the BNSC’s active participation in ESA programmes, these national activities, help to underpin areas in support of UK expertise • The UK is a large contributor to the Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP) aimed at the development and data acquisition primarily for scientific requirements.

14. SMOS GOCE Cryosat ADM - Aeolus SWARM EarthCare ESA EOEP The following missions are currently being prepared within this programme

15. Global Monitoring For Environment and Security (GMES) • GMES is a joint EC-ESA initiative designed to deliver data and information services to underpin the development of EU environment and ‘security’ policy which is supported by a combination of satellite and in-situ data collection activities. • Within the ESA GMES Space Component are a series of operational satellite missions (‘SENTINELS’) that will maintain long-term data sets (for example: ocean surface topography, environmental monitoring, urban and subsidence mapping, land use).

16. Weather Monitoring & Prediction MeteoSat Second Generation (MSG) Mission • History……. • 1st series – 7 satellites (MeteoSat 1 - Nov 1977) • 2nd series – 3 MSG satellites • 3rd Series – MTG and post EPS (Phase A) • MetOp Series – 3 satellites • (MetOp-A launched October 06) • Built by ESA - Operated by EUMETSAT... • MSG Carrying the Geostationary Earth Radiation Budget (GERB) instrument. Built by a UK consortium

17. 3. Other International Activities

18. National Activities – International Cooperation Programme (ICP) • This is a programme that helps to identify and support appropriate experts to represent the UK on international committees • The Programme helps to: • promote the worldwide use of EO data, ensuring that it's available and usable to all; • help plan for environmental and disaster initiatives; and • nurture the UK's EO industry - identifying potential openings in international markets.

19. The UK in the International Arena The UK plays an important role in International Affairs as an active participant in: • Group on Earth Observation GEO & the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) • Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) & the Integrated Global Observing Strategy (IGOS) • International Charter for Disaster Management

20. In the Context of Group on EO & its Global EO System of Systems Implementation Plan • GEO is an organization dedicated to developing and instituting a Global Earth Observation System of Systems, or GEOSS. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, GEO Co-Chair for the United States, U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere • UK has participated in GEO and the EO summits • It is a politically driven international organisation focussed on monitoring the Earth • it has identified 9 societal benefit areas on which to focus its efforts • CEOS is developing its work plan so that it is the GEO recognised space component

21. CEOS • Voluntaryorganisation of space agencies to help coordinate cooperation of the earth observation Space component • Overseen through the CEOS secretariat (USGS led) • Implemented through its Strategic Implementation Team (SIT) – ESA led • proactively working through its working groups • WGCal/Val • WGISS (Working Group on Information systems & services • WGEdu Working Group Training & Education • Annual CEOS Plenary

22. International Charter for Disaster Management • This is a Voluntary organisation • Free access to EO (optical and SAR) images in aftermath of disasters (e.g. flood, tsunami, oil spill, earthquake, hurricane) • 9 members including UK • Activated in UK by DfID & CO-CCS • UK joined Charter in 2005 • DMCii on Executive Secretariat – Charter operations & access to DMC satellites. • BNSC on Board – Charter policy • BNSC to chair the group from October 2007 for 6 months

23. 4. Summary

24. Summary and Conclusions • BNSC supports Earth Observation activities both nationally and internationally for both operational and scientific requirements. • Data quality, calibration and validation is extremely important to obtaining maximum benefit and accuracy • International organisations such as CEOS provide a focus to allow the global space communities to come together and cooperate to address global needs • BNSC is pleased that the UK is hosting the WGCV Plenary and able to lend its support to the international community.