European Space Imaging & Indra Espacio successfully complete multi-year supply project to the Spanish Ministry of Defense
European Space Imaging, a leading provider of very high-resolution satellite imagery,
and Indra Espacio, a leading company in the Spanish space sector today announced
that the two companies successfully completed a multi-year supply project to the
Spanish Ministry of Defense.
The supply project, with Indra Espacio as main contractor, started in September
2008 and involved the provision of more than 1.2 million km² of very high-resolution
satellite imagery to the Cartographic Coordination Service for the Multinational
Geospatial Co-production Program (MGCP) initiative.
Twenty-eight countries are working together in this multinational program under the
coordination of the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Indra Espacio,
in cooperation with European Space Imaging supplies images for 124 1ºx1º cells with
quality certificates.
The satellite imagery was provided by European Space Imaging, the only company in
Europe that owns and operates regional ground receiving stations for direct tasking
and data downlink from commercial, very high-resolution optical satellites.
European Space Imaging supplied more than 13 Terabyte of data. Indra Espacio
was in charge of satellite image quality control, using their complete workflow for
image acquisition, cataloguing image processing and quality acceptance tests. The
Cartographic Coordination Service of the Spanish MoD used the data for vector
data extraction in a scale of 1:50,000 according to the MGCP Technical Reference
Documentation (TRD) for international interoperability between the different national
co-producers of this cartography.
Through multinational cooperation MGCP seeks to provide geospatial information to
all participating countries concerning different areas of the planet. This information
will be useful for coordinating responses in the event of natural catastrophes or
humanitarian crises and will also contribute to the assessment of the natural
resources of a given area.
“The Cartographic Coordination Service (CCS) of the Spanish Ministry of
Defense is responsible for carrying out the MCGP initiative of Spain. We are
very pleased with the timelines and quality of the data delivery through European
Space Imaging and Indra Espacio” said Colonel Justo Bernaldo de Quirós, chief of
the CCS.
“We have succeeded in this challenge in time and quality thanks to our robust
image processing chain and skills” said Indra Espacio’s Remote Sensing Director
Victoriano Moreno.
“EUSI is proud to have contributed to yet another key MGCP project in Europe and
enjoyed working with the Spanish Ministry of Defense and our close business
partner INDRA. The customer’s trust in us emphasizes once again our capability
to deliver large volumes of very high resolution satellite imagery in a consistent
manner and ahead of schedule.” said European Space Imaging’s General Manager
Adrian Zevenbergen.
About European Space Imaging
European Space Imaging (EUSI) is a leading supplier of very high-resolution satellite imagery
to customers in Europe and North Africa. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in
Munich, Germany. EUSI is the only European satellite data provider that operates its own very
high-resolution satellite ground station for direct satellite tasking and local data downlink.
In 2010, EUSI, its parent company Space Imaging Middle East and DigitalGlobe, a leading
provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and services, formed the
WorldView Global Alliance. The Alliance was created to provide the best customer service
and fastest access to global very high-resolution satellite imagery worldwide, together with the
broadest conditions and an extensive product range
EUSI supports a comprehensive network of commercial partners throughout Europe and
North Africa. The company also maintains long-term, direct relations with the major European
and international institutions working in disaster management, national and regional security,
environmental monitoring and mapping.
About Indra Espacio
Indra Espacio has been active for more than 30 years in the satellite-based communications,
teledetection, control and satellite navigation markets. During all these years, it has proved
its capacity to manage and plan development, delivery and maintenance of ground complex
systems, either for the civil or military sector. The company maintains a growing international
presence and has developed projects in more than 20 countries.
Indra Espacio is a subsidiary of Indra, the premier Information Technology company in Spain
and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. Indra is ranked as the second
European company in its sector according to stock market capitalisation, and also the second
Spanish company with the most investment in R&D. In 2009, revenues reached € 2,513 M, of
which a third came from the international market. The company employs more than 29,000
professionals and has clients in more than 100 countries.
About the Cartographic Coordination Service of the Spanish MoD.
The Cartographic Coordination Service (CCS) is responsible for the drawing up of the Armed
Forces Cartographic Plan, and coordinates the activities of the cartographic centers in the Army,
Navy and Air Forces.
It leads also the participation of the Spanish Ministry of Defense in other geospatial projects
carried out in cooperation with other National and International Organizations, and promotes
agreements for technical cooperation and exchange of geospatial data and materials between
the Spanish Ministry of Defense and geospatial agencies of other countries.
