Imaging

Remote sensing technology for govt property valuation

A MoU was signed by the Valuation and Property Service Department (JPPH) and Malaysian Remote Sensing Agency (ARSM), JPPH director general Datuk Abd Hamid Abu Bakar said the collaboration was done based on the success of a pilot project in the federal territory in accelerating and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the valuation process. He said the pilot project was successful and had an impact in accelerating and improving the efficiency and effectiveness in the proses of property evaluation. www.thesundaily.my

Singapore moves to develop satellite and space technology industry

Singapore is making a major push to develop its satellite and space technology industry. Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office and Second Minister for Trade and Industry S Iswaran announced the setting up of an inter-agency office to oversee the development of Singapore’s local space industry. The Economic Development Board (EDB), together with participating ministries and agencies, have formed the Office for Space Technology and Industry or OSTIn. They include the Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Ministry of Defence (MINDEF), Ministry of Education (MOE), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the National Research Foundation (NRF). www.channelnewsasia.com/

Vietnam to launch $70 million satellite

The satellite VNREDSat – 1A will be launched into space by Ariane Space’s Vega rocket from the Guiana Space Centre, European Space Agency (ESA), in Guyana, South America. It is designed by French satellite maker Astrium. It is an optical observation satellite. The 120 kg satellite can helps the management agencies to make early warnings to people about disaster. The VNREDSat-1A satellite project has an investment of more than $70 million, from the French government’s ODA loans and reciprocal capital of Vietnam. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/

Astrium seeks for non-European Partner for its next EOS

Astrium is seeking for a partner to develop its new geostationary Earth observation satellite, the GO-3S. It is reaching out to countries outside of Europe to help finance this venture. The company has indicated that Singapore could be one of the possible countries interested in the GO-3S. www.satellitetoday.com/

Image Sensors Market worth $10.75 Billion – 2018

According to a new market research report “Image Sensors Market Analysis & Forecast (2013 – 2018): By Applications (Healthcare (Endoscopy, Radiology, Ophthalmology), Surveillance, Automobile, Consumer, Defense, Industrial)); Technology (CCD, CMOS, Contact IS, Infrared, X-Ray) And Geography” ,published by MarketsandMarkets, the value of image sensor market was $8.00 billion in 2012 and is expected to reach $10.75 billion in 2018, at an estimated CAGR of 3.84% from 2013 to 2018. In terms of volume, the total number of image sensors shipped is estimated to be 1.6 billion in 2013 and is expected to reach 3 billion by 2018. www.marketsandmarkets.com/

Forest cover is 7%, survey dispels fears

Kenya’s forest cover is higher than previously thought after the Kenya Forestry Service conducted a mapping using remote sensing. Forestry and Wildlife Minister Noah Wekesa indicated that an accurate figure of the forest cover is 6.6 per cent, not less than two percent as had been previously estimated. This means the country is more likely to reach 10 per cent forest cover required by the Constitution. Using GIS and Remote Sensing Laboratory, Kenya Forestry Service and Kenya Forestry Research Institute conducted a survey countrywide. www.standardmedia.co.ke/

Russia, Cuba to work together on space exploration

The Russian government will sign an agreement with Cuba on cooperation in space exploration for peaceful purposes, the Russian Cabinet of Ministers said in a report posted on its website. The agreement between the Russian and Cuban governments is aimed at developing mutually profitable cooperation between the two countries in the sphere of space telecommunication technologies, satellite navigation, remote sensing of Earth, space medicine and biology, and the training of the Cuban staff. http://rbth.ru/news/

PSLV-C20 with 7 satellites including Indo-French SARAL launched

ISRO’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C20, successfully launched the joint Indo-French Satellite, SARAL, on February 25, 2013 in its twenty third flight from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. Six other satellites, namely, UNIBRITE (NLS 8.1) and BRITE (NLS 8.2) from Austria, SAPPHIRE and NEOSSAT from Canada, AAUSAT-3 (NLS 8.3) from Denmark; and STRaND-1 from the United Kingdom, have also been launched into their planned orbits along with SARAL. Satellite with Argos and Altika (SARAL) is an oceanographic satellite jointly developed by ISRO and the French Space Agency CNES. The satellite is built by ISRO, whereas CNES contributed the ARGOS and ALTIKA payloads. Data from SARAL will be useful for researchers besides having many practical applications like marine meteorology and sea state forecasting, climate monitoring, continental ice studies, environmental monitoring, protection of biodiversity and improvement in maritime security. www.isro.gov.in