China Navigation Map Market Report
According to China Navigation Map Market Report, 2008-2009, the Chinese car navigation market is in its early stage. In 2008, the market penetration rate of car navigation in China was only 4.56%, far lower than the 60% of Japan, and 20%-30% of both Europe and U.S.A. In 2008 a total of 3.1 million navigation devices were sold, more than double than that in 2007. www.pr-inside.com

Roadside assistance with SPOT satellite GPS messenger
SPOT Assist Roadside combines GPS and satellite communications technologies to deliver location-based messaging regardless of cellular network coverage. The “Help” button on the handheld SPOT Messenger can instantly alert a national roadside response centre of their location and need for roadside assistance from virtually anywhere in North America. The program includes fi ve roadside tows per year, up to 50 miles per tow, as well as auto-accident assistance, fuel delivery services, tyre repair etc. www.spot.com

Basic Act on the Advancement of Utilizing Geospatial Information was approved by the cabinet in Japan last year. It states the promotion of the various kinds of the applications of geodetic information in both private and public areas to realize the convenient and safe society. The supplementary budget to save the economical crises this year in Japan prepares a lot of money to promote the utilization of geographic information. In order to realize such society in near future,…

Galileo IOV launch services contract signed
ESA and Arianespace signed a contract for the launch of the fi rst four operational Galileo satellites on two Soyuz launch vehicles from Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana. ESA’s Director of the Galileo Programme and Navigation-related Activities, Mr René Oosterlinck, and the Chairman and CEO of Arianespace, Mr Jean-Yves Le Gall, signed the launch services contract in the presence of Mr Paul Verhoef, Programme Manager of EU Satellite Navigation Programmes at the European Commission. The Galileo In- Orbit Validation (IOV) Launch Services Contract covers the launch of the fi rst four operational Galileo satellites using two Soyuz launch vehicles that will lift off from the Guiana Space Centre (Centre Spatial Guyanais – CSG),

Chandrayaan-1 completes mission
The Indian Space Research Organisation has completed all the primary objectives of the Chandrayaan-1 lunar reconnaissance mission. The scientifi c objective of the spacecraft was remote sensing of the Moon in visible, near infra-red, low energy x-ray and high-energy x-ray regions. The intention is to prepare a 3-D atlas of both the near and far side of the moon, with a high spatial and altitude resolution – down to fi ve metres in the optical. www.isro.org

This conference is a milestone in our GSDI journey. The huge size of the conference program points to the relevance and level of interest in the subject areas of the conference partners. The conference has shown, once again, the essential requirement for the Association to partner in order to delivering credible outcomes, with INSPIRE and Geonovum at this event, as we did with FIG in GSDI 9.

Fifty months ago, the journey started.
With passion, confi dence and conviction.
All the while, we navigated through technology trends.
Raised issues and followed up.
Captured the pulse of the market.
Added dimensions to the domain (refer page number 16).
Presence was felt, impact is notable.
And the journey continues…

July 2009

Bentley Be Connected Online Seminars
23 July-30 Nov.
www.bentley.com/BeConnected

Study GIS at Hong Kong Polytechnic
The Department of Land Surveying and Geo-Informatics at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is now accepting applications for Master of Science/ Postgraduate Diploma in Geomatics (GIS/ Surveying). It is the longest running postgraduate program in GIS and the only one in Geomatics (Surveying) in Hong Kong. www.lsgi.polyu.edu.hk

Safe Navigation in Korea

In Korea, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs shall soon provide small ships off the coast of the Korean peninsula with differential GPS information through mobile phones and other personal devices. Until now small avoided using professional equipment because of the price of the hardware. http://english.mltm.go.kr