Nokia launches global Ad campaign for GPS-enabled N82 handset

“The Urbanista Diaries,” is the new global campaign by Nokia to promote the recently launched Nokia N82 that features a 5 megapixel camera and integrated GPS. The campaign engages bloggers, journalists, and everyday people to promote the phone.

3D-Laser Scanning possible up to 2000m

RIEGL has recently launched 3D laser scanner LMS-Z620, especially optimised for long range topography and mining applications. It is providing a maximum measurement range of 2000m on natural targets and a reduced beam divergence of just 0.15 mrad, performance data which are unrivalled in the market of high-speed laser scanners. It has RiSCAN PRO´s backsighting and Multi Station Adjustment functionality as well. www.riegl.com

ESA confirms SSTL’s GIOVE-A full mission success

GIOVE-A, the first satellite in the Galileo satellite navigation system celebrates 27 months in orbit this month, marking the completion of its nominal mission lifetime. The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that the pioneering Medium-Earth Orbit satellite is a “full mission success” and has contracted SSTL to continue operations for an additional year as the satellite continues to perform and provide valuable Galileo services. Under a 28M euros contract, the 660kg satellite was developed by SSTL for the ESA.

The primary mission was to secure the Galileo frequency filings at the International Telecommunications Union. The satellite also played a crucial role as a test-bed for the Galileo payload units, providing a representative signal-in-space for ground-based experimentation with Galileo signals and characterizing the radiation environment for the Medium Earth Orbit which will be used by all future Galileo satellites. Following successful launch and commissioning, the GIOVE-A team undertook an intensive six-week payload in-orbit test campaign using the 25m dish at the Science Technology and Facilities Council Chilbolton station. Through these activities ESA was able to claim the frequency filings three months before the license expired.

Since commissioning the satellite has achieved a remarkably high operational availability with signals being broadcast for 99.8% of the time over the last year. The primary atomic clock, fundamental to all future Galileo satellites in providing highly accurate positioning and time reference signals, has been operating continuously since June 2007. Thirteen sensor stations around the world are used by ESA to track GIOVE-A and GPS navigation signals and these have demonstrated that Galileo will be a highly accurate navigation system. www.gpsdaily.com

Brazil to deepen Space Cooperation with China

According to Carlos Ganem , head of the Brazilian Space Agency, Brazil will deepen cooperation with China in the field of space technology. The jointly-developed satellite helped Brazil better monitor the deforestation in the Amazon region, which can provide useful information on Brazil’s environmental protection efforts. www.spacedaily.com

“FLAIR Act” introduced in US House

A bill to develop a current, accurate Federal cadastre to inventory all Federal real property has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, earning praise from MAPPS, the national association of private geospatial firms. The FLAIR Act authorizes the Department of the Interior to not only compile an inventory of Federal land ownership but also provides for conducting an inventory of current inventories to eliminate duplication and save tax dollars. www.MAPPS.org.

Study on Galileo services consolidation
The European GNSS Supervisory Authority has issued a call for tenders for a study on Galileo service consolidation. The general aim of the project is to conduct a critical review of the current Galileo integrity baseline concept, based on the evolution of integrity requirements for Galileo, and receive proposals for new global Galileo integrity concepts. For details visit: http://ted.europa. eu/udl?uri=TED:NOTICE:039425- 2008:TEXT:EN:HTML

Iran’s space ambitions ride on Safir
Iran has successfully recently launched a sub-orbital rocket called Safir (Envoy). The payload that was launched by Safir sent real-time data back to earth from about 250 km. Next, a satellite called Omid (Hope) will be placed in a near-polar orbit satellite, at an altitude of 650 km and will pass over Iran six times every 24 hours.

Jharkhand state in India goes online at the grassroots level
Common service centres would be set up at each of the 4,562 panchayats in the state by soon where villagers can avail services like registration of certificates, filing commercial taxes among others. According to R. S. Sharma, Secretary of IT, 3000 of such centres has already been set up. Use of GIS for digital mapping of districts shall also be done to locate the villages and also to calculate
the amount of rainfall an area receives in a year to facilitate irrigation. Water harvesting mapping using GIS shall also be emphasised. www.telegraphindia.com/

India orders over one hundred SIGMA 95 navigation systems
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) of India has just ordered from Sagem Défense Sécurité (SAFRAN Group) more than 100 SIGMA 95N navigation systems. These systems will be used on the Indian Air Force Sukhoi fighters and the Tejas fighters from the Indian LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) program. SIGMA 95N is a standalone inertial laser gyro navigation system with integrated GPS/Glonass. It brings highprecision navigation and a high degree of operating flexibility to combat aircraft.

2.2 million cars in Europe have a telematics device
According to Berg Insight, 2.2 million passenger cars in Europe had an on-board telematics device at the end of 2007. It forecasts that the major breakthrough for telematics in Europe will come with the introduction of the eCall system proposed by the EC, which holds a high probability of becoming a reality in the early 2010s. berginsight.com