NEWSBRIEFS – REMOTE SENSING

Jun 2005 | Comments Off

INDUSTRY | LBS | GPS | GIS | REMOTE SENSING | GALILEO UPDATE

Patong, Thailand gets disaster alert system

The first sites to broadcast warnings in the event of an emergency at Patong beach, Phuket will be operational this month as part of a national disaster early warning system, according to the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).

These will become the first of between 40 and 50 locations in six provinces facing the Andaman Sea with loudspeakers to broadcast information in the event of a natural disaster such as a tsunami wave.
http://www.bangkokpost.com

South Korea to have maritime observation satellite soon

South Korea will embark on a plan this month to develop a maritime observation satellite capable of providing data on waters surrounding the Korean Peninsula, reported South Korean Yonhap News Agency. The envisioned geostationary satellite will be jointly designed and constructed by the Korea Aerospace Research Institute, the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute and Astrium, a French satellite maker, Yonhap quoted the South Korean Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries as reporting.

The report said the satellite would be placed in a geostationary orbit over the equator. However, it did not disclose when the satellite would be completed or launched.
http://news.xinhuanet.com

Remote sensing center put on standby in Yemen

Minister of Telecommunications Abdul-Malik Al-Moallimi has announced that a remote sensing center will be set up as soon as the legal status of the center is completely established.

The minister said that the center would play a crucial role in locatinglocating and monitoring potential natural resources and environmental conditions. “At the instructions of the cabinet, we are working together with the Ministry of Legal Affairs to set up the center using the GIS, which will serve in expanding scientific research.”
http://www.yobserver.com

Islamic satellite for moon sighting

Saudi Arabia together with some Islamic countries are working on a pioneering project to launch a satellite, which will be used for moon sighting to decide accurate dates of religious rituals and festivals in the Islamic calendar.

A 15-member panel from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain has already decided in consultation with the Cairo University’s Space Studies Center to award the contract for manufacturing this first Islamic satellite to an Italian company at a cost of SR30 million.
http://www.arabnews.com

Now search satellite maps in Google

Google has unveiled a new feature that will enable its users to zoom in on homes and businesses using satellite images, an advance that may raise privacy concerns as well as intensify the competitive pressures on its rivals.

The satellite technology, which Google began offering at http://maps.google.com, is part of the package that the Mountain View-based company acquired when it bought digital mapmaker Keyhole Corp. for an undisclosed amount nearly six months ago. This marks the first time since the deal closed that Google has offered free access to Keyhole’s high-tech maps through its search engine. The satellite maps could unnerve some people, even as the technology impresses others.
That’s because the Keyhole technology is designed to provide close-up perspective of specific addresses.
http://www.detnews.com

ISRO to set up VRCs to provide info to rural mass

Indian Space Research Organisation would soon set up 25 Village Resource Centres across the country to provide locale-specific information to rural population through remote sensing satellites. VRCs would utilise the space system for a variety of applications to provide information on various fields such as land use, land cover, soil and ground water prospects, an ISRO report said.The facility would also enable online interaction between local farmers and agricultural scientists to discuss crop related problems and could provide critical information to fishermen such as sea state and wave heights, it said. http://netindia123.com

Kasturirangan selected for prestigious award

Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Chairman and the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS) Director, Dr K Kasturirangan has been selected for the prestigious Aryabhata Award-2003 in recognition of his outstanding lifetime contribution to aeronautics by the Aeronautical Society of India (ASI). http://www.deccanherald.com

India, Venezuela sign MOU on Space Cooperation

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on cooperation in space science and technology was signed recently between the Indian Department of Space (DOS) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) of Venezuela. Mr G Madhavan Nair, Chairman, Space Commission and Secretary, Department of Space of India, and Ms Marlene Yadira Cordova, Honourable Minister for Science and Technology of Venezuela signed the MOU in the presence of Dr Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister of India and Mr Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela.
http://www.spacedaily.com