- March 19, 2009
- Posted by: EARSC
- Category: EARSC News
Rome, Italy – From “Sat Expo 2009”. Probable share entry by an Abu Dhabi company
(WAPA) – e-Geos is a joint-venture having as principal shareholders the Italian Space Agency (ASI) with 25% and Telespazio (a Finmeccanica/Thales company) with 53% (Efibanca Engineering Spa, Eurimage and Vitrociset detained the remaining capital) with the mission to promote and commercialize the products of the COSMO-SkyMed programme. The company was created following a Europe-wide search by ASI to identify a partner to develop the commercial market for Earth Observation data and products.
The satellite data market is a fast growing one and satellite data are becoming a major source of geo-spatial information for the management of natural resources, territorial planning, emergency prevention and management, and security. The COSMO-SkyMed programme opened up a new era of operational applications, particularly in the field of near-real-time monitoring, thanks to its “Guaranteed” data acquisition capabilities (i.e. during the day, at night and in all weather conditions), their high frequency (every 3-6 hours) and the continuity of service ensured by having a constellation of four satellites.
In January 2009 e-Geos signed a contract worth 180 million Euro with Luxembourg based company 4C Satellite Images & Technologies SA (4C) for the exclusive transfer of the marketing rights of the Earth observation radar data from the Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellites in North Africa-Middle East and South East Asia. Under contracts, the two companies will negotiate and sign prior to July 31, 2009 an ancillary agreement to distribute COSMO-SkyMed products in substantially all other African Countries.
During the conference “Europe and space geopolitics”, ASI extraordinary commissioner Enrico Saggese, announced the probable share entry by an Abu Dhabi company that wound intend to take over 7% of e-Geos.
(050) 090319165749-1101510 (World Aeronautical Press Agency – 2009-03-19 04:57 pm)