Through a series of case studies, EARSC aims to gather quantitative evidence that the usage of Copernicus Sentinel data provides an effective and convenient support to various market applications. These studies are undertaken in the frame of the project “Showcasing the benefits brought by the usage of Sentinels data to society, environment and economy: a bottom-up assessment based on traceable impacts along selected value chains”, under an assignment from the European Space Agency (ESA) funded by the European Union as part of the Copernicus Programme.
Each case study analysed in SEBS, focuses on products and services which use data coming from Sentinel satellites, measuring the impact of that product or service throughout the value chain. The starting point is the primary user of the satellite data, followed by a step-by-step analysis whereby the operations of beneficiaries in each subsequent link of the value chain are analysed, all the way down to citizens and society.
In this process, the main aim is to understand and demonstrate the value which is generated using satellite-based Earth Observations (EO) and particularly the data coming from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites. Each case study thus underlines the causal relationship between the use of Copernicus Sentinel satellite data and benefits resulting from their use, including increased productivity, more efficient and environmentally-friendly operations, economic gains and improved quality of life, among others. The evaluated and demonstrated benefits can be used:
• By policymakers to justify the investments which have been made into the Copernicus programme,
• By space agencies to demonstrate that the technology for which they have public responsibility is capable of delivering strong, beneficial results,
• By other public agencies which are using EO data and services to meet their operational requirements, e.g. the European Environment Agency (EEA) and European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA),
• By the European Association of Remote Sensing Companies (EARSC) to promote the capabilities of the industry and the strong benefits which can result from the use of the services its members deliver,
• By companies to promote their capabilities and the power of their products and services.
In the framework of this project, 20 case studies are planned with reports to be published on each one. The study started in March 2017 and will end in mid-2024.