Synergy of satellite telecommunications and earth observation
The European Commission's Joint Research Centre has published an invitation to tender for three studies on synergies between satellite telecommunications and earth observation, within its Centre for Earth Observation (CEO) programme. The CEO has recently initiated a new activity named ASTRON (Applications on the synergy of satellite telecommunications, earth observation and navigation). ASTRON is investigating ways to exploit the synergy between the three main space applications, namely telecommunications, navigation and earth observation. Synergy of earth observation with satellite communications will enable more rapid and cost-effective information dissemination, while synergy of earth observation with satellite navigation leads to more accurate measurements. The three study contracts covered by this invitation to tender are as follows: - A: Support for concept development: synergy of earth observation applications and satellite telecommunications; - B: Feasibility study: worldwide distribution of vegetation data over satellite; - C: Feasibility study: distribution of meteorological data over satellite. Please note that this invitation to tender applies only to the synergy of earth observation applications with satellite communications and not with satellite navigation. Proposals may be submitted for one or more of the three studies, but each study should be the subject of a separate proposal. The studies should be completed by the end of November 1998. Tender documents may be obtained from: European Commission Joint Research Centre Mr. P. Churchill TP 441 I-21020 Ispra (VA) Tel. +39-332-785425; Fax +39-332-785461 E-mail: ceo.helpdesk@jrc.it