The Space Applications Institute - 1996 Annual Report
The Space Applications Institute (SAI) of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre has recently published its annual report for 1996. The objective of the SAI is to generate timely and accurate information from remote sensing and space systems to support the sectorial policies of the EU concerning agriculture, forestry, environment, development and regional aid. They also work to promote, disseminate and support remote sensing applications and services in industry, research institutions and government organisations. The work of the SAI during 1996 was spread over four domains: - Institutional research; - Institutional support; - Competitive activities; - Exploratory research. This work was mainly accomplished through the development of large applications projects. Examples of these included the Centre for Earth Observation programme, the monitoring of agriculture with remote sensing and tropical forest monitoring. During 1996, the Institute also addressed the use of synergistic use of remote sensing with other key space technologies, satellite telecommunications and satellite navigation. The Institute also consolidated its involvement in competitive work and submitted 19 proposals in six different programmatic areas of the Fourth Framework Programme and was successful in ten of these proposals. In addition the Institute also secured major involvement in the EU's PHARE project on economic aid to certain Central and Eastern European countries.