Press Release
Thursday, 13th September 2012
Disaster Monitoring Constellation is awarded AIAA Space Systems accolade
Sir Martin Sweeting, Executive Chairman and founder of Surrey Satellite Technology
Ltd (SSTL), yesterday accepted the 2012 American Institute of Aeronautics and
Astronautics (AIAA) Space Systems award for the Disaster Monitoring Constellation
(DMC).
The award, which was presented at the AIAA Space 2012 conference and exhibition
at the Pasadena Convention Center in California, recognises outstanding
achievements in the architecture, analysis, design, and implementation of space
systems. The DMC was nominated for the award by Dr. Jerry Sellers of Teaching
Science and Technology, Inc. in Colorado for ‘being an unprecedented example of
international cooperation in the application of space systems to the mitigation of
human suffering.”
Sir Martin said on receiving the award: ‘I’m delighted to accept this award recognising
the formation of the international Disaster Monitoring Constellation now in its 10th
year. The constellation is unique in its use of advanced microsatellites providing rapid
response Earth imaging and has become an immense humanitarian asset; showing
that in the competitive world of space, diverse countries can work together for the
good of mankind’.
The DMC was conceived in 1998 and formally proposed in 2000 following the Vienna
Declaration on Space and Human Development, which called specifically for the
implementation of an integrated, global system to manage natural disaster mitigation,
relief and prevention efforts through space activities. At that time, SSTL had lowered
the price tag of Earth Observation satellites to the point where governments and
organisations throughout the world could own an independent satellite. Sir Martin
Sweeting and his team at SSTL recognised the potential of a multi-satellite
constellation using these advanced small satellites to address disaster monitoring
from space.
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SSTL established the Disaster Monitoring Constellation with support from the former
British National Space Centre (BNSC). The first satellite AlSat-1, was launched in
2002 and soon joined by UK-DMC, NigeriaSat-1 and BILSAT-1 in 2003 to form the
original four-satellite constellation. The constellation has continued to evolve and
innovate and today there are currently five active members of the DMC; UK (SSTL),
Nigeria (NASRDA), Algeria (ASAL), China (BLMIT) and Spain (Deimos) that each
own an independent satellite, but pool their resources for disaster and commercial
imaging.
The SSTL subsidiary DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) was established in 2004
to coordinate constellation imaging for humanitarian and commercial needs in
partnership with the constellation members. DMCii works with the world’s Space
Agencies and the United Nations (UN) under the International Charter for Space and
Major Disasters to provide multi-spectral optical imagery during natural disasters and
has assisted relief efforts for disasters such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the
Wenchuan earthquake in 2008 and the Japanese Tsunami of 2011 – it has
responded to more than 170 Charter requests for disaster imagery.
The cost effective DMC small satellites and shared infrastructure provided a
springboard for countries such as Algeria and Nigeria to establish their national space
programmes and harness Earth observation to map and monitor resources and their
environment. By working together the constellation provides the ability to image any
point in the world on a daily basis, which has proved equally valuable for disaster
relief, agriculture and precision farming, or detecting illegal logging in the Amazon
rainforest.
About SSTL
Surrey Satellite Technology Limited (SSTL) is the world's leading small satellite
company, delivering operational space missions for a range of applications including
Earth observation, science and communications. The Company designs,
manufactures and operates high performance satellites and ground systems for a
fraction of the price normally associated with space missions, with 500 staff working
on turnkey satellite platforms, space-proven satellite subsystems and optical
instruments.
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Since 1981 SSTL has built and launched 39 satellites – as well as providing training
and development programmes, consultancy services, and mission studies for ESA,
NASA , international governments and commercial customers, with its innovative
approach that is changing the economics of space.
In 2008 the Company set up a US subsidiary, Surrey Satellite Technology
US LLC (SST-US) with facilities in Denver, Colorado to address the United States
market and its customers for the provision of small satellite solutions, applications
and services. www.sst-us.com
Headquartered in Guildford, UK, SSTL is owned by Astrium, an EADS company.
www.sstl.co.uk
Notes to editor:
This press release can be downloaded as a Word or Pdf document at the following
url: http://www.sstl.co.uk/news-and-events
SSTL Contact:
Joelle Sykes, Surrey Satellite Technology Limited
Tel: +44 (0)1483 804243 Email: j.sykes@sstl.co.uk
Press Contact:
Robin Wolstenholme, bcm public relations
Tel: +44 (0)1306 882288 Email: r.wolstenholme@bcmpublicrelations.com
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