Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/70379
NEWSLINK Europe's Envisat Satellite Malfunctions Scientists were working in April 2012 to regain control over a key European Earth-observing satellite, and officials described chances of reviving the satel- lite as "slim." The eight-ton Envisat satellite unexpectedly stopped sending data to Earth on April 8, 2012, but informa- tion indicated that the satellite remained in a stable orbit. Meanwhile, controllers on the ground sought to determine whether Envisat had entered a "safe mode" from which the satellite could be revived. Envisat, launched in 2002 with 10 instruments aboard, has already lasted twice as long as its expected lifetime, according to the European Space Agency (ESA), which oversees Envisat operations. Preparations have long been under way to replace Envisat with a new generation of satellites, including a series of missions under the name "Sentinel." "The launch of the upcoming Sentinel series being developed for Europe's Global Monitoring for Environment and Security program has become even more urgent," ESA leaders said in a statement on the agency's Web site. "The Sentinels will provide the data needed for information services to improve management of the environment, understand and mitigate the effects of climate change, and ensure civil security." GeoEye Partners with Firm Tuned into Solar Potential Geospatial information provider GeoEye Inc. forged a strategic relationship with Geostellar, a technology company specializing in the solar-energy sector. The rela- tionship will see GeoEye taking a small equity position in Geostellar while providing the company with Earth imagery, digital surface models and other mapping data. The information from GeoEye should help Geostellar enhance its suite of offerings, which include an ana- lytics platform that aids property owners in determin- ing how quickly they can recoup an investment in solar energy. To model such a return on solar invest- ment, Geostellar's platform models factors such as the slope of roofs, shadows, weather patterns, utility rates and solar subsidies. The company has produced what it calls "solar maps" for major metropolitan areas where government agencies have made aerial imagery freely available, including Washington, D.C.; Boston; Indianapolis; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; and New Jersey. The GeoEye partnerships should give the company the massive amounts of Earth imagery data needed to catalog the solar-power potential of every commercial and residential property in the United States. Under the new arrangement, GeoEye will become Geostellar's Earth-imagery vendor of choice and assist with image processing to provide data needed to develop solar maps for every key U.S. metropolitan market. "High-quality, digital surface models and mapping data provide critical fuel to our engine," said David Levine, founder and CEO of Geostellar. "Our strategic relation- ship with GeoEye will help millions of residential and com- mercial property owners understand how quickly they can generate a return on investment by going solar." For GeoEye, the partnership provides the company with a new arena for applying its strengths. "GeoEye is constantly searching for ways Earth An artist's rendering shows Europe's Envisat satellite. In April 2012, the satellite malfunctioned, failing to send data back to Earth. 8 GEO W ORLD / JUNE 2O12 imagery and other forms of geospatial data can be utilized to deliver new levels of insight," said Tony Frazier, senior vice president of marketing for GeoEye. "Geostellar is a terrific example of how geospatial analytics can help transform a multi-billion dollar industry. We are excited to combine imagery, expertise and enabling technology to help Geostellar achieve its vision." ESA