Laying the Groundwork for a Stable and Sustainable Space Environment-U.S. State Department

The following is an excerpt from a presentation by Frank A. Rose, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, in an address to the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research, Space Security Conference, Geneva, Switzerland:

The use of communications satellites to transmit health care data across countries and across the globe is only one of the many uses of space on which we rely. Telephone calls, news reports, television broadcasts, and financial transactions are also relayed through satellites. Financial markets, power grids, and wireless, satellite, cable, and broadcast industries all use GPS satellites for precise timing, and ships, planes, automobiles, and individual people use them for navigation. Meteorological satellites provide weather and environmental forecasts, while remote-sensing satellites provide imagery used in agriculture, resource exploration, land use planning, treaty verification, and disaster relief, amongst other things. Clearly the use of space assets and the information we derive from them permeate almost every aspect of our daily lives. The telehealth scenario I have just mentioned is only one example of how important the utilization of space is, and clearly shows that the loss of space systems, even for a short period of time, can have damaging consequences. Extrapolating from this, we must ask ourselves “What will the consequences be if the space environment were to become unusable?”

- Read the full text

ArcGIS for National Government: What is it? Is it New? #esrifedcon

Today, Esri launched ArcGIS for National Government at their Federal GIS conference. What is it and is it anything new for ArcGIS users?

ArcGIS for National Government, as best I can discern from the presentations, is composed of data services, combined with pre-assembled workflow templates that also includes pre-configured model builder workflows that result in a specific "information product." If you happen to be working in an intelligence agency, there are specific templates/workflows called "ArcGIS for Intelligence."

For example, the ArcGIS for Intelligence solution contains specific content and other information products such as basemaps that may convey "live" current events happening in the world and provides the user the ability to drill down to information about actual incidents. The basemaps may include ready to use layers specific to that application or cartographic elements, such as a light gray, low contract basemap so point and polygon data will not be overwhelmed with colors and attribution of a typical base map.

Another aspect of the solution provides for the creation of an user-defined image or data catalog with a rating scale so users can see how helpful a data layer or image has been to others. Any value-added work created within a project can be published to the catalog and registered as a service that others can use as well.

Additionally, users can access ready to use products including analytical templates to answer specific questions. If you were working as a border patrol agent, these templates would include applications for:

• Situational awareness
• Border patrol mobile applications
• Border crossing activity

The template, then, includes standard map layers (land cover, water, etc.) but also known trails that illegal aliens will use and the locations of border arrests plus polygons for border patrol administration areas.

Finally, the solution also includes a pre-configured model builder template for these applications. The user then gathers data by browsing ArcGIS Online to look for layers that may be more specific to his/her own project area. Once the analysis has been completed, the entire analysis can be sent out via a layer package that other users can pull into their ArcGIS system.

Is any of this new? What's new is that these kinds of solutions are packaged. While the underlying technology is not new, Esri is trying to simplify the workflow, which would be particularly useful to neophyte GIS users. And with an expected expansion of knowledge workers that want to avail themselves of geospatial technology but are not yet expert with ArcGIS, this certainly gives them a push in the right direction. In a way, it reminds me of the large, post-sized workflow models that Esri used to publish for certain vertical industries. This is the evolution of those posters for the era of "cloud."

GEOINT 2011 - Opening Remarks by USGIF CEO Stu Shea #geoint2011

The 2011 GEOINT Symposium in San Antonio, Texas began with opening remarks by Stu Shea, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation (USGIF).

Continue reading...

GeoEye Stock Jumps on Takeover Rumor

GeoEye's (GEOY) stock has jumped 17% at midday. Not much on Twitter or other news sources as there is only speculation about the company being a likely takeover target. According to StreetInsider who cited DealReporter, the company has hired Goldman Sachs. Possible bidders include BAE, Northrop, Raytheon and Harris, the usual cadre of defense contractors. And "The Fool.com" believes you shouldn't "read too much into the rumor."  But they do think that GeoEye may be an inexpensive investment at this point due to the fact that the satellite business has a high barrier to entry and their forward P/E looks inviting. As the defense business slumps due to Pentagon budget cuts, these contractors might be looking for a company with a long-term govenment data contract already locked down.

Imagery and Maps of Osama bin Laden’s Abbottabad Compound

DigitalGlobe Imagery (photo at right courtesy of DigitalGlobe)

• Image Gallery
• Series of images of the region and compound area (PDF)
• June 15, 2005 image

GeoEye Imagery

• IKONOS 1-meter imagery of bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad
• Image, as above, for download

New York Times

• 3D Perspecitve view of compound

Wall Street Journal

• Detailed view of compound map with narrative of Navy SEAL operation