Space Enterprise Council to Host Forum on Commercial Remote Sensing

The Space Enterprise Council of TechAmerica, a lobbying organization in Washington, D.C., is hosting a forum on the state of commerical remote sensing and specifically on the status of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's EnhanceView contract. The forum will be held Friday April 27, 9 - 10 a.m. at the Rayburn House Office Building, Room 2325. In a statement from the Council, they commented that,

Proposed cuts in the President’s Fiscal Year 2013 budget request will have a profound impact on the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency’s Enhanced View (EV) Program. A weakened U.S. commercial imagery industrial base would create a real opportunity for foreign competitors, particularly in Europe, to take over the industry.  The Pentagon’s budget decision may damage a vital U.S. industry, impact national security, allow foreign competitors to acquire U.S. organic capabilities, and or force U.S. government consumers to go without this much-needed capability.

Representatives from GeoEye, Google, ITT Exelis and NOAA are expected to speak at the forum.

DigitalGlobe Reports Earnings; No Talks on EnhancedView with NGA

Yesterday, DigitalGlobe reported fourth quarter and full year earnings.  For the quarter, the company realized 17% revenue growth, year over year, and 5% revenue growth for 2011.

But the news that was on everyone's mind during the analyst's briefing was regarding the possible impact of any curtailment of the EnhancedView contract with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). Jeffrey Tarr, CEO, stated, "We have not been notified of any cut to our program and we are not in any negotiation for a cut."

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U.S. to Trim Commercial-Satellite Use - Wall Street Journal

According to a February 17^th article in the Wall Street Journal:

The Pentagon's latest spending plan marks a little-noticed but important shift for the space industry, scaling back a push to use commercial satellites to supplement the military's communication and space efforts.

- Read more

NOAA’s Resolution Restrictions Survey - Feedback Requested

Global Marketing Insights, Inc. is collecting information for NOAA focused on restrictions on the resolution of electro-optical (EO) imagery collected from US satellites that commercial companies may sell and the ways in which this may impact YOUR sector. Proposed changes under consideration include changing the resolution restriction on commercial sales from 0.5 meters ground sample distance (GSD) to .25meters GSD.

The Survey will take about 3 minutes to complete. Your response is needed by Wednesday, February 15, 2012.

Please contact: Thomas E. Kerr, Project Manager, 216-525-0600 with questions or to schedule a personal interview.

EnhancedView Could Take $50 Million Hit - Aviation Week

Aviation Week is reporting that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) may be forced to renegotiate the EnhanceView contract with GeoEye and DigitalGlobe due to an expected $50 Million cut to the agency's 2012 fiscal year budget with the prospect of more cuts in fiscal 2013. The original EnhancedView contract was $7.3 billion over 10 years and was signed in 2010. The contract was roughly split between the two commercial satellite providers. According to a source cited by Aviation Week:

“You’re going to have to find a way to probably restructure the current service-level agreements with both companies if they’re going to take $50 million out,” says one geospatial-intelligence industry official familiar with EnhancedView. “Any reduction in the budget on the service-level agreement means you’re changing the scope of the contract and you have to renegotiate.”

Last week we reported that NGA was going to procure less imagery in 2013 but that Pentagon investments in new spacecraft would continue.