• China to receive imagery from SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 satellites
• Astrium Services subsidiary Beijing Spot Image to market all SPOT data in China
• Chinese partner CEODE to get SPOT New Generation receiving station

Astrium Services and the CEODE (Center for Earth Observation and Digital Earth) signed three agreements on 27^th September in Beijing ensuring continuity of commercially available high-resolution and large-area services covering China. The agreements concern a New Generation SPOT receiving station, reception of SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 telemetry and the extension of a previous SPOT 5 accord.

Through this new agreement, the CEODE, an offshoot of the Chinese Academy of Science, intends to pursue its high-resolution activities while also benefiting from the increased acquisition, daily revisit and quick-response tasking capabilities of the SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 satellites.

As with the previous agreements, BSI (Beijing Spot Image) will supply data acquired in China to all segments of the Earth remote-sensing market. The CEODE will operate the receiving station in Beijing.

Astrium Services and the CEODE are longstanding partners. In October 1998, the CEODE and Spot Image S.A created the joint venture BSI, followed in 2001 by a reception and distribution agreement covering data from SPOT 2, SPOT 4 and SPOT 5. With this latest agreement concerning SPOT 6 and SPOT 7, the CEODE is renewing its confidence in Astrium and confirming its collaboration through the BSI joint venture.

Through its GEO-Information business, Astrium Services is recognized as one of the leaders in the geo-spatial information market, not least thanks to the now fully integrated skills and resources of the former Spot Image and Infoterra. The company provides decision-makers with complete solutions enabling them to increase security, boost agricultural performance, maximize oil & gas or mining operations, improve their management of natural resources, and protect the environment. It has exclusive access to data from the SPOT, TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X and Pléiades satellites, coupled with a complete range of space-based data sources and airborne acquisition capability allowing it to offer an unrivalled scope of Earth observation products and services. This extensive portfolio covers the entire geo-information supply chain, from the generation of images to the provision of high added-value information to end-users.

By leveraging the synergies and expertise available across the whole of Astrium Services, its GEO-Information teams develop innovative, yet competitive, custom-made solutions based on the combination and integration of Earth observation, navigation and high-end telecommunications.

Dr. Fabienne Grazzini    

Operational Marketing

GEO-Information Services

Astrium Services

5 rue des Satellites, BP 14359

F-31030 Toulouse Cedex 4 – France

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