2 October 2009

DMC International Imaging Ltd (DMCii) (UK) has contracted Spacemetric to lead the integration of the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC) of satellites with the Heterogeneous Missions Architecture (HMA) of the European Space Agency (ESA). The HMA infrastructure is being developed to enable the rational supply of satellite imagery within the scope of the European Commission’s Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) initiative.

The integration with the Agency is taking place in two phases. The first is to provide support for the initial version of the GMES Space Component’s Data Access system. This involves implementing interim tools, routines and supporting operations to provide imagery during a transition period starting by the end of 2009.

Meanwhile, the second development phase runs in parallel with the first but is more comprehensive in character. It involves the full integration of the DMC systems with ESA using a number of standard protocols that are in the process of ratification through the Open GIS Consortium (OGC). These will support a highly automated flow of requests and data back and forth between the Agency and the various satellite missions contributing data to the GMES initiative. This development for DMCii will be completed during 2010.