Global leaders in geospatial data analytics, Rezatec, working in partnership with the Eden Project, an educational charity, have successfully been awarded funding from the European Space Agency’s Business Applications to demonstrate the benefits of Earth Observational data as part of a major public exhibition.

Invisible Worlds, a new permanent exhibition at the Eden Project, introduces the interconnectedness of life and the Earth’s varied environments at all scales, exploring how life shapes, and is shaped by, an invisible ‘Life Support System’. The joint activity involves the curation of an area within the exhibition, dedicated to the impact of geospatial analytics. The exhibition aims to highlight how the interpretation of Earth Observation data can provide innovative and alternative landscape intelligence, with a particular focus on forests and agricultural land.

“Eden is pleased to be working with Rezatec and this project will serve as a great opportunity to bring the good work that is being done by ESA and Rezatec to the forefront of public consciousness. The exhibit will serve as a great shop window and has the potential to inspire further action both commercially and within the public sector.” explained Gabriella Gilkes, Project Lead, The Eden Project.

“Rezatec is really excited to be working with such an inspirational organisation as the Eden Project made possible through funding from ESA’s Business Applications. Satellite-derived data analytics is highly relevant to addressing global challenges in response to increasing demands being placed on land and its efficient use, which are being fuelled by growing populations, water and food security challenges and more efficient natural resource management,” commented Tim Vallings, VP Global Resources, Rezatec.

Rezatec and the Eden Project, drawing upon their respective areas of expertise, will explore how the analytics generated for the exhibit could benefit individual growers or forest owners with small areas under management, by providing commercially valuable and actionable decision support tools accessed via a self-service, digital platform. In addition, these analytics could also be provided as an operational service to other creative installations at relevant institutions and organisations around the world.

To find out more about the Invisible Worlds exhibition at the Eden Project, visit: https://www.edenproject.com/visit/whats-here/invisible-worlds-exhibition.

5Groningen and the European Space Agency (ESA) Business Applications (BA) shall collaborate to support the development of space-based applications using 5G and satellite information.  A number of 5Groningen pilots will now benefit from satellite information and services as an additional element to 5G, whilst businesses from the ESA network will be able to use 5G networks functionalities. 

5Groningen and ESA BA share the focus on several domains like healthcare, traffic, energy, agriculture and the environment. As a space agency, ESA has a major network of businesses throughout Europe that are specialised in satellite services. 5Groningen has a 5G test lab where SMEs and non-profit organisations test various 5G applications. The coming months will be dedicated to listing the 5Groningen pilots that can be enhanced with satellite information and the businesses from the ESA network that can be linked in. In addition, European businesses are called to develop and pilot new service concepts based on 5G and space in the thematic areas of interest to the Groningen region.

Win-win for ESA and 5Groningen
According to Peter Rake, Programme Manager of 5Groningen, satellite information can provide a great deal of added value to existing and future pilots of 5Groningen.“For example, consider exact location determination that is accurate up to 10 centimetres, or information about weather conditions or soil conditions. Or connectivity where 5G is not available, such as out on the open seas. The cooperation with ESA enables us to expand our network with businesses that are specialised in satellite services. This provides wonderful new opportunities for businesses for the north and centre of Groningen”, commented Peter. The cooperation works both ways, because businesses that are active in satellite -based services are also able to benefit from 5G pilot options, such as the Internet of Things.

Rita Rinaldo, Head of Institutional Project section in the Downstream Business Applications Department of ESA, said  “We are convinced that the cooperation with 5Groningen will enable service providers to develop and demonstrate innovative breakthrough applications drawing on space and 5G technologies to the benefits of a number of user communities”.  

Example of 5G and satellite information combinations
Within 5Groningen there are a number of pilots that will benefit enormously from satellite information. For pilots with drones, satellite communication (SatCom) can be used to ensure there is continuous contact with the drones, even in areas where the regular 3G or 4G network does not provide a signal. In the case of another pilot at sea, satellite positioning and navigation (SatNav) can be used to provide the exact location of a vessel, whilst they also enable real-time monitoring (SatCom) of the cargo status. Satellite earth observation (SatEO) provides information about weather conditions or the depth of navigable waterways as aid to navigation. 

The partnership between ESA and 5Groningen forms part of ESA's wider Satellite for 5G initiative (S45G), built around a Joint Statement that has been signed by over 20 leading industry players and which is open to additional partners.