Dubai, UAE, 5 October 2006 – Global Scan Technologies (GST), a Dubai-based company providing Remote Sensing and GIS technologies in the Middle East, announced that it has signed a contract with India’s ANTRIX Corporation Limited, a leading provider of satellite images worldwide and the marketing arm of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) under the Department of Space, Government of India.
GST’s agreement with ANTRIX includes distribution of Cartosat-1 imagery with 2.5m resolution in both pan and stereo modes. The unique high-resolution along-track stereo imaging capability of Cartosat-1, carried out for the first time anywhere in the world, enables generation of Digital Elevation Models (DEM) and other value-added products.
The data from Cartosat-1 is expected to provide enhanced inputs for large scale mapping applications and stimulate newer applications in the urban and rural development, land and water resources management, disaster assessment, relief planning and management, environment impact assessment and various other Geographical Information System applications. The data can be used for generation and updating of large-scale topographic maps.
“Our agreement with ANTRIX allows us to distribute Indian Satellite imagery in the UAE and many other Middle East countries”, said Dr.Hussein Harahsheh of GST. “It is very important that we continually expand the uses of satellite imagery, and look for the latest products in the market. Our customers are demanding high quality, national and international earth imagery and we need relationships with leading suppliers who can deliver,” commented Dr. Harahsheh.
CARTOSAT I is a stereoscopic Earth observation satellite in a sun-synchronous orbit. It was launched by the PSLV on 5 May 2005 from the newly built second launch pad at Sriharikota, India.
CARTOSAT-1 has two state-of-the-art panchromatic cameras that take black-and-white stereoscopic images in the visible light spectrum at a resolution of 2.5 meters. The cameras cover a swath of about 30 km and take images of the same area during the same pass from two different angles.
The stereo images can be used to create accurate elevation data of the Earth and create three-dimensional image maps. Since the cameras are steerable, CARTOSAT-1 has a revisit time over any part of the Earth every five days. CARTOSAT-1 also has an onboard storage capacity of 120 Giga Bits to store images when not in contact with a ground station.
– About ANTRIX
Antrix Corporation Limited, the commercial arm of India’s Department of Space (DOS), was incorporated in 1992 for the promotion and commercial exploitation of products and services from the Indian Space Programme. Antrix draws upon its strength and the heritage from the experience and proven scientific achievements of the Indian Space Programme over the past four decades.
– About Global Scan Technologies
Dubai based Global Scan Technologies LLC (GST), was established in 2002 to provide Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System services and has enjoyed steady growth as this new market has matured.
GST has its own satellite receiving station and associated services. It offers solutions to customers seeking a wide range of services, including: Satellite Imagery such as IRS 2.5m, 5m and 23m; ASTER 15m; SAR imagery 8m with DEM generation from 2.5m, 5m and 15m data, as well as aerial and LIDAR survey; Remote Sensing and GIS applications (thematic mapping etc.); Image processing and GIS software (including ENVI, STARGIS, Mercator, Summit Evolution, ScanMagic).
