New urbanisation in the area of Rome between 1995 and 2000

The European Space Agency has issued Invitations to Tender (ITT) for the first four new Data User Element (DUE) demonstration projects, each with a budget up to 1 MEUR.

The aim of DUE is to support the various actors involved in the development of Earth observation applications, industry, servicing companies, research laboratories and the end-user communities, to bridge the gap that exists between research at pilot projects level and the operational and sustainable provision of Earth observation products.

The four DUE projects, all part of ESA's Earth Observation Envelope Programme (EOEP), are:

• Coastal Hydrography (COASTCHART)
• Global Aerosols (GlobAER)
• Desertification (DESERTWATCH)
• Service to Monitor an Aquifer System (AQUIFER)

The ITTs are open to companies from the ESA Member States that have subscribed to the Earth Observation Envelope Programme, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and Canada.

The DUE will continue the approach initiated during the precursor Data User Programme (DUP) parts 1 and 2 and pursue the same objectives putting even more emphasis on the active participation of representatives from the user organisations.

The plan for 2004 includes a total of six projects summarized below. Please note that the description is only indicative and the actual final ITT may not correspond precisely to what is indicated. Coastal Hydrography (COASTCHART)

• Users: International Hydrographic Organisation (UKHO, SHOM)
• Products & Services: establish a service to extract relevant information from satellite data to update West African marine charts (coastline position, landmarks, bathymetry)
• Envelope: 1 MEUR
• ITT issued 31/03/2004 – closing date 28/05/2004
• ITT reference: 04.1AE.02

Global Aerosols (GlobAER)

• Users: ECMWF, Meteo France, EMEP, MPI-Meteorology, and European environmental agencies
• Products & Services: A 10-year global aerosol product
• Envelope: 1 MEUR
• ITT issued 19/03/2004 – closing date 12/05/2004
• ITT reference: 04.1AE.01

Desertification (DESERTWATCH)
The project will complement and enhance the fruitful cooperation between ESA and the UNCCD Convention, obtained under the TESEO- DESERTIFICATION framework.

• Users: UNCCD, national ministries from the European Mediterranean countries (i.e. Annex IV countries of the UNCCD Convention)
• Products & Services: desertification monitoring service for governmental bodies in Northern Mediterranean countries
• Envelope: 1 MEUR
• ITT issued 22/03/2004 – closing date 17/05/2004
• ITT reference: 04.1AE.03

Service to Monitor an Aquifer System (AQUIFER)
The project will complement the TIGER initiative, a World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) follow-up initiative taken by ESA on fresh water in Africa.

• Users: to be selected under the Tiger initiative, European Ministries in charge of cooperation
• Products & Services: aquifer monitoring service relevant to water management in the region
• Envelope: 700 KEUR
• ITT issued 01/04/2004 – closing date 27/05/2004
• ITT reference: 04.1AE.04

ALPINE convention support service

• Users: Signatories to the Alpine convention, European Ministries of the Environment (Italy, France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany)
• Products & Services: service to improve land use, land cover and changes therein, land slide monitoring, hydrography, snow and glacier mapping.
• Envelope: 700 KEUR
• ITT to be issued second quarter 2004

Global Land Cover (GLOBCOVER)
The algorithm definition and validation of the GLOBCOVER project will be performed through a collaboration agreement with the EC Joint Research Centre (JRC).

• Users: United Nations Environment Programme, UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, UN Convention to Combat Desertification
• Products & Services: Operationalisation and update of Global Land Cover 2000 to epoch 2005 through improved resolutions, using the MERIS instrument on board ENVISTAT (15 bands, 250m)
• Envelope: 1 MEUR
• ITT to be issued second quarter 2004

More information on the four open ITTs is available from ESA's online tendering system EMITS.