Chairman WALKER. Thank you. Dr. Christensen? STATEMENT OF DR. ERIC CHRISTENSEN, EARTH WATCH, INC., LONGMONT, COLORADO Dr. CHRISTENSEN. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm with EarthWatch, Incorporated. And one of the reasons that we're here today is because of the efforts of yourself and Mr. Brown over the years in establishing the legislation that helped create the commercial remote-sensing market. I'd like to take a few minutes to describe our company and our programs and how it might relate to the subject we're talking about today. As you know, EarthWatch is one of several commercial remotesensing companies created since the Land Remote Sensing Act. This summer, EarthWatch will launch the first commercial high spatial resolution remote sensing satellite called EarlyBird. A year later, our QuickBird satellites will provide the highest spatial resolution satellite imagery commercially available—that is, one meter panchromatic and four meter multi-spectral. Within the next 24 months, our goal is to have two EarlyBird and two QuickBird satellites in orbit. All four will provide full global coverage and have access to the same geographic areas several times each day, more than any other system. Although my testimony will focus on EarthWatch, our international partners and investors, including Ball Aerospace, Hitachi, CTA, MacDonald, Dettwilerr, Datron, and other venture capitalists believe that we're at the forefront of a commercially-driven U.S. earth imaging industry that could literally revolutionize how satellite imagery is used by both the private and public sectors. Consider the fact that high spatial resolution, multi-spectral imagery collected from space is clear enough to distinguish cars, painted lines on streets and highways, chalk lines on tennis courts. We can see damage to trees and crops not visible from the ground or to the naked eye, anywhere on the planet, each day, and can be supplied to the desk-top computer within hours after collection. The earth imaging market right now is driven by the $6 billion geographic information systems industry, growing at about 14 percent per year. We estimate that the current imagery market is about $2 billion annually and could double within the next decade with the introduction of these new high spatial resolution satellites. To date, several hundred million dollars have been pledged by U.S. firms for satellites and ground stations. The entire EarthWatch constellation of four satellites, four ground stations and other facilities will cost less than $200 million. In terms of environmental applications, we see this as one of our biggest markets. We have designed our satellites with the capability to serve a wide variety of environmental applications, from state and local regulation and regulators to global researchers. The satellites have the ability to monitor changes over both large and small areas, from thousands of square kilometers to just a few square meters. On a micro-scale, the imagery can be used to monitor water pollution discharges, hazardous waste activities, forest fire damage, illegal logging, and many others. On a macro-scale, EarthWatch imagery can potentially contribute to three areas of global change research, including atmosphere, in terms of cloud cover, volcanic activity, oceans and land in terms of deforestation, urbanization, the effects of natural disaster like hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, et cetera. We have designed our satellites to collect and deliver imagery in the most economical form, using off-the-shelf technologies, but at the same time maintaining spectral continuity with existing satellite systems. EarlyBird has the same spectral bands as France's Spot satellite. QuickBird captures four of the bands found on Landsat Thematic Mapper. Even though we are designing and building our own satellites, EarthWatch is essentially in the information business. As a result, EarthWatch has developed a unique network for acquiring, archiving, and distributing its satellite imagery. Called Digital Globe, it is a world-wide geographically referenced database of imagery and information products from EarthWatch and other sources. The idea behind Digital Globe is that a customer can use the online Internet service to purchase imagery and information of just the area they need and have it electronically delivered to their desk-tops. From the standpoint of the government user, we believe there are several benefits to using private data-providers. First of all, the government capital is not at risk if the satellite fails. In effect, the government is leveraging private-sector capital, allowing the private sector to take the risks to meet public-sector information needs. The government incurs no major operations or overhead costs since the private sector just provides the products, as opposed to handing over satellites and letting the government operate them. The data products can be provided at an affordable price since the development costs can be spread over a large customer base. The customer can buy as much or as little as they want. Now, typically, if government funding is cut, programs are either cancelled or schedules slipped. Instead, government customers have the option of simply buying less data. At present, we have not identified a strong commercial market for scientific data, so it's not a part of our current product offering. On the other hand, the cost to EarthWatch of including a capability to collect data of scientific interest is probably not large. For example, we currently perform ground-based calibration on our sensors, instead of absolute calibration on orbit. This is preferred by science missions. The reason we don't do it, it's just not cost effective. However, if a paying customer requested it, we could incorporate on-orbit absolute calibration in our future spacecraft. Unlike many of our competitors, EarthWatch business does not depend on substantial U.S. Government procurements. On the other hand, we believe that innovative strategies for structuring partnerships between the government and commercial earth-imaging sector offers major advantages to both, especially in this fiscally-constrained climate. In that regard, Mr. Chairman, we applaud the legislative language proposed by this Committee that calls on NASA to buy remote sensing data and services from the U.S. private sector, as well as study whether scientific requirements of Mission to Planet Earth can be met by the private sector. It only seems appropriate that the government primarily responsible for the advanced lightweight satellite technology enabling EarthWatch's business opportunity investigate possible cost savings to its own programs by working with the emerging industry the U.S. Government helped create. One final consideration. Commercial remote-sensing imagery will be available and distribution systems such as Digital Globe operational years before EOS and EOSDIS come on line. Commercial imagery could potentially bridge the gap until the Mission to Planet Earth systems are deployed by accelerating the process of creating a global data base which in turn could begin contributing to effective environmental decision-making much sooner than currently envisioned. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. [The prepared statement of Dr. Christensen follows:] Rev.1 Dr. Eric Christensen Committee on Science U.S. House of Representatives March 6, 1996 As you know, Mr. Chairman, EarthWatch is one of several commercial earth imaging companies that have been established in the wake of the 1992 Land Remote Sensing Policy Act. This summer, we will launch the first commercial, high spatial resolution, remote sensing satellite, called EarlyBird.. Our EarlyBird satellites will capture images with a ground sampling distance of 3 meters. A year later, our QuickBird satellites will provide the highest spatial resolution satellite imagery available commercially: 1 meter panchromatic and 4 meter multispectral. Within the next 24 months, Mr. Chairman, our goal is to have our 2 EarlyBird and 2 QuickBird satellites in orbit. All four will provide full global coverage and has access to some geographical areas several time each day more than any other system. The Early Bird 3 meter satellite will be placed in near-polar orbit, providing global coverage and returning to equatorial locations every 60 hours. The QuickBird 1 meter satellites will be placed in a high-inclination, non-polar orbit, frequently revisiting the planet's most densely developed land masses. Frequent revisit by commercial systems offers unparalleled flexibility and opportunities to evaluate and confirm short term change phenomena (daily and weekly), as well as acquire imagery under optimum conditions (no clouds, better illumination). To date, several hundred million dollars have been pledged by US firms for satellite and associated ground systems. In the specific case of EarthWatch, we are entirely funded by private investment and do not rely on government subsidies. The entire EarthWatch constellation of 4 satellites, 4 ground stations, production, sales and distribution facilities. cost less than $200 million. In contrast, our foreign competitors in Canada, France, Russia, India and Japan have spent billions of dollars of government funds building, launching, and operating their so-called "commercial" remote sensing satellites. We are pleased to participate in this important and timely hearing and to provide the Committee some insight into the data acquisition and distribution capabilities being developed by our company. Although my testimony will focus on EarthWatch's activities, our partners and investors believe that we are in the vanguard of a commercially-driven U.S. space imaging industry that could literally revolutionize how spatial imagery is utilized by both the private and public sectors. Consider the fact that high spatial resolution, multispectral imagery collected from space is clear enough to distinguish cars, painted lines on streets and highways, chalk lines on football fields, and can “see” damage to trees and crops not visible on the ground or to the naked eye, anywhere on the planet each day, and can be supplied to a desktop computer within hours after collection. The earth imaging market is essentially leveraging off the $6 billion Geographic Information Systems industry which is growing at more than 14% annually. We estimate that the current imagery-related mapping market (aerial photography and satellite imagery products) may total around $2 billion annually, and with the introduction of new, high spatial resolution satellites could double within a decade. Applications for the emerging commercial space remote sensing business include infrastructure planning and management (local, municipal and state government, utilities 2 and telecommunications, transportation); oil, gas, and mineral exploration, development, transportation and refining; forestry; agriculture and commodities forecasting; coastal zone monitoring and management; national security; as well as the environment. EarthWatch has designed our satellites with the capability to serve a wide variety of environmental customers, from state and local regulators to global researchers. The satellites have the ability to monitor changes over both large and small areas, from thousands of square kilometers to a few square meters. On a micro scale, the high spatial resolution multispectral imagery can be used to monitor water pollution discharges, hazardous waste disposal and cleanup activities, forest fire damage assessment, illegal logging, and many others. On a macro scale, EarthWatch imagery can contribute information important to several areas of global change research: Atmosphere- cloud cover, volcanic activity · Oceans - wetlands destruction, near shore bathymetry, coastal morphology · Land - deforestation, urbanization, surface hydrology, digital elevation model s (to a few meters accuracy), and natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, forest fires, and drought. EarthWatch is a result of the merger of WorldView Imaging Corporation and the commercial remote sensing programs of Ball Aerospace & Technology Corporation. WorldView Imaging was the first company to obtain a license and begin development of low-cost, high resolution imaging satellites and related new data products for the commercial and public sectors. Ball Aerospace has long been a leader in remote sensing and other space technologies. Our company brings together expertise in remote sensing technologies, Geographic Information Systems, satellite systems, space-based instruments and ground station engineering. Over the past two years, we have developed a business model involving strategic alliances and investments from international industry leaders. At present, these partnerships involve Hitachi, Ltd; Nuova Telespazio s.p.a.; CTA Space Systems, Inc.; MacDonald, Dettwilerr & Associates, Ltd.; and Datron Systems, Inc. In coming months, we will be announcing additional strategic partnerships, as well as distribution agreements with a diverse range of corporate entities both here and abroad. We have designed the EarlyBird and QuickBird satellites to collect and deliver imagery data in the most economical manner using off-the-shelf technologies, but at the same time maintaining spectral continuity with existing satellite systems. With a true 8 bit pixel depth and in-track and side-to-side pointing, the EarlyBird offers in-track stereo capability and fast revisit times not seen until now in commercial sensors. It captures wavelengths in the green, red and near-infrared spectra, the same bands as France's SPOT satellite. QuickBird specializes in high resolution and large area coverage, utilizing an advanced scanning array sensor. It will capture wavelengths in the blue, green, red and near-infrared spectra, the same as four of the bands on the Landsat Thematic Mapper, offering an 11-bit pixel depth. The QuickBird's dynamic range enables it to retain image quality in low-contrast scenes and under low-light conditions. What all this translates into is a system that gathers data for specific targets over large areas, with an unparalleled degree of positional accuracy (within a few meters for both horizontal and vertical). With the deployment of our first satellite this year, the marketplace will witness the first commercial space imaging supplier providing private and public sector users with timely, high resolution images covering any area, virtually on demand. Our ingredients for success include deployment of small, lightweight satellite technology, combined with efficient data management and on-line delivery processes to allow to generate cost-effective, high quality information for commercial and civil applications. |