ESA shares Earth observation data from its satellites with institutional partners, scientists, businesses and the public. Specifically, its multi-mission data is delivered through GTT Hybrid Cloud as well as services supporting ESA's missions, as well as selected third party missions. ESA’s multi-mission satellites include the SMOS, Aeolus, Cryosat and Swarm missions.
“The satellite data we collect and make available through GTT’s cloud networking services is used in ever more crucial ways for monitoring our planet and in solving today’s climate change and geo-hazard challenges,” said Damiano Guerrucci, head of earth observation common services section at ESA.
“We’ve worked closely with GTT for more than a decade, benefiting from its secure and resilient cloud and connectivity services that support us in evolving how we share and manage our Earth observation data.”
GTT delivers a range of services for ESA to connect its eight cloud and office locations in Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Spain and Sweden, including hybrid cloud infrastructure, network and security services.
GTT hosts more than 8Pb of data collected from ESA’s multi-mission satellites and enables interconnection between various private and public cloud sites, it also provides professional services for ESA, including a dedicated network, security and cloud engineers, security manager and service manager on-premises.
“We are proud to continue supporting ESA’s Earth observation mission. When we first began many years ago, we delivered storage to ESA for just 300Tb of satellite data," said Tom Homer, president, Europe division, GTT.
"Today, GTT delivers a secure hybrid cloud and connectivity platform that supports the scientific, commercial and public use of more than 25 times that amount of metadata, along with incredible imagery of our evolving planet. It has been a tremendous journey and partnership that we look forward to developing further.”
In related news, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has selected Inmarsat Government as a delivery partner for its communications services project.
Formed as part of the Funded Space Act Agreement the two will develop commercial satellite communications capabilities as-a-service for spacecraft users in near-Earth orbit.
Using Inmarsat’s ELERA global L-band network, NASA will explore capabilities for launch support, launch and early operations phase, low data rate routine missions and contingency mission operations communications.
In addition, the two develop new models that NASA can use to acquire commercial services particularly as the legacy NASA-owned-and-operated tracking and data relay satellite system will be decommissioned in the near future.
“At Inmarsat, we take pride in being a pioneering, customer-driven, technology leading company and our team is honored to support NASA in this vital project for many of its future major missions," said Susan Miller, CEO of Inmarsat Government.
"The unique capabilities, long life and resilience of Inmarsat’s L-band ELERA network, combined with the company’s strong spectrum position and the global coverage of its satellite networks, enable us to serve the needs of the agency well. We look forward to partnering with NASA to demonstrate reliable, flexible and cost-effective satellite communications as a service for spacecraft users in near-Earth orbit.”
