GIS / Earth Observation / Satellite Images / Demonstration Products / RapidEye

Brandenburg/Havel, Germany - February 3, 2009 - Demonstration products generated by the RapidEye system are being made public for the first time today. The samples of the RapidEye Standard Image Products show an area over Griffith in New South Wales, Australia.

"We are enthusiastic about being able to show the world the high quality of our images by releasing our first demonstration product. This is also testimony to the excellent work of MacDonald Dettwiler (MDA), our general contractor throughout these last years,” said Wolfgang Biedermann, CEO of RapidEye. “We look forward to the completion of the commissioning phase so that image data and products can be made available to our customers worldwide."

The sample datasets are available for download as a RapidEye Ortho Product (level 3A) and RapidEye Basic Product (level 1B).

The RapidEye Ortho Product (level 3A) offers the highest level of processing available for the RapidEye Standard Image Products. These images have not only been radiometrically corrected, but also have been orthorectified using Ground Control Points and a DTED level 1 SRTM DEM (digital elevation model) or better. The RapidEye Basic Product (level 1B) has radiometric and sensor corrections applied to the data. The sample datasets include a metadata file, giving the user information about the image such as the acquisition date and time, file format, product level and locational coordinates. The datasets can be downloaded instantly as a zip-file from the RapidEye website: http://www.rapideye.de/demo-products.

Detailed technical information about RapidEye Standard Image Products can be found in the RapidEye Standard Image Product Specifications document, located at www.rapideye.de/upload/documents /RE_Product_Specifications.pdf.

“We are very pleased about the performance level the system has reached and are confident as we are embarking on the last set of verification activities, which will allow for commercial operations in the very near future,” commented Pietro Widmer, RapidEye's Head of Operations and Engineering.

In addition to having demonstration products available, RapidEye is continuously updating their image gallery. To see the newest interesting and beautiful images coming from the RapidEye constellation of five Earth observation satellites of Italy, Chile, China and more, visit http://www.rapideye.de/home/gallery/.

About RapidEye AG

RapidEye is an ISO-certified geospatial information provider focused on integrating customized and industry specific solutions into the workflow of global customers in agriculture, forestry, energy, infrastructure, government, security and emergency. RapidEye experts and the satellite system – a constellation of five satellites capable of downloading over 4 million km² of high resolution, multi-spectral imagery per day, and a ground segment for processing and archiving data – allow for cost-effective, customized services. The unique combination of large area coverage, high spatial resolution and the possibility of daily revisit to an area provide for superior management information solutions. Currently, more than 90 experts from more than 20 countries are employed by RapidEye, with plans to grow the team to 140 in 2009.

RapidEye benefits from a public-private partnership with the Space Agency of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), which is supported by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology. RapidEye is also cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). For more information on ERDF please contact Email Contact. For more information about RapidEye, please visit www.rapideye.de .


Contact:

RapidEye AG
Molkenmarkt 30
14776 Brandenburg a. d. Havel, Germany
E-mail: Email Contact