Space plans of Tyumen State University

12 December 2008, 2:21pm

The new small-size «UniScan-24» ground receiving station, developed by ScanEx R&D Center, became part of the Innovations Program (“Education” national priority project) of the Tyumen State University.

UniScan-24 station was installed in August at the premises of the R&D Institute of Ecology and Nature Conservation of TSU. The station is currently operating in test mode for Terra satellite data reception (MODIS scanner, resolution of 250 m to1 km). Technology of image cataloging is being currently pilot tested. In addition, SPOT 2/4 satellites data reception license was obtained (Spot Image S.A., France) for 2009. This universal complex is also capable of data reception from other satellites of the world leading RS programs.

The footprint of the ground station is over 2000 km in radius, including Tyumen Region and adjacent areas (from Lake Baikal to the Gulf of Finland) and the territory of neighboring countries (Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Mongolia, China, etc.)

UniSCan-24 station will allow TSU to bring teaching process, research work in ecology and geography and training of good RS specialists to a new quality level.

TSU reported that practical training for Earth remote sensing basics for students in geography and ecology is being organized. Students will be able to master the entire satellite telemetry handling process: from real-time data reception to interpretation and drawing own thematic maps.

Moreover, the station will enable to use space data in resolution of administrative, economic and ecological tasks both within Tyumen Region and the whole Siberian territory and the European part of Russia. According to TSU specialists, Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service and oil producers have already expressed their interest in using space-borne data. Equipment presentations took place within the walls of the TSU University for the specialists of the Federal Supervisory Service. Negotiations are closing out between TNK-BP company and the University to create a joint oil fields space monitoring lab.

UniScan-24 ground station is scheduled to be fully operational in early 2009. For more efficiency of using space data and for better knowledge of the software, employees of R&D Institute of Ecology and Nature Conservation will undergo training directly in ScanEx RDC in January 2009.

ScanEx R&D Center

Geo: International