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SpatialNews.com Press Release

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SPOT's "Virtual Receiving Station" Covers Los Alamos Fires
May 18, 2000RESTON, VA -- SPOT's three satellites are programmed to acquire and quickly
deliver daily imagery of the Los Alamos fires burning in New Mexico, as part
of SPOT's "virtual receiving station" (VRS) concept. The purpose of SPOT's
VRS is rapid delivery of large and frequent image coverage in response to
client needs, without the client having to invest in infrastructure to
receive and manage that imagery. The imagery is being used by the U.S. Dept
of Energy and other agencies to perform mapping, resource management and
damage assessments. With 3 satellites and six sensors, SPOT can acquire
repeat imagery on a very rapid cycle, offering agencies an abundance of
information to assist their efforts.
In a pilot project effort, the imagery is being sent to the U.S. Army Corps
of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center's Topographic
Engineering Center (TEC) for processing and potential distribution to
government agencies involved in disaster management activities. TEC's
emergency response capability adds significantly to this rapid response
effort.
"Virtual receiving stations allow clients to receive relevant imagery
without developing their own infrastructure," explains Gene Colabatistto,
president of SPOT Image Corporation. "SPOT has the unique capability to
receive time sequence imagery of dynamic events anywhere in the world, on a
schedule determined by the client. No one else can offer this capability."
SPOT is the only commercial or civil government system with multiple sensors
capable of producing and delivering worldwide imagery on a daily basis. This
capability has been used to monitor rapidly changing environmental and
geopolitical situations worldwide. In these instances, imagery is typically
used for base mapping, contingency and evacuation planning, news reporting,
disaster monitoring and post-event assessments. Typical clients include
defense and civilian agencies, insurance companies, firms with affected
assets and other interested parties.
SPOT Image Corp. is the U.S. office of the international SPOT system, the
world's first commercial Earth observation system. SPOT includes multiple
orbiting satellites, 24 ground receiving stations, a worldwide distribution
network, and long-term plans to ensure continuity. SPOT 5 is planned for
launch in 2001. Since the 1986 launch of SPOT 1, more than 7.5 million
images of the Earth have been acquired. SPOT imagery provides a level of
image detail, coverage depth, selection options, and temporal range that are
not available from any other source.

*CNES WWW.SPOT.COM - September 30, 1999
Three-band multispectral imagery from September 1999. The Rio Grande River clearly snakes through the central eastern area of the scene. The San Pedro and Jemez Mountains cover the western half. The city of Los Alamos lies almost dead center of the image, between the mountains and the river. Lake Cochiti is located at the southern edge of the scene. Santa Fe is located in the southeast corner.

*CNES WWW.SPOT.COM - May 14, 2000
Four-band multispectral imagery captured May 14, 2000 clearly delineates large smoke plumes from the forest fire. The fire began in Bandelier National Monument (located just northwest of Lake Cochiti) more than a week before
To view fire imagery: http://www.spot.com/spotglobal/usu.htm
For additional information: Clark Nelson (703) 715 3131
Wild Fire Update, May 15
www.spot.com
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