AVALI Business Opportunities from Space Technology. Technology Programme Report 8/2006 Final Report

Transcription

1 AVALI Business Opportunities from Space Technology Technology Programme Report 8/2006 Final Report

2 AVALI Business Opportunities from Space Technology Final Report Technology Programme Report 8/2006 Helsinki 2006

3 Tekes Your contact for Finnish Technology Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation, is the main funding organisation for applied and industrial R&D in Finland. Funding is granted from the state budget. Tekes primary objective is to promote the competitiveness of Finnish industry and the service sector by technological means. Activities aim to diversify production structures, increase production and exports and create a foundation for employment and social well-being. In 2006, Tekes will finance applied and industrial R&D in Finland to the extent of 460 million euros. The Tekes network in Finland and overseas offers excellent channels for cooperation with Finnish companies, universities and research institutes. Technology programmes part of the innovation chain Tekes technology programmes are an essential part of the Finnish innovation system. These programmes have proved to be an effective form of cooperation and networking for companies, universities and research institutes for developing innovative products, processes and services. Technology programmes boost development in specific sectors of technology or industry, and the results of the research work are passed on to business systematically. The programmes also serve as excellent frameworks for international R&D cooperation. Copyright Tekes All rights reserved. This publication includes materials protected under copyright law, the copyright for which is held by Tekes or a third party. The materials appearing in publications may not be used for commercial purposes. The contents of publications are the opinion of the writers and do not represent the official position of Tekes. Tekes bears no responsibility for any possible damages arising from their use. The original source must be mentioned when quoting from the materials. ISSN ISBN Cover: Oddball Graphics Oy Page layout: DTPage Oy Printers: Libris Oy, 2006

4 Foreword The emphasis of the Finnish national space strategy is on diverse exploitation in Finnish society of the opportunities provided by space technology. The goal is for research and development in the space sector to enhance service production and industrial competitiveness. The technology programme AVALI Business Opportunities from Space Technology has met this need. Preparations for the programme revealed a need in Finland for development of the technological basis for business which utilises space technology. There had been little business that exploited space technology, and players in the sector were interested in a development framework for the satellite sector, remote sensing, and other related applications. The technological basis for business already existed. The potential for business opportunities was supported in particular by the high level of Finnish competence in satellite and airborne remote sensing and by the rapidly growing telecommunications industry and the research on which it is based. Moreover, new satellite systems such as the European Galileo satellite navigation system were also in the offing. During preparations for the AVALI programme, it became apparent that demand for commercial satellites would increase in the future. It was expected that this would also increase the opportunities for Finns in commercial operations outside the European Space Agency (ESA). This did not, however, prove to be the case because the recession that hit the telecommunications industry at the outset of the programme also had an impact on the market for commercial satellites. Major satellite suppliers were forced to cut costs and consolidate. This in turn affected orders in both ESA and commercial subcontracting, although the situation was also seen as a longer-term opportunity to gain access to supplier networks. The focus of the programme expanded. The overriding goal was to create a foundation for business that would benefit space technology and infrastructure in one way or another. Hence, hardware and software for the satellite and terrestrial segment and the development of commercial remote sensing, for example satellite remote sensing, airborne remote sensing and radar technology, were part of the AVALI programme. Moreover, exploitation of the technology and competence developed in the space projects was chosen as one of the priorities of the programme in external space-sector applications. Research and development projects formed the backbone of the AVALI programme, the extent of which grew from the projected 15M to more than 22M. Altogether 35 companies and 22 research or other public organisations

5 participated in the programme. In the end, the projects were mainly related to development of remote sensing applications and hardware and to building of the foundations necessary for business in these areas. The number and quality of the spin-off projects were also significant. The programme offered a framework for development of new kinds of products that exploit space technology. The number of development projects aimed directly at the satellite sector turned out to be quite small. In addition to the projects, the programme also collected data on commercial markets and business prospects. It created links between Finnish suppliers and international customers through both direct contacts and cooperative endeavours. The cooperation agreement between Tekes and the Canadian Space Agency, which provided a framework for initiation of joint projects aimed at the development of remote sensing applications, was of special significance. Apart from the results of the projects, it is obvious that the AVALI programme influenced the thinking of Finnish space sector players and users and made it more business-oriented. Many individuals contributed to the success of the AVALI programme. Tekes would like to thank the Management Board of the programme and its chairman for their active role in the programme and in steering the actions taken. The extensive expertise of the Group and the discussions held in its meetings were a valuable addition to the content of the programme. Our special gratitude goes to AVALI Programme Manager Pekka Havola of the Turku Science Park Oy for his experience and determination in implementing the ideas of the Management Group. Helsinki, March 2006 Tekes, the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation

6 Contents Foreword 1 The AVALI programme Background The key themes Objectives of the AVALI programme The Management Board and the operational structure of the programme Midterm review of the programme Activities to create business opportunities for Finnish space industry International activities National activities AVALI projects Project criteria Facts and figures Company projects...13 Market Analysis Commercial Space TerraSAR-X Leaf Amplifier Assembly SPAXMON Market Study...14 Development of Power Control and Distribution unit (PCDU)...15 Modular Power Supply Development (MPWR) Improvement of impulse radar (ImRa) Hyperspectral Imaging Technology...18 ClusterMaster...19 A Service for defining forest patterns...20 Automatic tie points for digital aerial images...20 Development of a Pseudolite System...21 Modular extensions for ESAComp software FDIR Applications...23 Business from Millimeter Waves (MILLI)...23 Asynchronous Test Access Port Research projects Environment monitoring using Earth Observation (ENVIMON) Advanced Techniques for Mobile Positioning (MOT) Improving the EGNOS Service in Finland with Internet Radio Technology (IESIR) Development of the RADEF-irradiation station...31 Commercialization of the on-wafer test services of MilliLab...32

7 3.5 Consortium projects...33 Dual polarization Doppler weather radar...33 Oil spill detection information in the Baltic Sea region (OILI) Use of individual tree interpretation obtained from aerial images and laser scanner further development of methods and market analysis Forest Parameter Estimation from High Resolution Remote Sensing Data...46 Quality of laser scanning, especially in urban environments (LAQU) Statistically calibrated satellite image interpretation for land use and forest characteristics...58 Interpretation methods for waveform laser scanning (Waveform) Helsinki Testbed...61 GaAs Imaging X-ray Detectors Finnish-Canadian cooperation projects...68 Development and Demonstration of Remote Sensing Based Products For Surface Water Management (WRPD)...68 Northern Boreal Forest Information Products Based on Earth Observation Data...71 Applications and software for SAR interferometry and coherent target monitoring (AppliSARIN) Multi-Polarisation SAR for Operational Sea Ice Monitoring (POL-ICE) Attachments Companies Research Organisations...79 Tekes Technology Programme Reports in English....80

8 1 The AVALI Programme 1.1 Background Finland entered the space sector in the mid-1980s through bilateral agreements with neighbouring countries. In 1987, Finland became an Associate Member of the European Space Agency. Full membership followed in Finnish scientists and industry have played an important role in many European satellite missions including ESA s SOHO and Cluster, ENVISAT, MSG, and METOP. More recent bilateral programmes have involved NASA s EOS-Aura and Sweden s Odin satellites. In addition to ESA space science and earth observation programmes, Finland has joined the European large telecommunications platform effort AlphaBus and the Galileo satellite navigation programme. Wide utilisation of earth observation data in operative environmental applications and environmental research is one of Finland s key competencies, and provides an excellent basis for the country s investments in space. Space sector activity is broad-based. There are a number of user organisations on many levels from the sciences to content production and the entertainment industry. In Finland, space technology offers an innovative R&D environment and provides opportunities for creating contacts with the R&D activity of major international companies, research institutes, and small innovative companies. Focus areas of Finnish space activity are remote sensing space science satellite telecommunication satellite navigation manufacturing of space equipment. Figure 1. Focus areas of Finnish space activity. 1

9 Many Finnish companies are technologically well equipped to work directly in the space segment market or as subcontractors to companies operating there. Although expertise in the application area is strong in Finland, commercial activity has so far been small compared to institutional activity. Nevertheless, the application market offers a socially and commercially significant opportunity. Tekes has had two technology programmes related to the space sector: Space 2000 Space Equipment Technology and Globe 2000 Remote Sensing Technology. Both programmes ended in These were followed by the Antares Space research programme from 2001 to 2004, which was conducted and finalised in collaboration with the Academy of Finland. The Finnish national space strategy (Ministry of Trade and Industry Advisory Committee Report 1/1999) defines the objectives and strategy for development of space activity. One key issue that it refers to is the expansion of business activity to the market outside ESA. The strategy also requires that the use of space technology be extended in other areas of industry. The next space strategy was approved at the beginning of 2002 and thereafter in 2005, both in accordance with the earlier strategies. Applications based upon spaceborne data and satellites The focus is upon remote sensing applications and products together with the application of satellite infrastructure such as telecom and navigation technologies. Further to this, preparatory activities designed to create business opportunities are also actively encouraged. In some cases an operative system may have to be developed prior to the commencing of a commercial application. Airborne remote sensing was also included in this theme. Satellite hardware and software Satellite subsystems, equipment, components, and software are key areas of interest, particularly potential spin-offs from the terrestrial industry to the space industry. The commercialisation of oneoff space developments and niche products will also provide interesting potential for future space-related business Ground Segment hardware and software Finally, equipment, software, and services for the realisation of satellite systems and for the direct processing of satellite data would also constitute a good basis for valuable co-operation. 1.2 The key themes AVALI was a business-oriented technology programme launched by Tekes in 2002 and finalized in It was conceived with the intention of creating new business opportunities, products, and services based on space infrastructure and know-how created in space projects. Such applications are designed to enable both new services and product concepts. The AVALI programme focused on the following four key themes: Utilisation of space technology for terrestrial products and applications The utilisation of spaceborne knowledge and technology in terrestrial products and services is of specific interest to AVALI. 1.3 Objectives of the AVALI programme The vision of space business activity was defined by the AVALI programme at 2002 as follows when the programme plan was launched. Finnish companies will have continuous and profitable business activity in satellite segment products and in the application segment. Companies will form part of the delivery chains of the main European and non-european prime contractor companies and equipment manufacturers. The service products supplied by Finns will be in demand. The main focus of business activity will be on the market outside ESA s industrial return regulations and nationally financed activity. Tech- 2

10 nological development will be supported by ESA activity and in national projects. Companies and research institutes will transfer the technology and expertise from space projects for terrestrial use in business. The overriding goal of the AVALI programme in accordance with the vision The goal was to create new and viable business on the commercial market with space technology, applications of it, and services. The main focus of the business activity was on the market outside ESA s industrial return regulations and nationally funded activity. The development of systems and equipment for commercial satellite markets represented a key area within the programme and the main goals of the programme can be expressed as follows: to increase the competitiveness of the terrestrial products and applications of the companies with space technology to create the foundation for commercial applications implemented with space infrastructure to develop products for the commercial satellite market. 1.4 The Management Board and the operational structure of the programme The AVALI Management Board was the main body providing guidelines and strategic issues for the programme. The Management Board also had a very important role in selecting and proposing the tools with which the AVALI programme would create the conditions for commercialisation of Finnish space technologies, services, and products. Tekes invited individual persons with long experience of space-related business, research activities, or ESA projects to become Management Board members. Their experience covered all the key themes of the AVALI programme. Management Board operations The main issues dealt with in Management Board meetings were the initiations, proposals, and approvals of the tools with which the AVALI programme would create the conditions for commercialisation of Finnish space technologies, services, and products during the programme. The proposed activities were preliminary studies or surveys of common interest, project specific market studies and reports, definitions of customer requirements and product specifications, and joint market surveys. AVALI Management Board Tekes Programme Manager AVALI Programme Manager PROJECTS Research projects Company projects Consortium Projects Finnish-Canadian cooperation projects OPERATIONAL ACTIVITIES Preliminary studies Market surveys Surveys of common interest Seminars and Workshops Figure 2. Operational structure of AVALI programme. 3

11 The Management Board members played an active role in proposing international speakers for seminars and in creating the content/programme for seminars and workshops concentrating on themes relevant to the programme. The Management Board was not involved in funding decisions and did not make any proposals or decisions concerning research or company projects. The Tekes Programme Manager and the AVALI Programme Manager played a significant role in daily programme management. The structure of the programme is presented in figure 2. The Management Board had six members Chief Scientist Heikki Sipilä of Oxford Instruments Analytical Oy, chairman of the AVALI Management Board General Manager Business Development, Juhani Hanka, Patria Aerostructures Research Professor Tuomas Häme, the Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) Director Fredrick von Schoultz, Stok - Development Centre (formerly worked at Space Systems Finland Oy) Director Miranda Saarentaus, Soil and Water Oy, Jaakko Pöyry Infra Chief Technology Adviser Heikki Hannula, Tekes Pekka Havola, Turku Science Park Oy, was programme manager and secretary to the Management Board. The Management Board held 17 meetings and attendance at meetings was very close to 100%. 1.5 Midterm review of the programme The midterm programme review was conducted by interviewing Management Board members. The work was conducted by LTT-Research Ltd., a company established by the Helsinki School of Economics. The evaluation was based on the material of the AVALI programme such as brochures, minutes of Management Board meetings, reports, and on a questionnaire directed to Management Board members. On completion of the midterm review, the conclusions and recommendations below were made. The midterm Review showed that implementation was in line with the goals of the programme. Focusing the programme With the ultimate effectiveness of the programme in mind, will the programme reach the goals set for it with the present broad focus, or should priorities be altered? Is the programme too splintered and the projects too small? Should the focus be on what works or on what doesn t? Taking value networks into account, business goals would be more readily attained if the players in the knowledge- and business-related value networks that are linked to innovations and their subsequent development paths were more involved in the programme. the criteria for access to the subcontractor chains in the space business should be defined. a report on the value / business chains for remote sensing should improve allocation of input/contributions and increase effectiveness. Building direct contacts More effort is needed to promote access to networks, build contacts between companies, and form partnerships. Effort should be put into the co-operation with Canada no such opportunities exist in other sectors / programmes. Completion of the North American market research project is important attention should be focused on establishing the proper focus when building partnerships. Overall, more resources in business-oriented technology programmes should be allocated to collecting a large amount of commercial information and to building networks and contacts. The evaluation also focused on what the role of Tekes should be and on what the added value of funding is when development issues are very close to the markets and to the business of the companies. 4

12 2 Activities to create business opportunities for Finnish space industry This chapter describes the activities that were proposed by the Management Board and implemented in the programme. These activities were proposed or initiated by the Management Board, Tekes, or the AVALI Programme Manager. The results will be used by all organisations participating in the AVALI -programme and also by other organisations outside of the programme. 2.1 International activities World Space Congress and Exhibition 2002 Tekes had decided that the first step in the AVALI programme would be to organise a joint stand for Finnish companies at WSC The world space community meets once every decade for a major congress and exhibition, which was held this time from 10 th to 19 th October in Houston, USA. The aim of Finnish participation would be to obtain visibility, make personal contacts with potential commercial customers, and discuss co-operation regarding sales of Finnish technology on the global market. The following took part in the exhibition: Aboa Space Research Oy, Space Systems Finland Oy, Oxford Instruments Analytical Oy (the former Metorex International Oy), Soil and Water Oy, Jaakko Pöyry Infra (the former Novosat Oy), Radef Research Laboratory, Patria Systems Oy (the former Patria New Technologies Oy ja Patria Finavicomp Oy), Componeering Oy, Millilab, Invers Oy, Elektrobit Microwave Oy (the former Ylinen Electronics Oy), Tekes. Turku Science Park Oy (the former Turun Teknologiakeskus Oy) was in charger of the practical arrangements for the exhibition together with Tekes. Some thirty Finns were at the exhibition, answering the questions of visitors. Figure 3. The Finnish stand at the 2002 exhibition. 5

13 Figure 4. Finnish representatives at the exhibition. Some of the participants immediately pointed out that the presence of their company had been useful. On the basis of the contacts made, the business opportunities exist and contacts since the exhibition have been close. There was obvious interest in the Finnish stand. Opportunities for Finnish Companies in the North American Space Market A market study North American Market Opportunities for Finnish Companies engaged in Space Business Activities was conducted during 2004 and 2005 as part of the AVALI programme. The study was ordered from International Space Services, Inc. after the invitation to tender. The aim of the market study was to provide background information for programme participants. The United States and Canadian space market generated approximately 42 billion U.S. dollars in revenue during Funding for North American space projects has been increasing for the past three years. US/NA is the leading space market in the world." The United States has also established the world s largest civil and military space programmes and funds a significant share of the world s space technology development. These projects will be a potentially attractive market for Finnish space firms. The study concentrated in the commercially most potential Finnish space segment technologies and on the Finnish technologies directly supporting them. This included the following areas in particular: Spacecraft structures and structural elements Satellite power systems Onboard satellite data processing systems Onboard software Detectors and detector systems including x-ray detectors RF-technologies and components. During the study period, the authors interviewed representatives in nine well-known North American companies concerning Finnish space products and the services offered by the 11 Finnish companies participating in the study. Overall, the study concluded that the Finnish companies have strong technical capabilities that can give them a competitive advantage in the in- 6

14 ternational marketplace. Further, the excellent reputations of several Finnish high technology non-space firms have generally established the country as a reliable, competitive supplier of high technology products and services. For space companies and service providers in Finland, this potential market in North America is a highly attractive one. For many Finnish firms seeking to enter the North American market for the first time the direct sales approach will be the most effective one. Nevertheless, there are other possible approaches including forming marketing alliances with North American firms and establishing U.S. or Canadian subsidiaries. Partnering is also a way to become known to North American customers. Successful marketing involves a wide variety of activities. It also involves developing close and ongoing relationships with potential customers and remembering the human touch. The study showed that commercial satellite manufacturers seeking new suppliers are also ready to include Finnish subcontractors in their supply chains. Finnish firms with technological capabilities should consider encouraging their key technical personnel to join and actively participate in the meetings of U.S. professional societies such as the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) and the American Astronautical Society (AAS). Membership in the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineering (IEEE), and the International Society for Optical Engineering (SPIE) would be beneficial. Price is one of the most important competitive characteristics in today s market, though for certain scientific or military spacecraft, extreme reliability or special technical capabilities may be more important. The Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) are significant and must be considered before firms enter the North American space market. Finnish Canadian cooperation The basic idea behind the cooperation was to find solutions from space activity for the problems of northern regions. Thanks to their geographical locations, Finland and Canada have a lot in common. In May 2003, Tekes and the CSA (the Canadian Space Agency) signed a memorandum of understanding document regarding research and development in the space sector. Call for projects proposals concerning cooperation in remote sensing applications between Finland and Canada began during the visit of Marc Garneau, President of the Canadian Space Agency, to Finland. Thanks to this co-operation, Finns gained better access to measurements taken for example by Canadian RadarSat satellites. The Canadian radar satellites serve Finnish needs effectively because they also convey information during dark and cloudy periods in winter. With satellite images, for example, oil transports on the Baltic Sea can be monitored continuously and less expensively than by having ships photographed from an aircraft, as has been the case to date. For their part, the Canadians were motivated by Finnish expertise in research on the environment of northern regions. These common interests were successful in motivating applicants, and 20 participants expressed their interest during the first round. The projects concentrate on northern issues: snow, ice, forests, and the sea. Results can be expected in the form of improved weather forecasts in the future, inventory methods for forest owners, charting of floods, and ice services for shipping. The goal of co-operation is more effective use of remote sensing in northern conditions and attainment of world leadership in the development of remote sensing technologies. It is hoped that joint projects involving research institutes and industry will generate new business in accordance with the principal aims of the AVALI programme. In these projects both the Finns and the Canadians will fund their own participation in accordance with the practices prevalent in their countries. Tekes will contribute to the funding of Finnish efforts together with companies and research institutes. Short descriptions of the co-operation projects are presented in section 3.6 of this report. Joint Finnish-Canadian projects will continue, even after the AVALI programme. 7

15 EU Satellite Centre The function of the European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC) is to generate data for the Council of the European Union and for the EU Member States to support decision-making. The EUSC acquires satellite and other data, processes and analyses them, and prepares reports for EU decision-makers The EUSC is located in Torrejón, Spain, just outside Madrid. The EUSC would offer numerous opportunities and constitute an excellent reference for Finnish companies. With the assistance of Finpro, Tekes arranged a visit to the EUSC in May 2005 within the framework of the AVALI programme. The aim was to present those companies and organisations with something to offer regarding the remote sensing applications.. Representatives from five companies, one research institute, Tekes, and Finpro took part in the visit. 2.2 National activities The Finnish remote sensing survey More than half of the projects in the AVALI programme are related either to remote sensing or to its applications and equipment. After the second seminar of the AVALI programme, discussions in the Management Board indicated that there was not enough information about business opportunities in the remote sensing sector. The Management Board recommended that a survey of the sector be made. The survey concerned actors, products and services, service providers, customers, operational chains, the extent of commercial operations, and the outlook for the future. The goal would be a summary of the sector s actors, volumes of operations, present operational modes and supplier chains, and of customers as well. A key objective was to seek out areas in which there could be potential for commercial operations. Future prospects were to be estimated over a 5 to 10 year period. Similar needs occasioned by the geographical location gave cause to compare remote sensing carried out by Finland and Canada. The results of the report were intended for use by all Finnish organisations of remote sensing. For purposes of the report, remote sensing was defined as that made from satellites, aircraft, helicopters, or other airborne devices. After competitive bidding, Soil and Water Oy prepared the report. The study was made in two parts. First, an extensive written questionnaire was sent to players in the sector. Then personal interviews were made either by telephone or in personal meetings. The questionnaire was sent to 191 players and 67 responses were received (35%). On the basis of the information obtained, net sales from Finnish remote sensing amounted to 27M /year, including public funding. Private funding accounted for 61%. The questionnaire provided valuable information on the structure of the markets and a picture of the roles of players in the operational chain. Figure 5 presents the roles of players in data supply chain. The report concluded that there is a need for demonstrating the benefits of remote sensing, for making definitions, for projects to exploit existing data, and for various kinds of projects related to the distribution of data. It is also noteworthy that the distribution of remote sensing images via data networks is becoming widespread. Institutional organisations have a very high level of competence in the sector, which means that they both show the way to others and are also the first users of many applications. Research institutes should play an active role in seeing that their expertise is transferred and used in companies and exports. Joint projects involving research institutes and companies are recommended for the transfer of knowledge to the latter. Exchanges of personnel between companies and research institutes are also recommended for the transfer of knowledge to commercial operations.. It is hoped that institutional production and services could be outsourced commercially. It is also hoped that the prices of data will decrease and availability increase, thereby making use more widespread and increasing efficiency. 8

16 Research/development (products, software) Producer Data processor Service End user Data (primary production) Transfer and delivery Hardware Basic processing Potential own use Data processing (classification ec.) End product Demonstrations Software, applications Sales Company/Institute Personal customer Figure 5. The data supply chain in remote sensing. Source: Kaukokartoitusselvitys, Teknologiakatsaus 186/2005, Tekes. Research / Development 18 % End User 16 % Primary Producer 12 % Data processors 25 % Service Producers 29 % Figure 6. Percentages of questionnaire respondents by role. Source: Kaukokartoitusselvitys, Teknologiakatsaus 186/2005, Tekes. According to the report, the market for remote sensing in Finland is rather small and dependent on research. Consequently, business cannot be generated on the basis of the Finnish market alone. Excellence exists, but usually in government agencies. Data processors and service producers account for some 45% in institutional organisations. In private companies the figure is approximately 65%. The number of remote sensing personnel in companies was two in more than half of the responding companies. Several groups of ten were found, but there were only a few groups of more than ten. Particularly in primary production and service production, operations are commercial. Two-thirds of the service producers are private and they offer image processing, consulting, aerial photography, and research services. The products and services are diverse, even though aerial photography has long dominated. Commercial software products are limited and they are usually linked to instruments. Ninety-five per cent of the end users are institutional organisations. 9

17 AVALI Seminars and Workshops The main communication channels of the programme were annual seminars and other meetings. All seminar and workshop presentations were published on the AVALI website. lists were used also for promoting AVALI seminars and events. Additional information on progress in the AVALI programme was presented at the Industrial meetings of Tekes. Promotion of all major events was improved by advertisements in the technological newspaper Tekniikka & Talous. The first AVALI seminar was held on 22 nd January 2003 The main topics were the global space market situation and future forecast, the CSA s commercial activities, and the AVALI programme. The first annual seminar was held on 26 th May 2004 The main theme was the presentations of AVALI projects and especially success stories concerning commercialisation of project results. The AVALI programme arranged three workshops. Remote Sensing workshop on 3 rd September 2003 The objective of the workshop was to provide potential users with information on remote sensing and its commercial potential. The invitation was sent to some 150 organisations in the following sectors: insurance, banking, real estate, construction, transport, shipping, and security and multisector firms and telecommunications companies. Detection and measurement in the process industry on 6 th September 2004 and Detection and measurement in the environmental industry on 13 th September 2004 The AVALI programme took the initiative in arranging seminars for space equipment to exploit the measurement technology developed in the industry. These events were arranged together with other Tekes programmes. The second annual seminar was held on 1 st September 2005 The ongoing theme was commercialisation. Most of the presentations dealt with remote sensing applications. The final seminar was held on 4 th April

18 3 AVALI projects 3.1 Project criteria The AVALI Management board had a lengthy discussion about in the programme s project criteria at the beginning of the programme. The following additional criteria were proposed: 1. Markets An assessment of the markets, the business sought, and business development should be presented. 2. Market orientation and global markets Does enough market volume exist? 3. Projects aimed at commercial space activity Applications must state the market segment sought and give an account of the prevailing market situation. 4. Spin-off products and services Spin-off products can seek markets that the company does not know well. How should one proceed in the market area?. 5. What are the trends, changes and discontinuities? 6. Customer needs What will customers need in the future, and particularly when the project is commercialised? 9. Research projects and co-operation between companies How has expertise in Finland and abroad been taken into account? 3.2 Facts and figures The total programme volume was 22.3 M million of wich 8.9 M for research projects and 13.4 M for industrial projects. Total Tekes financing for programme was 11.4 M. It consisted of 6.3 M for research and of 5.1 M for industrial projects. The total number of projects was 61. Details concerning application areas and finance are presented in figures 7 and 8. AVALI projects Area No. Costs/M Space product Remote sensing device Remote sensing application Other application Service product Spin-off Total Competitors and competitive advantages Who are the competitors, what are they making, and how has this been determined? 8. Business chain Applications should be prioritised in terms of how the entire business chain has been taken into account in the project (joint projects). A partner who knows the sector is an advantage when applying. 11

19 Service product 2% Other application 15% Spin-off 5% Space product 5% Remote sensing device 34% Remote sensing application 39% Figure 7. AVALI projects by volume. Other application 8% Service product 3% Spin-off 11% Space product 8% Remote sensing device 8% Remote sensing application 62% Figure 8. AVALI projects by number of projects. 12

20 3.3 Company projects Market Analysis Commercial Space Project objectives The objective of the Market Analysis Commercial Space project was to analyze the commercial space market mainly in Europe, the USA and Canada to provide a basis for establishing business in carefully selected target markets. Activities The activities consisted of commercial market segmentation in which the potential areas where analyzed. The starting point was the existing product and service base of the company. A detailed market analysis of each segment was made. It was based on various reports generated by dedicated consulting companies and research organizations and on direct contacts with different actors in the market. Project duration: from 1 st May 2002 to 15 th January Results The project provided important information about the state of the commercial market in selected markets. The markets are dominated by a set of large companies that use subcontractors in dedicated product/service areas. Our analysis showed that there are opportunities for smaller companies to participate in selected niche areas. This will require long-term product/service development in order to provide competitive products and services. The financing of the development has to be long-term and the risks are high. Project participants Space Systems Finland Oy Contact information Space Systems Finland Oy Sami Laitinen, project manager Tel sami.laitinen@ssf.fi TerraSAR-X Leaf Amplifier Assembly Background The project was started to create co-operation with a large space hardware manufacturer. The expertise of Elektrobit Microwave Ltd. was determined to be appropriate for manufacture of the required microwave unit. Project objectives The objectives were to design, manufacture and test a transmitter power divider/receiver combiner network for the microwave Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite. Another objective was to enter the commercial space hardware manufacturing business. Activities One engineering model and two flight models of the unit were manufactured. Project duration: from 1 st October 2002 to 30 th June Results The required hardware was successfully manufactured. Some specifications were modified during the project to fulfil customers needs. New manufacturing technologies were adopted. Commercial impact Contacts to a customer were created. A good opportunity to gain access to subsequent SAR satellite projects was achieved. Some additional component delivery contracts were signed during the project. Project participants The project partner was EADS Astrium GmbH. Contact information Elektrobit Microwave Ltd. Petri Jukkala, project manager Tel petri.jukkala@elektrobit.com 13

21 SPAXMON Market Study Background The impact of space weather is expected to increase in the near future. Technological systems in both space and on the ground have increased in number and also become more sensitive to consequences of interaction between ionising radiation and physical materials. Based on previous studies and space equipment development, a new instrument concept called Standard Radiation and X-ray Monitor (SPAXMON) was developed. This instrument is intended for measurement of the ionising radiation environment in space conditions. detector and several surface detectors. The surface detectors are pointed in different directions, an arrangement that also provides directional information on the incidence angle of the radiation. Preliminary estimates for the sensitivity of the detectors and the associated electronics were made. Solid-state detector energy ranges of MeV were estimated for protons, 100 kev 3 MeV for electrons (optional), and kev for X-rays. For gas proportional counter detector energy ranges of > 3 MeV for protons, > 300 kev for electrons and kev for X-rays are the baseline. Project objectives The essential feature of the proposed SPAXMON instrument concept is that simultaneous charge particle flux and X-ray intensity could be measured with the same instrument detector. This feature is considered valuable when the power consumption, mass and volume of the measurement instrument need to be minimized. The underlying aim is to develop a compact instrument that both generates useful information on the space environment and is commercially attractive, so that satellite builders can easily integrate it with their future satellite missions. Activities The SPAXMON concept was defined on the basis of earlier X-ray measurement instrumentation. The instrument is specified for the detection of protons and X-ray photons. Electron detection capability is optional. A market survey was performed using a questionnaire form that was sent to experts in the field of space weather. Personal interviews were also made to obtain information on the commercial potential of the instrument. Project duration: from 1 st January 2004 to 31 st March Results The instrument s main component, a compound semiconductor detector, is composed of a core Figure 1. SPAXMON equipped with a solid-state detector. Commercial impact According to the market survey, the commercial potential of SPAXMON is estimated to be roughly 2 units per year, mainly to European space missions. However, achieving this potential would require further demonstration of performance. In the field of radiation measurements there is also considerable competition in Europe. Integration of the SPAXMON detector with only a larger space environment analysis system could be an interesting option for commercialisation. Project participants Patria Systems Oy Oxford Instruments Analytical Oy Observatory, Helsinki University Finnish Meteorological Institute. 14

22 Contact information Patria Systems Oy Commercial matters Kimmo Myllyoja, director, space Tel Technical matters Jari Stenberg, project manager Tel Development of Power Control and Distribution unit (PCDU) Background To a large extent, Patria space business focuses on power equipment and systems. Past experience includes satellite power distribution units and low power DC/DC converters. The tendency of putting the power control unit (PCU) and the power distribution unit (PDU) into a single power control and distribution unit (PCDU) was the main reason for the PCDU development project. Project objectives The primary project objective in the AVALI program was to design and develop a competitive overall power system between the power sources, the solar arrays and battery, and the satellite power consumers, thereby meeting the design requirements and targets with specific power demands. The equipment was divided into three main sections: 1) the PCU section, which provides solar array power (2.5kW) through sequential switching shunt regulators (S3R) to an unregulated power bus, 2) the DCDC converter section, which provides a reliable1 kw regulated power bus for users, and 3) the PDU section, which provides high current latching current limiters (LCL). Activities The project started with an analysis of the system requirements and the trade-offs of potential implementations. The final system concept consists of the bread board modules (2 S3R modules, 4 DCDC modules and one LCLU module) as presented in the figure 1 below. The unit was also tested according to the set requirements in hot and cold temperatures at the Figure 1. 15

23 Patria thermal chamber. The relevant test equipment, battery simulator and load simulator were developed and manufactured. A solar array simulator was acquired as part of Patria own investments. Project duration: from 1 st December 2003 to 31 st May 2005 Results The system that was developed achieved the design requirements and targets. Commercial impact The project achieved its commercial objectives. The design can be referred to and reused in future space programmes. Project participants Patria Systems Oy Tampere University of Technology EADS Astrium Ltd. Contact information Patria Systems Oy, Commercial matters Kimmo Myllyoja, director, space Tel kimmo.myllyoja@patria.fi Technical matters Juhani Simola, project manager juhani.simola@patria.fi Tel Modular Power Supply Development (MPWR) Background Space programme applications have widely varying needs regarding power supplies and their performance. Nevertheless, all power supply applications share certain commonalities. The design and development of core power supply functions that can be used in most future space equipment will have both a commercial and a technical impact on reduction of development time, risks, and costs. Project objectives The project is divided into two main tasks: 1) Design and development of a low power instrument power supply and 2) Design and development of a high power solar array power supply using the maximum power point tracking principle to extract maximum available power from a satellite solar array. Activities 1. Low power instrument power supply: Development is concentrating on the design of a core power supply function that can be used as an off the shelf product in various space programmes. Within the framework of the project, new package technologies, especially for certain parts of the core function, are being studied. The main tasks are design, development, prototype manufacturing, and testing. 2. High Power SA Regulator: A high power SA regulator (Array Power Regulator, APR) will serve as a regulator between the solar array section and the main power bus/battery. The main design targets are very high efficiency, low mass, and modularity. The solar array will consist of many solar array sections in parallel. To ensure reliability and modularity, each solar array section will be interfaced with its own APR. The APR may comprise one DCDC converter or one high power and one lower power on top of it. Design and development comprise a study of the most efficient solution, prototyping, and testing of the selected solution. A block diagram of one module is shown in Figure 1 on page 17. Project duration: From 1 st August 2005 to 1 st August The project is still going on. Commercial impact The commercial impact has been targeted to improve Patria s readiness to comply with the requirements of future space programmes. 16

24 Figure 1. A block diagram of one module. Project participants The following will co-operate in the project: Patria Systems Oy Tampere University of Technology (projected DCDC converter dynamic modelling ) Technical Research Centre of Finland (projected vibration tests for new packages). Contact information Patria Systems Oy Commercial matters Kimmo Myllyoja, director, space Tel kimmo.myllyoja@patria.fi Technical matters Juhani Simola, project manager juhani.simola@patria.fi Tel Improvement of impulse radar (ImRa) Background ImRa is high-resolution radar for short-range detection of subsurface objects and interfaces. It can be used for example to indicate rot or decay in living trees, the thickness of snow and ice, or the location of moisture faults, joists, pipes, cables etc. in a concrete, wooden or other structure. The radar can be used as a hand-held instrument in the field; it is portable and powered by rechargeable batteries. Project objectives Development of ImRa was completed in Since then there have been great advances in electronics, battery, and computer technology. The project goal was to update the radar construction and to make it easier to interpret the radar images. Activities The radar electronics were redesigned using surface-mount components and programmable logic 17

25 devices. The radar computer and display were replaced with modern versions. This all resulted in reduced size, weight, and power consumption. The old DOS-operating system was replaced with Linux and this enabled use of all modern memory and network options. Different digital image enhancement methods were also studied, but this still requires further development. Project duration: from 7 th January 2002 to 5 th April Results The impulse radar hardware and software were updated. The new version is smaller, lighter and more user-friendly. Project participants Helsinki University of Technology (TKK), Laboratory of Space Technology As a subcontractor, TKK carried out the study of different image enhancement methods. Contact Information Insinööritoimisto Toikka Oy Martti Toikka, managing director Tel toikka@co.inet.fi Hyperspectral Imaging Technology Background SPECIM develops and manufactures hyperspectral imaging instruments and systems for industrial, life science, and remote sensing applications and is one of the leading companies in this area. Project Objectives The project aimed at developing advanced imaging spectrograph and camera technology in both the VNIR ( nm) and the SWIR ( nm) range. The target was to be able to meet the user requirements for higher resolution and higher quality data produced by small, economic airborne hyperspectral imagers. Activities A new optical design for high performance imaging spectrograph was completed and a spectrograph prototype in both the VNIR and the SWIR range was implemented and tested. Several VNIR cameras were evaluated and the most suitable was selected for hyperspectral imaging. A high performance SWIR camera was developed by employing new European made MCT detector technology. The spectrographs and cameras, together with a Windows-based real time image acquisition solution, were integrated with hyperspectral imager prototypes that were thoroughly characterized in the laboratory and during a flight mission. Project duration: from 1 st February 2002 to 31 st March Results Advanced, characterized technology for making high performance, compact imaging spectrographs, and high speed cameras and image acquisition solutions for hyperspectral applications in remote sensing and industry. Commercial impact SPECIM has exploited the results in three new hyperspectral imaging systems that it has developed for airborne remote sensing. AISA+ and AISA Eagle operate in the VNIR range and AISA Hawk in the SWIR range. These new systems have proven very competitive and successful in the remote sensing market. SPECIM has already sold nearly 30 of these systems world-wide and achieved a leading market position as a manufacturer of compact, high-performance, economical hyperspectral imaging systems. Also, the hyperspectral cameras for industrial and scientific applications developed by SPECIM on the basis of the new technology have had an excellent response in the market. By the end of 2005, application of the results in new products had increased SPECIM s turnover by 75%. 18