As part of NL Space Week, NL Space Campus, in partnership with the ITC Faculty of Geoinformation Science and Earth Observation, University of Twente, and the Netherlands Space Office, organised Earth Observation Day in the Netherlands. The EO4IMPACT event highlighted the importance of Dutch Earth Observation programs and initiatives for society and the economy. EO4IMPACT focused on connecting academia and industry with end-users and stakeholders who can benefit from advanced EO products and applications, aiming to make a significant impact. The space and non-space sectors can cooperate towards common goals with clear objectives by exchanging different perspectives.
Insightful Presentations and Discussion Roundtables
At the SBIC Noordwijk, participants were warmly welcomed for lunch and had the opportunity to meet and greet each other. After lunch, NL Space Campus Programme Manager and Project Officer at ITC Faculty, Parya Pasha, opened the session by introducing speakers from different companies who presented their solutions and applications. Academic and industry partners delivered inspiring presentations on a variety of topics.
Dinand Alkema from ITC Faculty, University of Twente (ranked 6th in the Shanghai Ranking of EO in Remote Sensing) talked about the gap between end users and providers of space data as technology is going fast, and the use of the downstream data is still evolving. Titia Mulder of the Wageningen University and Research focused on ongoing projects related to soil biodiversity, including diversifying cropping systems and rotations, using remote sensing to predict plant-soil feedback, and studying microbial community composition and activity in situ with the help of satellites and drones. Paco Lopez Dekker from TU Delft Geoscience and Remote Sensing showcased their work using InSAR data to quickly respond to agricultural needs and ensure food safety and security. He also highlighted the mission of the TU Delft Space Institute, which aims to consolidate and develop expertise in space technology to make a local, regional, and global impact on research and education.
Aaldert van Amerongen from SRON talked about the Dutch Tropomi satellite detecting methane plumes in 2023 and providing this data to the United Nations. Mark van Persie, R&D Engineer at NLR, said rapid response with satellite data can beneficially impact the operational process. More than 80% of weather forecasts come from satellite data. Pepijn Veefkind of Dutch KNMI emphasizes the economic benefits of European meteorological satellite data in the Netherlands.
Koen Meilink from S&T presented the full range of services provided by the company, including data acquisition, insights, and customized solutions tailored to the user’s needs. Thijs Perenboom of 52Impact talked about the Waterwacht project, which helps ecologists gain insights into water quality. Steven Braakman from the company NEO demonstrated an API with infrastructure applications that use AI to detect distances between objects and identify trees, buildings, and soil. The API also includes a built-in AI chat for users to access information quickly and easily by providing short prompts. Finally, Amaury Perrocheau from Ubotica spoke about bringing AI aboard the satellite, creating ‘smart’ satellites with immediate access to tailored data.
After the inspiring and insightful presentations, it was time to engage in the conversation and join the discussion tables set up around three critical domains:
- Safety and Security (Rapid Response, Disaster Preparedness)
- Resource Security (Soil Health, Biodiversity)
- Resilient Cities (Air quality and emission, Urban Heat, Energy Transition)
The roundtables offered the opportunity to actively participate, interact, and address the needs for solutions in these areas by directly conversing with the providers that help meet the demand and suggesting existing or customized solutions. The Ministry of Defence, Central Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, and Planning Bureau for the Environment were among the participants.
Earth Observation Day was a successful event that showcased the focus areas of research and application development from Dutch space science and industry, highlighting the Netherlands’ role as a key player in Earth Observation solutions on a global scale. It was an excellent start to what is promising to be the beginning of new, in-depth collaborations between academia, industry, and public and private end users, leading to the development of new applications and technology.
