 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
EU satellite centre to monitor Georgia rebel zones: official
Tbilisi (AFP) Nov 13, 2009 The European Union plans to use satellites to monitor military activity in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Georgian regions that broke away with Russian backing, the head of an EU observer mission said Friday. The decision to use satellite imagery was made after Russia and the rebel regions refused to grant EU monitors access to their territory, said Hansjorg Haber, the head of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) in Georgia. "This will in no way replace our access to these areas, which is absolutely necessary for us to fully implement our mandate," he told AFP on the sidelines of a press conference for visiting EU diplomats. "At the same time, it's better than nothing. As a result, we will be able to document any major military movements or construction works." The European Union Satellite Centre (EUSC), located in Torrejon de Ardoz near Madrid, is tasked with supporting EU decision-making by providing analysis of satellite imagery and collateral data. It is one of the key institutions for the EU's Security and Defence policy, and the only one in the field of space. About 225 EU monitors are in Georgia observing an EU-brokered ceasefire that ended a five day war between Georgia and Russia in August 2008 over South Ossetia. Russian troops and tanks pour into Georgia to repel a Georgian military attempt to retake control of South Ossetia, which had received extensive Russian backing for years. Days later, Russia recognised South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent, a move that has so far been followed by only Nicaragua and Venezuela. Share This Article With Planet Earth
Related Links Earth Observation News - Suppiliers, Technology and Application
ESA spacecraft performing well in orbitParis (UPI) Nov 11, 2009 The European Space Agency's Proba-2 spacecraft platform is in its second week in orbit and scientists say its operational health is excellent. The mini-spacecraft and the ESA's SMOS satellite were launched aboard the same rocket Nov. 2 from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia. Proba-2 is designed to demonstrate 17 advanced satellite technologies while observing the sun and the ... read more |
|
|
| The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2009 - SpaceDaily. AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement |
del.icio.us
Digg
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Google
Facebook