The ESA Data User Programme

In order to contribute to preparing Users and Industry to the emerging of new services at information level, ESA took the initiative to propose a new program: the Data User Programme. It is assumed that the EO market will develop by offering cost effective information derived from EP data. The DUP activities are focused on extracting information from EO standard products, are selecting which products are amenable to services at European level and at transferring the technology to Value Added Company and the Service Industry. It aims at extending results already obtained in the framework of the National Activities efforts but also complements the efforts deployed by ESA as part of the ERS Announcement of Opportunity and Pilots Projects. The Programme started in 1996 with Switzerland and Belgium and Holland joined in 1997. So far, the DUP activities are related to 3 main topics: atmospheric chemistry products quality metrics definition assessment of DEM derived from interferometry mapping of land cover dynamics in tropical regions. The participating states share the interest of developing and assessing new technologies in Europe and making use of the new tools in countries under development. A series of meeting with potential actors (institutions, commercial organisations, value added companies etc.) took already place and will result in the issuing of a call for additional initiatives in the course of 1997. In parallel efforts are deployed to allow for the participation of more European countries. The presentation will expand on these issues and the results as obtained so far.