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SUMMER 2012
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE UNITED STATES GEOSPATIAL INTELLIGENCE FOUNDATION
Crossroads The Future of U.S. Commercial Imagery VISION IMPLEMENTATION
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STRATIS L-3com.com contents summer 2012
2 | vantage Point Features 27 | MeMBershiP Pulse Introducing the new Accenture upgrades to USGIF strategic partner. trajectory magazine. 9 | at a crossroads
4 | intsider Proposed cuts to NGA’s EnhancedView 28 | gen yPg News updates plus high- program revive the commercial Beacon of Hope and YPG lights from got geoint? imagery debate. work together to help By Kristin Quinn rebuild New Orleans. 6 | in Motion Small Business Advisory 30 | horizons Working Group hosts Reading List, Peer Intel, 16 | the $4B gloBal Pie luncheon with guest Calendar. speakers from NGA. New competition is forming in the commercial data marketplace. 32 | aPerture 8 | elevate By Brad Causey Canada has it. Germany Mizzou’s Center for has it. Italy has it. Back in Geospatial Intelligence the U.S., SAR? goes beyond academics. 22 | Pigeonholed Privacy policies threaten advances on the cover Cover image of Dallas, Texas, in technology. courtesy of GeoEye. Image has By Jim Hodges been altered with permission for editorial purposes. trAJectorYmAGAZIne.com eXcLusIVes
video Podcast Panel “What can you do with Exclusive interview Recap of the Space geography?” National with Kevin Pomfret, Enterprise Council's Geographic video director of the Centre panel on the impor- featuring Keith for Spatial Law and tance of commercial Masback of USGIF. Policy. imagery.
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 1 Vantage Point
USGIF CEO & CHAIRMAN
e e K. Stuart Shea
tra·jec·to·ry noun \tr -'jek-t( -)re\ PUblISHER Keith J. Masback 1: the curve that a body (as a planet or comet in its orbit ExECUtIvE EdItOR or a rocket) describes in space Jordan Fuhr 2: a path, progression, or line of development resembling [email protected] a physical trajectory
keith j. MasBack | PRESIdENt, USGIF @geointer 800-641-3912 | GlCOMM.COM
2 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM Save the Date October 8-11, 2012 Orlando, Florida Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center
• Four days of comprehensive agenda featuring keynotes, panels, breakouts, and workshops • Topics related to ISR, Modeling and Simulation, Big Data, Mission Planning and Rehearsal, Homeland Security needs, and much more • Focus on U.S. and Allied partner issues and needs • An exhibit hall with over 100,000 square feet of technologies and solutions • More than 250 government and industry exhibitors • Outdoor displays and demonstrations • Invaluable networking opportunities with almost 4,500 attendees • An amazing return on investment for limited travel budgets
www.geoint2012.com Int id e news uPdates ands highlights froM got geoint?r
SKYSATS SKYBOX IMAGING RAISES ADDITIONAL $70M Skybox Imaging, an existing investors two high-resolution early-stage provider Khosla Ventures and imaging microsatel- of satellite imagery, Bessemer Venture lites, SkySat-1 and video, and big data Partners, bringing the SkySat-2. It will also analytics, announced it total amount raised to use the funds to grow has raised $70 million date to $91 million. its team of software in Series C financing Skybox plans to engineers and data led by Canaan Partners use the capital to scientists. SkySat-1 and Norwest Venture complete development is slated to launch in Partners. They join and launch of its first late 2012.
This Geostellar image represents the precise solar power potential of MAPSTORY LAUNCHES every rooftop in this MapStory (mapstory.org), the brainchild of USGIF Board Member Chris section of downtown Tucker, launched in mid-April after nine feverish months of Tucker and Washington, D.C. a team of techies pushing it live. MapStory provides a place for geo fans of all backgrounds to become GEOEYE PARTNERS WITH SOLAR ENERGY COMPANY storytellers by creating, sharing, collabo- GeoEye announced a strategic relationship with Geostellar, a solar energy com- “MapStory was rating, and ultimately improving our pany. GeoEye will supply high-quality Earth imagery, digital surface models and understanding of global dynamics, world- other mapping data to help Geostellar expand its service. GeoEye also intends to really designed wide, over the course of history. take a small equity position in the company. to let us organize “MapStory was really designed to let us Geostellar has built an analytics platform that automatically determines how together as a organize together, as a community, all the quickly a given property owner can recoup an investment in solar energy. The community all the knowledge about the world spatially and company’s platform models roof slope, shadows, weather patterns, local utility knowledge about the temporally,” said Tucker. “So you are really rates, and solar energy subsidies to automate what has historically been a highly using a map and the timeline metaphor manual process. Geostellar has built solar maps in Washington, D.C., Boston, world spatially and to organize everything we know that has Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New Jersey, where government agen- temporally.” happened on earth, from Pangaea until cies have made aerial imagery freely available. However, it needed a strategic Chris Tucker, Founder, MapStoryxx now, over the past 1.5 billion years.” partner to help collect and process massive amounts of Earth imagery to catalog Tucker also sees MapStory as an amaz- the solar power potential of every commercial and residential property in the ing educational tool able to benefit any visual learner. The site hopes to United States. GeoEye will apply image processing capabilities developed by develop a global community of experts to “crowd source” socio-cultural GeoEye Analytics to provide the data required to develop solar maps for every key data and present it in a visually compelling way. metropolitan market in the United States.
got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint?
A new app called Fragile Earth displays the impact of climate change on the planet— from coastal erosion and drying lakes to melting glaciers and recent natural disasters.
4 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM THE GEOINT OF GETTYSBURG In honor of the 150th anniversary of Baber and Reddi spent a morning the Civil War, the International Spy touring Gettysburg with a licensed Museum is offering a 138-page educa- battlefield guide to gain a richer un- tor guide titled, “From Ballroom to derstanding of how the battle evolved. Battlefield: The Role of Intelligence in The lessons allow students to use an the Civil War.” interactive web-mapping system to The guide includes lesson plans and identify and graphically annotate loca- resources on the “secret history” of the tions on the Gettysburg battlefield, and Civil War, from codes and ciphers to learn the significance of topography using music as a deception. Max Baber, on troop movements and battlefield USGIF’s director of academic programs, positions at Gettysburg. and Jayaram Reddi, who worked on the “We want to attract top students project as a USGIF intern and is now an into the GEOINT profession, and using NGA analyst, contributed a “GEOINT of this exercise to raise awareness of the Gettysburg” lesson, in which students genuinely amazing world of geospatial employ GEOINT to assess strategic intelligence helps students think about DOD PROMOTES TELEWORK positions of various military elements preparing for a GEOINT career as they The Department of Defense (DOD) has in the Battle of Gettysburg. consider collegiate options,” Baber said. announced a new policy that will promote more teleworking across the civilian work- force. Changes to the existing telework policy were prompted by the Telework Enhancement Act of 2010, officials said, and will help DOD achieve greater flexibility in managing its workforce. The new policy requires DOD leaders to promote telework within their respective components, make every effort to overcome artificial barriers to program implementation, authorize tele- work for the maximum number of positions without compromising mission readiness, and integrate telework into continuity of operations activities.
GEOCURRICULUM NEK AND TERRAGO PARTNER NEK Advanced Securities Group Inc. (NEK) has partnered with TerraGo Technologies to incorporate its geospatial collaboration software into NEK’s Intelligence Services Group curriculum for the defense and intelligence industry. The NEK Intelligence Services Group develops, designs, and ex- ecutes intelligence training to support criminal and terrorist network analysis. The curriculum will include courses highlighting TerraGo geospatial collaboration software, and demonstrate how warfighters can leverage TerraGo GeoPDF solutions to extend, exchange, and exploit geo-referenced maps, imagery, audio, video, geoforms, web services and other intelligence in connected or offline environments. got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint? got geoint?
The global UAV market is expected to grow from $6.6 billion $11.4B to $11.4 billion annually in the next 10 years.
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 5 in motion | usgiF news
sMall Business advisory working grouP When usgif’s sMall Business advisory working grouP started up in July 2011, it had a simple mission—find new ways to bring small business members together to collaborate and share best practices. “We are focused on interactions with the end customer as well as larger companies like Lockheed Martin and Booz Allen Hamilton, who often bring small businesses into the equation,” said working group co-chair Gary Adkins, president and CEO of Fredericksburg, Va.-based Applied Geospatial Solutions International Inc. “We want to create an environment and avenue to make small business members aware of activities and opportunities, especially those involving potential customers.” Group membership is open to any USGIF member who falls within the YOUNG PROFESSIONALS U.S. Small Business Administration’s definition of a small business. The GROUP GIVES BACK TO group’s mission is to provide USGIF THE COMMUNITY AT small business members a FRYING PAN FARM PARK voice within the Foundation At first glance, Frying Pan Farm Park in and the overall GEOINT Com- Herndon, Va., appears green and clean— munity, as well as a means to not the first place one would consider connect with potential busi- ness partners within industry for hosting a trash collection effort. But, and government. in just two short hours, the USGIF Young The group meets on the Professionals Group (YPG) excavated second Thursday of every more than 100 pounds of garbage and month, from 11 a.m. to noon recyclable material from the park. About at the USGIF headquarters in 15 volunteers, including groups from Herndon, Va. Recent meetings USGIF Member companies MDA and SAIC, have featured guest speakers gathered at the park on Saturday, April 14, such as USGIF Board Member Chris which proved to be a warm, sunny day. Tucker, Lockheed Martin’s TW They were there to participate in the Scott, and Brian Loggins of Booz Potomac River Watershed Cleanup Day as Allen Hamilton. “Each month we are seeing a YPG service project. steady growth, which is encour- The group combed the trails that line aging since it’s the members the neighborhoods surrounding the park, who truly lead the group,” as well as the streets that make up the said Adkins, who co-chairs the park’s perimeter. Their loot included some group with USGIF’s Exhibitor and Member Services interesting discoveries, such as an intact Manager Bill Allder III. “Currently, we have 15-20 people attend our deer skull that had become embedded in LUNCH AND monthly meetings either in person or via teleconference. We generally a creek bank, 60 aluminum cans, and 70 LEARN talk about our progress and collaborate on strategies to improve access NGA's Tonya Crawford cigarette butts. and exposure for small business USGIF member companies.” Park patrons might be surprised to learn (top) and Sandra Going forward, the group plans to hold quarterly luncheons Broadnax (center) how much garbage was hiding in the brush called the Small Business Engagement Series. At the first luncheon, were guest speakers held in April, the group hosted Sandra Broadnax, director of NGA’s along their favorite trails and near their at a recent members- homes. As the YPG volunteers sorted their only presentation Small Business Program Office, and Tonya Crawford, NGA’s director luncheon hosted by of Acquisition and Contracts. findings between general garbage and USGIF's Small “They talked about how small businesses can best interact with recyclable items, a wagon full of families Business Advisory the NGA,” Adkins said. “This was an excellent interaction touring Frying Pan Farm Park passed by. Working Group. opportunity and included a Q&A session where the 40 people in The children and their parents cheered and attendance were given the opportunity to gain valuable insight shouted, “Thank you!” to the volunteers for into working with the NGA. The events serve as wonderful net- helping keep their community beautiful. working and educational opportunities.”.BY PETER FRETTY
6 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM NAtIONAl GEOGRAPHIC EdUCAtION FOUNdAtION’S HIll dAy % at a congressional briefing in November 2011, USGIF President 50 Keith Masback, formerly the Army’s first Director of Intelligence, Surveil- of young lance, and Reconnaissance Integration, aMericans cannot locate discussed how geography is at the new york heart of integrated intelligence. on a MaP USGIF has helped the National Geographic Educational Foundation craft and communicate its message as it strives to educate Congress about the “Teaching Geography is Fundamental Act.” Geography is the only one of the nine core subjects under 2001’s No Child Left Behind Act that has not received federal funding. To create jobs, curb the unemploy- ment rate, and ensure that the U.S. retains its standing as the world’s largest and SHOWCASE most influential economy, Be sure to visit NGA the National Geographic Tech Showcase East June 5-6 Educational Foundation is during GEOINT educating Congress on why ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Community Week. we should fund geo-liter- Keith Masback acy and provide American participates in National students with the necessary Geographic video, usgif and atia to host expertise to fill and retain “What can you do with new, skill-driven jobs in geography?” technical workshoP the geospatial technology industry. usgif’s technical shop, part of the USGIF tract a diverse audience. Masback emphasized in his briefing coMMittee and the Workshop Series, aims Furthermore, there that the current lack of geography edu- Advanced technical to engage USGIF and will be presentations cation and understanding is a critical Intelligence Associa- AtIA Members in the by USGIF and AtIA Mem- national security issue. Based on a straw tion (AtIA), formerly the Rocky Mountain and bers, senior National poll of USGIF’s more than 200 member MASINt Association, Inter-Mountain West. Geospatial-Intelligence companies, government organizations, will co-host a technical the intent is to provide Agency officials from and academic institutions, employers in workshop Sept. 11-12 in opportunities to present denver, the U.S. Com- the Washington, D.C., area alone have the denver, Colo., area. and discuss technical mercial EO Working more than 1,000 job vacancies requir- this two-day workshop topics, to have an oppor- Group, and leaders from ing geospatial skills. will feature both an tunity to network, and to other agencies and or- “If we are not preparing young unclassified and a learn more about USGIF. ganizations in the Front Americans to do this, then we are tS//SI/tK-classified With the large number Range area. not going to be able to fill those jobs, day, as well as a special of geospatial intelligence we aren’t going to develop the intel- edition of GEOINterac- organizations in proxim- For more information about this ligence analysts we need, and we aren’t tion tuesday. ity to denver, this event event, please visit usgif.org/ going to be able to adequately provide this technical work- should appeal to and at- events/workshop-series. for our national security,” Masback said.
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 7 eLeVate | acaDemics anD eDucation Beyond acadeMics University of Missouri students participate in cutting-edge GEOINt research
s an active participant in In obtaining GEOINT certification, ditures of approximately $3 million, USGIF’s efforts to develop students in Mizzou’s accredited pro- so there are lots of opportunities for its Geospatial Intelligence gram have the opportunity to work students to work on a diverse array of AAccreditation Certification on cutting-edge research projects in projects with a host of different spon- Program, the University of a 6,800-square-foot, $2.5 million, sors and applications,” said Curt Davis, Missouri has a history of firsts. The state-of-the-art research and develop- founder and director of the CGI. university’s Center for Geospatial ment facility dedicated specifically to In addition, the CGI has a strong Intelligence (CGI) was the first aca- GEOINT research and development. track record of placing both under- demic organization to join USGIF, the The CGI has developed a reputation graduate and graduate students with first to have both undergraduate and for its work in satellite and airborne internships at NGA where they are graduate USGIF-accredited GEOINT remote sensing, advanced image pro- able to obtain TS/SCI clearances. Many programs, and the first to exhibit at cessing, automated feature extraction of these students go on to work at the annual GEOINT Symposium. This and target recognition, large dataset NGA after graduation. history of firsts illustrates the uni- visualization, high-resolution 3D “Our proximity to NGA in St. Louis versity’s long-standing commitment virtual environments, and intelligent helps here,” Davis said. “In the last to remaining current with GEOINT database and information retrieval. five years, we have sent roughly 35 tradecraft and trends. “The CGI has annual research expen- interns to NGA, and 85 percent go on to work for NGA.” Likewise, a number of suc- snaPshot of cgi’s current Projects cessful graduates have secured positions with well-known EDUCATION HUMAN GEOGRAPHY MODELING for the National Geo- USGIF industry partners. In To learn more about spatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) InnoVision Directorate: fact, the USGIF Geospatial USGIF’s Accreditation this project focuses on basic and applied research to define Intelligence Accreditation Certification Program, physical and cultural layers of information influencing Certification Program was visit usgif.org. how people react to events. It then maps them into social created exactly for this reason. literature-based models for manipulation and display in a graphical tem- Preparing students for real- poral framework. this framework allows modeling of the dispositions and world experiences is essential actions of groups of humans given particular scenarios. in this community, and the program at Mizzou is doing Boeing suBcontractor Production work for NGA’s just that. Organizations hiring Global Geospatial Intelligence contract: the program uses students with GEOINT certifi- government-funded and open-source technologies to cation from a USGIF-accredited speed up the production, analysis, and delivery of time- school can be certain the re- sensitive intelligence imagery. “this is a contract that cruit has the knowledge to get would normally only be in industry, so the fact that we have graduate and the job done. undergraduate students employed is somewhat unique,” davis said. According to Davis, few other programs expose geolocation of ground Photos using terrain sil- students to such extensive houettes on the Defense Advanced Research Projects research. Agency’s (DARPA) Visual Media Reasoning program: “This is one reason why “the goal of this project has been to analyze ground our projects really distinguish photos or videos without any location-based information, us from any other institu- and utilize background topography (including city skylines) to create tions,” he said. “And, we digital elevation data sets,” davis said. “Even if we cannot obtain a pre- employ many of the students cise geolocation, we reduce location to the point a human analyst can in the program because it is physically go in and pinpoint the location.” a natural fit. Not only does it expose students to cutting- land Mine detection work for the U.S. Army: edge GEOINT research, it this program focuses on developing night-vision provides an opportunity to algorithms to assist with landmine and IEd detection work side-by-side with out- from a distance—a significant step to ensuring troop standing faculty mentors.” safety. .BY PETER FRETTY
8 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM cover story PROPOSED CUTS TO NGA’S ENHANCEDVIEW PROGRAM REVIVE THE COMMERCIAL IMAGERY DEBATE CrossroadsAt a joshua hartMan recalls the deBates that led up to the adoption of an integrated commercial and national intelligence satellite strategy, also known as “2+2,” as nothing short of religious. • “And I mean it in the truest sense of religion,” said Hartman, who served as a senior advisor to the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics from 2007 to 2009. “There were advocates of commercial imagery who enjoyed the value they got from it and thought it hadn’t been given as much exposure as it should have been, meaning its application had been limited so far. They were pushing to expand it as much as pos- sible.” • Meanwhile, advocates from the classified world had been building satellite systems for decades, and felt the government should continue investing in National Technical Means (NTM) for the best interest of national security. They argued that although commercial imagery is more cost-effective, there are certain requirements in the area of resolution only NTM can ever tackle.
BY KRISTIN QUINN
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 9 cover story
National Geospatial-Intelligence on the offensive Agency’s (NGA) EnhancedView Although it’s still too early to know to program. So what’s at stake this what extent EnhancedView will be cut time around? In one camp sits or where the bulk of the cut will land, leaders in the defense and intel- both GeoEye and DigitalGlobe have ligence communities tasked with launched an offensive strategy. The “We just threw bowing to unprecedented budget continued viability of their companies a bunch of cuts, while still striving to keep the is at stake in this existential situation. country safe. In the other camp sits On May 4, GeoEye made a public money at the the U.S. commercial remote sensing offering to purchase DigitalGlobe for industry, with growing concerns approximately $792 million, or $17 problem, and about the fate of their companies, per share−$8.50 in cash and $8.50 their credibility on Wall Street, and in GeoEye stock. Matt O’Connell, we need the potential damage to innovation president and CEO of GeoEye, said and the industrial base. a combined company, which would to really To meet the commercial compo- create the world’s largest fleet of understand nent of “2+2,” the 10-year, $7.3 high-resolution commercial imagery billion EnhancedView program satellites, stands to deliver exceptional what the true was awarded in 2010 through a value to the nation, while still benefit- public-private partnership with ing the taxpayer and allowing the requirements NGA and the two major U.S. com- government to reduce funding. How- mercial imagery providers, GeoEye ever, during an investor call following for commercial and DigitalGlobe. The purpose of the announcement, Matt O’Connell EnhancedView is to provide timely, maintained that the proposal wasn’t imagery are.” high-resolution, wide-area imagery based on a specific level of budget Joshua Hartman, former senior advisor to to NGA, as well as to the overall cuts in any particular year, and instead the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Intelligence Community, DOD, focused on synergies between the two for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics federal agencies, and U.S. allies. companies. With a 10-year commitment from “It’s not that we see something near- the federal government, GeoEye and term,” Matt O’Connell said during the DigitalGlobe each moved forward investor call. “It’s that if you put these with plans to build new satellites to two constellations together, you have meet NGA requirements, courted a world-class team and can rationalize Wall Street investors, and collec- the number of satellites that you build tively raised more than $1 billion over the mid- to long-term.” Kevin O’Connell, in capital. DigitalGlobe promptly rejected what president and CEO of Innovative Ana- Now, with both companies it called a “hostile” proposal May 6, lytics & Training, as well as a seasoned midway through satellite builds, describing it as substantially under- national security and intelligence ana- the austere budget environment valuing its company. According to a lyst, believes the narrative surrounding has forced the government to re- DigitalGlobe press release, GeoEye had commercial imagery has been incor- evaluate the 10-year contract. In made previous unsolicited proposals rect for a long time. a document titled “Defense and beginning February 7. “We keep posing these as com- Budget Priorities,” released Jan. 26 DigitalGlobe said it had also previ- petitors to the national system,” he as a preview to President Obama’s ously proposed to purchase GeoEye, said. “They are not and never were defense budget request for FY 2013, in a transaction under which Digi- intended that way.” commercial imagery is listed among talGlobe stockholders would own
When the “2+2” strategy—a sort many programs at risk for cuts as approximately 60 percent of the digtalglobe courtesy of compromise—was announced the DOD aims to reduce its spend- company, while GeoEye stockholders in 2009, it was determined that ing by $259 billion over the next would own approximately 40 percent. the National Reconnaissance Office five years. Although the NGA budget DigitalGlobe said it terminated such (NRO) would continue to develop and therefore the proposed En- discussions with the belief that “the and build classified satellites, while the hancedView cut are classified, some U.S. government process would be fa- Department of Defense (DOD) and In- analysts predict the program could vorable” to DigitalGlobe, and that such telligence Community would increase suffer a cut as deep as 50 percent. discussions may distract the govern- use of imagery available through U.S. At press time, the once amicable ment in its decision-making. commercial providers. The strategy competition between GeoEye and Walter Scott, founder of DigitalGlobe was thought to end the commercial DigitalGlobe reached a stalemate, and now the company’s chief technol- imagery debate once and for all. each having offered and rejected a ogy officer, spoke with trajectory via But the discussion is alive once takeover of the other in the wake of phone a few weeks prior to GeoEye’s again with proposed cuts to the impending cuts. May 4 proposal. Scott said if Enhanced-
10 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM View cuts are based on who provides Eye’s May 4 proposal with the same EnhancedView to a mortgage, meaning DISASTER the best value, he is confident the out- 60/40 offer, which GeoEye again that regardless of what happens to the RELIEF come will be in his company’s favor. rejected. The May 6 release stated program, the company will still have to Commercial satellite “We’re providing north of three- DigitalGlobe plans to once again halt create a return for its investors. imagery has proven crucial in times of quarters of the high-resolution discussions and await the govern- According to a former senior DOD crisis for disaster imagery globally,” Scott said. “The ment’s budget decision. official who declined to be named, relief efforts, from the amount of money the U.S. gov- Matt O’Connell, who also has years EnhancedView is no different from aftermath of Hurricane ernment is spending with both of experience in Wall Street finance, any other large contract that gets Katrina to the recent companies is roughly the same. So, spoke with trajectory in person a few modified or cancelled as a result of tsunami in Japan. you can do the calculations and figure weeks prior to GeoEye’s May 4 proposal. changing circumstances. out the rough value there.” He compared the amount of capital “These are publicly traded compa- DigitalGlobe said it countered Geo- both companies have leveraged on nies that made corporate decisions
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 11 cover story
DigitalGlobe] stocks have traded down to the point where we are both valued at the depreciated value of our last satellites,” he said. “At that price, it’s probably cheaper for the French to come in and buy one of us than to buy one of their own satellites.” “The clock an uncertain future Although the scenario Matt O’Connell can’t be turned outlines is hypothetical, it does paint an alarming picture of what could back. The time happen to the country’s global advan- tage if commercial imagery goes by to have done the wayside. In November 2011, Kevin that would’ve O’Connell and Bob Weber, also of been before the Innovative Analytics & Training, released “Alternative Futures: United EnhancedView States Commercial Satellite Imagery in 2020,” which Kevin O’Connell contract, describes as the best public rendering to date of the policy and regulatory not in the middle regime on commercial imagery. The white paper, which was spon- of a satellite sored by the Department of Commerce and submitted to the government for build.” review prior to release, outlines three Jeff Tarr, president and CEO, DigitalGlobe possible futures for U.S. commercial imagery in the year 2020. In the first possible future, U.S. commercial imagery relies on a steady stream of government funding, as well as increased sales to com- mercial customers, and is a thriving business. In the second future, U.S. commercial imagery providers con- tinue to rely on government funds, which have increased only marginally, to pursue the program,” the for- and are forced to look outward for mer official said. “There were great additional clients. The third future financial rewards to be accrued for the portrays the industry as a business companies and their investors over the failure following a sharp downturn lifetime of the program had it gone in federal funding. forward as planned, but that was not Kevin O’Connell said while he without risk. Now, that risk has come doesn’t attempt to make predictions to the fore and has, predictably, had from his own study, he has briefed and a direct impact on stock prices. But discussed it far and wide among stake- Sensing Systems. Schmackpfeffer said there are no guarantees in government holders in government and industry. ITT Exelis is concerned about the contracting, and for anyone to suggest “Most people think we’re going impact cuts to commercial imagery that in this particular case there were down path two or three, or some would have for suppliers at their tier unique assurances is naïve at best, and variation thereof,” he said. and below. disingenuous at worst.” ITT Exelis Geospatial Systems, a “It would have an impact on our Matt O’Connell also pointed to subcontractor on the EnhancedView business,” Schmackpfeffer said. “Those the risk of international companies contract, recently delivered the im- customers’ revenue and cash flow will swooping in on one of the publicly aging payload for GeoEye-2, and is be impacted and their projections traded U.S. companies, and referenced now in the process of building the of need for future capability will go recent rumors that Paris-based Astrium imaging payload for WorldView-3, down. What they would potentially is interested in doing so. according to Kyle Schmackpfeffer, seek to do is get more out of the assets “The two companies’ [GeoEye and director of Commercial Optical they currently have flying.”
12 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM Matt O’Connell said the situation is confusing to him from a financial the value of coMMercial standpoint. “the iMPortance of coMMercial iMagery plays into almost everything “It’s clear there is that NGA does,” said John Goolgasian, who runs the Foundation GEOINt going to be less public Group at NGA. capital available in Goolgasian said his team is composed of mostly cartographers, who America,” he said. “The make maps and charts for use on land, in the air, and at sea, as well as government has to cut for science and research. back. As public capital is declining, the needs “We are almost exclusively using commercial imagery for all products don’t decline. Private that we create from a foundation GEOINt aspect,” Goolgasian said. capital becomes more He added that commercial imagery also plays an important intelli- necessary.” gence role as the group creates more products that are used by coalition He continued that warfighters and first responders. Commercial imagery is also used to EnhancedView has develop information for the Multinational Geospatial Co-Production Pro- been regarded world- gram, a 29-nation coalition that works from a unified global production wide as a great example enhancedview plan to produce standardized data worldwide, Goolgasian said. of a public-private part- CW4 Hector Cuevas, Chief of the GEOINt branch of Special Opera- nership, and that one tions Command-Africa, said the command relies heavily on commercial of the largest private imagery when working with host nations. equity funds on Wall 1010 Street has invested heav- years “We literally use commercial imagery every day,” Cuevas said. “And when ily in GeoEye. we don’t have it, it impacts our operations and our support mechanisms.” “And now they’re Cuevas recalled a situation where his team had to send a partner na- looking at this say- tion to a location without updated imagery. Although the command could ing, ‘Wow, maybe we 7.37.3 see the location using NtM, they couldn’t share the classified imagery, shouldn’t invest in any Billion dollars and the terrain was difficult to convey through a presentation without a more public-private proper image. As a result, the partner nation ran into a checkpoint and partnerships with the was ambushed. Cuevas said this example paints a clear picture that U.S. government,’” Matt without access to commercial imagery, the command’s credibility from O’Connell said. an engagement perspective stands to be compromised. a Balanced Goolgasian said commercial imagery really came into its primetime aPProach for readiness response during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since It’s easy to see why then, it has been used for dozens of disaster relief efforts, including commercial imagery has the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to monitor the Fukushima nuclear become an easy target facility following the earthquake off the coast of Japan. for budget cuts, with “When we first started using commercial imagery, I don’t think we had funding that has grown a complete understanding of where we’d be today,” Goolgasian said. “As exponentially through- we’ve found more areas where it plays a role, I think we’ll continue to out the last decade. see that going forward.” Budget cuts are expect- ed to hit hard across the entire spectrum of de- fense and intelligence, not just EnhancedView. These concerns have not gone is intended to measure the contribu- But to an extent, Hartman believes a unrecognized, and are now being tions of commercial imagery against balanced approach to the Enhanced- explored through government- stated requirements. Additional stud- View cuts is feasible. mandated and independent studies. ies were also under way at press time “When we built the [Enhanced- At press time, NGA was digesting in an attempt to understand what the View] budget we didn’t do a very the results of a classified commer- true impact of commercial imagery good cost estimate on what our cial imagery study conducted by the cuts would be to the industrial base. requirements were,” Hartman said. Office of the Director of National Cutting a 10-year service-level “We just threw a bunch of money at Intelligence (ODNI) and the Office agreement only two years in may the problem, and we need to really of the Under Secretary of Defense also have some broader unintended understand what the true require- for Intelligence (USD(I)). The study, consequences, such as damaging the ments for commercial imagery are. mandated by the White House Office government’s future potential to lever- It doesn’t mean that we get rid of Management and Budget (OMB), age public-private partnerships. of the EnhancedView contract. It
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 13 cover story
industrial Base Many from industry believe commercial imagery is at the precipice of a boom similar to what GPS experienced following government investment in the technology. GPS applications are now used widely to support agriculture, aviation, public safety, disaster relief, transportation, recreation, surveying and mapping, and more. the results of these studies, which were still under way at press time, may reveal whether cuts to commercial imagery threaten to cut the industry’s similar growth path off at the knees.
THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION’S (NOAA) OFFICE OF SPACE COMMERCIALIZATION was conducting a study through end-user surveys to examine the impact on competitiveness in the U.S. commercial imagery market if licensing restrictions for resolutions are lowered. Some in industry argue that strict resolution limits hamper the ability of U.S. companies to compete internationally, and are wary of this study as a consolation prize to allow U.S. companies to sell higher-quality imagery in the global market if the U.S. government does make significant cuts to the Enhancedview program. NOAA declined to comment on this perception of its study.
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE’S BUREAU OF INDUSTRY AND SECURITY was conducting an industrial base survey (using the USGIF member database to distribute surveys) in order to analyze the size and market behavior of the U.S. industry that uses commercial imagery. despite speculation that this study is intended to inform the OdNI/USd(I) study, a department of Commerce spokesper- son confirmed that this is an independent study.
GOOGLE was conducting an industrial base study that goes a step further, to quantify the significance of commercial imagery in a variety of industries downstream, such as education, climate science, agriculture, and urban planning, that rely on resources from Google Maps and Google Earth.
means that we cut things.” According to Lt. Col. Jim Gregory, valued in support of national secu- Hartman said in his opinion, a 15 to a DOD spokesman who provided a rity and U.S. government missions,” 20 percent cut to the overall contract statement on behalf of ODNI and Gregory said via email. would be warranted to better reflect USD(I), FY 2013 budget submissions He added, “We remain committed true requirements, but predicts the by the DOD and Intelligence Com- to ensuring the health and stability of actual number will land somewhere munity include efficiencies to save our space industrial base.” around 25 to 30 percent. taxpayers hundreds of millions of dol- But concern for the industrial “It is fair to say that all programs lars over the next five years, while still base is growing in Congress. In November 2011, eight members of Congress sent a letter to Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Direc- tor of National Intelligence James “In support of its critical domestic space industry, the U.S. Clapper, expressing their support for government will use commercial space products and services EnhancedView. “We seek your support to ensure in fulfilling governmental needs, invest in new and advanced that the Department and Intelligence Community confront this difficult technologies and concepts, and use a broad array of partner- decision in a balanced and objective manner and ensure that the capability ships to promote innovation.” President Obama’s National Space Policy, June 2010 needed in the future is not irreparably lost,” the letter states. Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., chair- man of the House Permanent Select within the U.S. government are being increasing the capacity and quality of Committee on Intelligence, said he reviewed,” said Karen Finn, an NGA the government’s access to commer- recognizes commercial imagery as an spokeswoman. “NGA is a supporter of cial imagery. He added that the joint important and cost-effective imaging commercial imagery because it con- ODNI/USD(I) study is intended to architecture that will continue to play tributes heavily to our geospatial work assess the mission, budget, and in- a role in national security. in so many ways and it is very useful dustrial base impacts of the proposed “As part of its review of the Presi- because it gives us the ability to share EnhancedView cuts. dent’s budget request, the Committee it with our domestic and international “Commercial imagery has been and is analyzing the potential impact the partners when needed.” will continue to be important and proposed cuts would have on U.S.
14 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM intelligence activities,” Rogers said via government will “use commercial a lot like the NRO,” Kevin O’Connell email. “Additionally, we are looking space products and services in fulfill- said. “The government is creating into the impact the cuts would have ing governmental needs, invest in the wrong incentives in the market UPDATE on the U.S. commercial imagery in- new and advanced technologies and and does not have a true commer- Visit www.trajectory dustry. The Committee will take these concepts, and use a broad array of cial strategy.” magazine.com for the impacts into account in formulating partnerships to promote innovation.” For example, he said, the NRO, latest, additional, and its position on the cuts in the annual Udall said via email, “It is my un- NASA, and NOAA all have synergies, exclusive content on intelligence authorization bill.” derstanding that current U.S. policy but the conversations that currently U.S. commercial remote is to take actions to maintain the take place between the organizations sensing as this story continues to develop. can austerity foster leadership and competitiveness of aren’t enough. innovation? U.S. commercial imagery providers. “The budgetary downturn could Sen. Mark Udall, D-Colo., said he is So, if this administration is veering be the time for the big idea in how “deeply concerned” about what he from that policy, I want to under- to manage space differently,” Kevin described as a “very large” proposed stand why.” O’Connell offered. “If politicians cut to commercial imagery in the FY Kevin O’Connell said he sees an op- and decision makers chose to go 2013 budget, especially since the cut portunity in this constrained budget that way.” was proposed prior to the comple- environment to take new approaches The debate surrounding commercial tion of the OMB-directed study. to innovation and space policy. In order imagery has been raging on and off This has been a common complaint for the government to take maximum in Washington throughout the past from many in support of Enhanced- advantage of industrial innovation, decade. Although the “2+2” strategy View−given that so many studies he said, it needs to do a better job of allegedly solved this controversy, here led up to the adoption of the “2+2” asking for innovative products and it is again. It has always been, and strategy, but none were conducted services. Kevin O’Connell views these will continue to be, a wild ride. This prior to the proposed cuts. trying budgetary times as an oppor- problem, how best to utilize and fund Other industry experts and analysts tunity for the government to consider U.S. commercial imagery, isn’t likely point to the inconsistency of the pro- its entire space architecture, as well as to be solved in 2012. The economic posed cuts with President Obama’s relationships between national security, ramifications are significant, but the National Space Policy, released in civilian, and commercial space systems. national security implications are far June 2010, which states that the “We have two companies that look more serious..
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Global‘COOPETITION’ IN THE COMMERCIAL DATAPie MARKET HAS COMPETITORS WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE NEW OPPORTUNITIES
BY BRAD CAUSEY
hile the United States government stands at a crossroads in an attempt to deter- mine the amount of financial support it is willing and able to invest in EnhancedView—its domestic commer- cial remote sensingW (CRS) program—the international CRS community is blazing a path into the marketplace of tomorrow. Companies and countries across the globe are forging new business relationships and strategic partner- ships that have industry experts in agreement: A whole new level of intense global competition is just beginning.
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 17 “I like to call it ‘coopetition,’” said Joerg Herrmann, senior manager today for both DigitalGlobe and at Astrium GmbH, Germany. “It’s like GeoEye,” said Dennis Jones, president in sports—sometimes you play on the of The Jones Consulting Group. “They same team, sometimes you play on have the largest constellation of satel- different teams.” lites, both electro-optical and radar, In this new marketplace, oppor- they have a global ground infrastruc- tunity abounds. Former competitors ture, they have global channels which are creating alliances and working they sell into, and they have global together to create new solutions and partners.” carve out bigger slices of the growing Astrium GEO-Information Services, commercial data market pie—the a subsidiary of EADS, is headquartered value of which is expected to grow in Toulouse, France, but has offices from $1.3 billion in 2010 to $4 around the globe, including Europe, billion in 2020, according to Adam North and South America, Asia, and Keith, director of earth observation at Australia. Euroconsult, an international consult- With the recent launch of Pléiades-1 ing and analyst firm specializing in in December 2011, Astrium now satellite applications. offers 50-centimeter resolution with
“The basic equation is that value should be greater than cost. Many times people in the Earth-obsevation sector forget about this equation.” Marcello Maranesi, CEO, e-GEOS
What impact would cuts to U.S. a 20-kilometer swath. Once its twin, commercial imagery programs have Pléiades-2, is launched later this year, coMMercial satellites today on this bright future? It depends how it will be phased 180 degrees from deep the cuts are, but the equation Pléiades-1, providing the capability to still raises concern. Increasing inter- revisit any point on the globe daily. national competition, minus domestic “I think all three companies, 35 investment, equals a weakened posi- especially since Pléiades has been oPtical and radar tion for U.S. companies. The bottom launched, are directly competing,” line: U.S. leadership in the global CRS Keith said. industry is at risk. “There is a tendency to think that everything the U.S. does or has done 60 NO. 1 IN EUROPE with satellite technology, other people Predicted for 2017 In the last five years, the five lead- have simply just copied,” said Bob ing commercial satellite companies, Weber, senior research analyst with © asi, distributed by e-geos by distributed asi, © including DigitalGlobe and GeoEye, Innovative Analytics & Training and have signed more than 250 dis- former director of international affairs evolved, you cannot underestimate tribution agreements with service and policy at the National Geospatial- the importance of national sovereignty channels, companies, and organiza- Intelligence Agency (NGA). as a driver, Weber said. tions globally, Keith said. The ability “In Europe, in Japan, in South This past November, in an address to diversify internationally has been a Korea, in Israel—modern space-faring to the French space agency, CNES, on key element for the strategic advance- nations have been doing this stuff in its 50th anniversary, former French ments of these companies. their own way for a long time.” President Nicolas Sarkozy said, “Space “Astrium GEO-Information Services When you look at the international is a high priority for us because there is the No. 1 competition out there landscape and how certain things have is no French sovereignty if we ignore
18 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM RADAR ART COSMO-SkyMed Multitemporal image, El Oued, Algeria. Image courtesy of e-GEOS. what is at stake in space. It would be recent Euroconsult report. data internationally for defense image crazy not to give this industry the “There are very few countries out intelligence is massive.” resources it needs to develop.” there that have the autonomous image In 2011, there were 35 satellites, collection capabilities to respond optical and radar, offering commercial DRIVEN BY DEMAND to their image intelligence require- data solutions, said Keith. By 2017, he The intelligence requirements of ments,” Keith said. “Nearly every predicts there will be 60. As more and international defense agencies will be country has a defense agency, and if more competitors enter the commer- one of the strongest growth drivers they have a defense agency, then they cial high-resolution data market, the in the coming years, according to a require data. So the potential to sell cost of these satellites—
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 19 CONSTELLATION EARTH
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ROLL CALL to manufacture, to launch, and to tion (ASNARO), which aims to supply IS THERE AN APP FOR THAT? According to the latest operate—becomes a significant factor the needs of future overseas markets The next giant leap in the geospatial in- data collected by the in determining future success and with a small, high-performance, dustry’s evolution may not be skyward. Union of Concerned return on investment. The top-of-the- low-priced satellite, according to the “Forget about the satellites for now,” Scientists, there line systems from DigitalGlobe and technical abstract on the company’s Weber said. “I’m not kidding. Let’s at are 994 operational GeoEye, and now Astrium with the website. least spend as much time, if not more, satellites orbiting the Pléiades, are like the Ferraris of the “I think the breakout point of this shaping the future path of this country Earth at present. Earth observation and remote industry, Keith said. “Very high-end, industry comes when you knock the with what we do on the ground as sensing satellites very high-accuracy, very high-resolu- cost of the spacecraft down below what we put into the sky.” account for 9 percent. tion,” he added. $100 million,” Weber said. “When He added that industry has been Communication is the But not all applications require that you’re in the tens of millions, you’re talking about developing a “killer app” largest category at 59 level of horsepower, and some com- starting to talk about some real change since the ’80s, yet no such application percent. mercial data consumers are simply that’s fundamental.” has arisen thus far. “You never know, looking for an option that is good Reports differ on the development location-based intelligence might be enough, if not the cheapest. Why pay cost for ASNARO-1, from $30 million one of these things,” Weber said. for a Ferrari if a Subaru will do? initially to $70 million more recently. Marcello Maranesi, CEO of Italy- In Japan, the NEC corporation is According to Euroconsult, the two Plé- based e-GEOS, said the industry needs developing an advanced satellite with iades satellites, including launches, are to do a better job of understanding new system architecture for observa- expected to cost a total of $1 billion. the real value of products, services,
20 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM and applications for the end user. industry consolidation. We are doing “Without the government, it is still “The basic equation is that value our best to survive and even grow in an very difficult for commercial opera- should be greater than cost. Many increasingly competitive marketplace.” tors to exist. However, the reality is times people in the Earth-observation Herb Satterlee, CEO of MDA In- that GeoEye and DigitalGlobe ex- sector forget about this equation,” formation Services, said that since isted before the large U.S. contracts; Maranesi said. “Today, if I look from a Google Earth and Microsoft have they’re going to exist afterward.” user point of view, there is still a lot of made high-resolution satellite imagery demand which is not satisfied by the easily available to the average person, technology available and also because the perspective on the planet has the price is not the right one.” literally changed. There is a lot more He continues, “We need to escape recognition by the casual user that “Forget the satellites for now. from customized acquisitions; we commercial imagery is interesting and Let’s spend as much time need to escape from customized important, he said. products; we need to go to industri- “The commercial markets haven’t shaping the future path of this alized, fully engineered operational grown as fast as the government services, sold many times to differ- markets for the big data providers,” country with what we do on the ent customers who will share the Satterlee said. “But I think there is price of service. This will enlarge a tremendous amount of growth ground as what we put in the sky.” the volume of the business and the remaining there. I don’t think the Bob Weber, former director of international affairs and policy at NGA marketplaces.” U.S. government, in anybody’s view, is going to abandon DigitalGlobe or CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM GeoEye.” More companies and stronger “With this competitive situation, there Keith describes the entire industry as competition in the global com- is certainly a trend in terms of price very government-oriented. mercial remote sensing community pressure which will make capabili- “Whether in the funding of the will benefit many, as competition ties more affordable,” Herrmann said. systems or as a customer, the gov- incentivizes innovation and drives “And to some extent that may lead to ernment is a big necessity,” he said. down costs. .
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22 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM Pigeonholed Privacy Policies threaten advances in technology
BY JIM HODGES
magine a three-legged stool. Geospatial technology and the business cases that support and benefit from it represent the first two legs. But the stool’sI third leg—spatial law and privacy policy—is short, and so the stool wobbles. It probably always will. Technology is progressive; the law is conservative and generally reactive—and sometimes tedious. However, unless the geospatial industry becomes more involved in issues such as privacy, it probably won’t like the steps policymakers, judges, and regulators take to balance the stool.
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 23 club owner Antoine Jones was set lan Onsrud, a professor with the In March, free after he had been sentenced to Department of Spatial Information the Federal Trade Commission life in prison for drug trafficking. Science and Engineering at the (FTC) released its privacy report The case was built on seizing 97 University of Maine, told one of his that advised Congress to “consider kilograms of cocaine and $850,000 classes. enacting baseline privacy legislation” in cash after the FBI placed a GPS- The industry could help, but it and described industry’s “privacy enabled tracking device on his car would have to go beyond the scope by design” attempts as falling short. for 28 days. LOCATION of most business cases, perhaps to The report was released almost 16 The court ruled that the FBI include an education element. months after it was drafted and sub- should have obtained a warrant DATA “It’s a dynamic landscape,” mitted for public comment. for the device, prompting the FBI PRIVACY Gabrynowicz said. “People are The average life of a computer tech- to turn off 3,000 tracking devices Can you have a becoming aware. I think we’ve nology generation ranges from 16 to attached to other suspects’ property. legal expecta- come through a period of time in 24 months. But the decision was of little tion of privacy which people have been oblivi- “I think there’s a danger, a risk that assistance to a multifaceted in your public ous to how much they can be the technology won’t be fully utilized geospatial industry that seeks movement followed or tracked. They are less if the legal and policy framework answers to help further innovation. and still enjoy naïve, and if you are a company, I doesn’t catch up,” said Kevin Pomfret, Even the justices’ written opinions the location- think you should understand that director of the Centre for Spatial Law in the Jones case acknowledged the based services the citizenry is becoming more and Policy, an organization that advo- shortcomings of the ruling. offered by well-informed, and you need to be cates for the geospatial community. “I think that ruling says that there your smart- more aware than you were five or Perhaps then one could make the is a lot more to come,” said Joanne phone? six years ago.”
UNSPOKEN BENEFITS Determining where a particular person is at any time is the most controversial aspect of geospatial “I think there’s a danger, a risk capabilities, given the attention it draws from advocacy groups. Is that the technology won’t be fully “Big Brother” watching, or could BUG BYTES location be used to protect and utilized if the legal and policy Researchers found serve? The true question is whether an unencrypted file privacy protection is more im- framework doesn’t catch up.” in the operating sys- portant than being able to locate tems of the iPhone someone in the case of an emer- Kevin Pomfret, director, The Centre for Spatial Law and Policy and iPad, which kept gency. location data entries Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. for nearly a year. Apple acknowledged Alito Jr. wrote in U.S. v. Jones: “New a "bug" and vowed technology may provide increased analogy that geospatial technology Gabrynowicz, who is the director to fix it. convenience or security at the ex- without guiding law and policy is of the National Center for Remote pense of privacy, and many people similar to driving a car without a Sensing, Air and Space Law at the may find the tradeoff worthwhile.” map, navigation, street signs, or any University of Mississippi School of But the privacy issue had already sense of direction. Law. “That case said that a person flared less than a year before U.S. has an expectation of privacy in his v. Jones, when British research- WHO’S IN CHARGE? or her public movement.” ers found an unencrypted file in For now, regulatory guidance is The narrow ruling did not address the mobile operating systems of the province of the White House, other tracking means, such as using the Apple iPhone and iPad, which primarily through the FTC and a cellphone’s global positioning GPS kept location data entries for nearly TRACKING Commerce Department, as well as system technology. Stay tuned, For failing to obtain a year. After media reports went Congress and the courts. It may Gabrynowicz predicted; that case a warrant to use worldwide and a lawsuit was filed, prove futile for the FTC to recom- will likely be coming soon. a GPS-enabled Apple acknowledged a “bug” but mend that Congress “consider While court decisions are usually tracking device on said it was used to find cell tower enacting baseline privacy legisla- narrow, FTC guidelines indicate an a suspected drug and Wi-Fi network locations and not tion” during an election year, one in attempt at broader regulation. This dealer's vehicle, the to track users. The company then which the economy has top billing. may appeal to industry, but there’s FBI lost the case. vowed to fix the “bug.” The courts have already weighed in difficulty in assessing geospatial data What precedent There were no arguments heard for with rulings that may set precedents that can be used for commercial does this case set using location as a benefit, save for that are detrimental to the industry. means. for GPS-enabled the claim that it helped in making services provided by In the January 2012 decision for U.S. “It’s defining the problem and your smartphone? phone calls. v. Jones, Washington, D.C., night- asking the right questions,” Har- Social Security information,
24 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM medical records, and even religious to human geography and predic- to be outdated, and adapting it to affiliation are relatively easy to define tive analytics: If you know someone new technology requires both an when it comes to privacy. But loca- went here and here, then you might SPATIAL LAW understanding of that technology tion parameters can be as narrow or infer where they are likely to go next. To hear a podcast with and how it relates to elements of as broad as desired, and even more While this strategy fares well for Kevin Pomfret about the legal precedent. Some experts importantly, temporal information military applications, it still makes spatial law and policy, suggest that while the geospatial can be here and now—or span the civilians skeptical. visit trajectorymagazine. community has become more pro- course of several months. Another topic for debate is how com. active, it should do more, and not Gabrynowicz offered an example. location information is gathered, leave law and policy creation solely “A person went to a psychia- whether by mobile devices, security to the advocacy groups. The industry trist’s office, then picked up his cameras, satellite imagery, or aerial should seek to drive the discussion kid at school, and then he went to imagery. when it can, rather than merely a liquor store,” she said. “Any one “I think there’s a bunch of different answer questions in courts, congres- of those things by itself doesn’t tell risks that are being pigeonholed into sional hearings, and governmental you a whole lot about him, but put one or two legal constructs without a regulatory discussions. together, it can say, ‘This is a guy lot of thoughtful discussion about what That proactivity could be made who has a kid, who drinks, and privacy or risk really are,” Pomfret said. along the lines of “this is what a goes to a shrink, and has a problem.’ “That’s because it’s all so new.” location-enabled society could look You can put that together and infer for,” Pomfret said. “You could always things that are very hard to do with LARGELY UNPRECEDENTED know where you are, always know just a single data point.” “All,” in this case, means the coupling where your loved ones are. If someone The military is connecting such of technology and law. Though satellite needs to get to you in an emergency, data points through the Army’s imagery dates back to the Cold War— someone could find you. There’s Human Terrain System, a relatively Pomfret was an imagery analyst with power in location.” new sociocultural program that the CIA before turning to the law— From such education, favorable adapts to technological evolution precedents covering its commercial policies can be developed through the to gather information on people in use are minimal. understanding that the technology can war zones. The concept is a similar What case law does exist tends be harnessed for the public good. .
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As our community continues to grow, it is important to increase involvement of the next generation as they will become the future leaders of our industry.
The USGIF Young Professionals Group …
• Provides a path toward professional growth
• Offers valuable knowledge and insight from USGIF members
• Enables a more comfortable networking environment for you and your peers
• Builds relationships with those who can assist you in your career development
• Encourages fresh perspectives and new ideas
• Increases access to tools and information within the community at large
INTERESTED IN BECOMING INVOLVED?
To be added to our YPG distribution list for information on upcoming events and programs, or to send us your ideas, please contact [email protected] or visit usgif.org/community/YPG for more information.
Where Our National Security Begins… www.usgif.org membership Pulse WHo We Are
BEYOND THE STATUS QUO ACCENTURE APPLIES NEW THOUGHT PROCESSES TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY
ccenture, USGIF’s new- quartered in Dublin, Ireland. defense and public safety com- practices designed to help the est strategic partner, Operating in 54 countries and ponents of the National System Navy decrease the cost of per- strives to go beyond employing more than 246,000 for Geospatial Intelligence. forming financial operations. Asimply advising the people worldwide, the com- According to John Goodman, To help its defense and federal government, pany, which launched in 2001, managing director of Accenture intelligence clients improve to help improve the way the generated $25.5 billion in Federal Services, the Office of the way they work, Fahle said government functions. revenue last year. the Deputy Assistant Secretary Accenture does three things− “Our federal clients trust Accenture Federal Services, in of Defense recently awarded the provide decision-makers with Accenture to help them change Arlington, Va., provides services firm a two-year management processes to better manage the way government works to U.S. government agencies consulting contract to improve the enterprise and generate because we work, think, and that handle national security, forecasting techniques and savings, implement solutions contract differently,” said Mat- including the departments of show how forecasting accuracy that dramatically improve thew Fahle, senior executive Defense and Homeland Secu- can reduce excess inventory and operational performance, for Intelligence Community rity. Accenture supports every improve supply chain cost and and provide the military and Programs. cabinet-level department and performance. Additionally, the civilian workforces with the Accenture is a global 20 of the largest federal organi- U.S. Navy Financial Improve- strategic thinking, skills, and management consulting, zations. Accenture also supports ment Program once again support they need to success- technology services, and the National Geospatial-Intelli- awarded Accenture a contract fully perform their missions. outsourcing company head- gence Agency as well as other to implement standard business “By shattering the status quo,
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 27 gen YPg | Young ProFessionaLs grouP
achieving profound efficiencies, and froM handwritten relentlessly delivering results, we help our federal clients achieve what to handheld matters most−powering the services that touch Americans, businesses, and the nation every day,” Fahle said. To stay at the forefront of innova- N FEBRUARY 2006, Denise leans, for the YPG’s first service project. tion, Goodman said the company is Thornton, along with her husband, Laura Mellem, Beacon of Hope’s focusing on major trends in informa- IDoug Thornton, founded the Bea- neighborhood development program tion technology, including cloud, con of Hope Resource Center at their manager, said she was thrilled to mobility, and social computing. rebuilt home in New Orleans. Thorn- have a set of volunteers to assist with “For example, we’re working on ton’s mission was to share what she mapping. In November 2010, 40 YPG how organizations can realize greater learned through her personal recovery volunteers spent a day collecting data connectedness to customers, stake- and rebuilding process with others on 852 parcels in the Fillmore Gar- holders, and employees by rethinking affected by Hurricane Katrina. dens neighborhood. After seeing the how IT integrates social computing In addition to serving hot meals, data collected by the YPG, the Fillmore into the fabric of the enterprise,” providing phone and Internet service, Gardens Neighborhood Association Goodman said. and hosting seminars on issues such launched a vacant property campaign Fahle added that Accenture is also as mold remediation, Thornton set to address ongoing issues with vacant keeping a close eye on agile develop- out to track property conditions and blighted properties since the hur- ment and the rapid deployment of “Our federal and the overall recovery process in ricane. infrastructure. clients trust her neighborhood. She conducted During the service project, Jason “How do you put capabilities in the Accenture property condition surveys by hand, Stopa, a Beacon of Hope project man- analysts’ or in the warfighters’ hands using dry-erase markers and later ager, mentioned that the nonprofit often in a matter of weeks rather than tak- to help them entering the information into Excel had a wait time to turn around large- ing months and years to deploy new change the spreadsheets. scale maps following data collection. capabilities?” he said. Since 2006, Beacon of They would either have to In 2005, Accenture Federal Services way govern- Hope has expanded to pay for maps to be printed joined USGIF to bring its commer- ment works include numerous neigh- or borrow time from the cial experience to the geospatial because we borhood resource centers, PROJECTS city planning commission in intelligence tradecraft. Recently, the or “beacons,” throughout To learn more about order to produce maps for company upgraded its membership to work, think, the city. Responsibility for the YPG, its service presentations. projects, or how you can Strategic Partner status in order to par- and contract property condition surveys help Beacon of Hope, A few weeks later, Beacon ticipate more fully in the Foundation’s differently.” now falls under the orga- contact Carrie Drake, of Hope received what it outreach programs. Goodman said nization’s neighborhood called “an early Christmas Matthew Fahle, USGIF event operations Accenture looks forward to supporting senior executive development program. & community relations present,” in the form of a for Intelligence public discussion groups and lectures, Community Beacon of Hope’s prop- manager, at carrie. large-format printer do- as well as participating in panels Programs erty condition surveys are [email protected]. nated by Hewlett-Packard designed to share best practices. essential to its purpose in and USGIF. “Our interest in becoming a strate- many ways, such as addressing blight, “This has allowed us to print as gic partner is tied directly to our identifying residents who need as- much as we want, what we need, and continued interest in supporting the sistance, coordinating volunteers, when we need it,” Stopa said. community,” Goodman said. “Our creating green space, promoting eco- Julie Baer, a former YPG member commitment to the geospatial intel- nomic development, and encouraging and GeoEye government affairs as- ligence tradecraft has never been re-population. The nonprofit is now sociate who now teaches English in stronger, and we are continuing to evolving from paper to digital data Malaysia on a Fulbright Scholarship, focus our business to improve today collection, a process made possible attended the GEOINT Symposium for and tomorrow’s tradecraft, all while through a partnership with USGIF. the first time in 2010 and also took improving services to the warfighter, part in the YPG service project. first responder, and analysts at a Making the connection “Participating in the project was a lower cost.” .BY MEREDITH LANDRY In 2010, USGIF’s Young Professionals lesson in the power of mapping to Group (YPG), which unites defense quickly and effectively tell a story,” and intelligence professionals age 35 Baer said. “Words tell us the heart- years and younger or with less than wrenching stories of the destruction, five years’ work experience, reached pictures show us the devastation and MEMBERSHIP INFO out to Beacon of Hope to explore the lasting damage, but maps can pinpoint To learn more about USGIF membership, possibility of collaborating during the and reveal the way forward for assess- contact [email protected]. GEOINT 2010 Symposium in New Or- ing and rebuilding after disasters.”
28 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM “Words tell us the heart-wrenching stories of the destruction, pictures show us the
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app itself was free, Beacon of Hope BEACON OF Hope’s executive director. a way forward needed to purchase the ArcServer HOPE The app also allows for collecting USGIF continued to assist Beacon of EDN license to access the app. USGIF This property condi- digital images of the properties in order Hope with finding a way forward donated $2,000 to Beacon of Hope in tion survey map to provide a visual of the level of blight. in its data collection. Following the September 2011 for a one-year license of the Lower Ninth Marquardt attributes much of the service project, Mellem and Stopa to conduct a pilot project using the Ward in New neighborhood development program’s attended the GEOINT Symposium free ArcGIS app. Orleans, created growth during the last year and a half by Beacon of Hope, of charge at the invitation of USGIF “Using the iPhone app, you don’t was made possible to its partnership with USGIF. President Keith Masback. They set have to identify the address you’re through donations “Beyond a dollar amount, USGIF out with the mission to find a way to standing in front of because the GPS from USGIF, Esri, and has been a great resource for us,” conduct property condition surveys tells you where you are,” Stopa said. Hewlett-Packard. Marquardt said. “It’s a really meaning- using an iPhone. In January 2012, Beacon of Hope ful way to partner with organizations Beacon of Hope had been using city conducted its first property condi- in New Orleans. A lot of people want of New Orleans parcel files in order to tion survey using the iPhone app to to come and volunteer here, and the track property conditions. However, the map 7,600 parcels in the Lower Ninth physical volunteering is great, but I files contained significant errors, includ- Ward, which has had the least amount think they really invested in a more ing addresses that no longer existed−a of rebuilding. The surveys revealed long-term recovery effort.” problem that is exacerbated to an that 30 percent of the properties given Beacon of Hope plans to move ahead extreme in the Lower Ninth Ward. funds to rebuild through the State of with the full support of its board of “It was hard to even imagine Louisiana’s Road Home program had directors to continue using the ArcGIS identifying which properties we were yet to do so. app. The next step will be to launch looking at because of so many errors “This research will help us conduct digital data collection efforts in other in the parcel file,” Mellem said. an outreach to see what a lot of the neighborhoods that were previously At the time, Esri was just rolling out roadblocks are in the Lower Ninth surveyed using paper data and are due its ArcGIS iPhone app, and while the Ward,” said Tina Marquardt, Beacon of for an update. .BY KRISTIN QUINN
USGIF.ORG kk trajectory | 29 HoriZons | situationaL awareness
reading list usgif events calendar My share of the task: a MeMoir, by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, former JUNE commander of the U.S. and international forces in 4-8 Afghanistan, and the former leader of the Joint Special GEOINT Community Week Northern Virginia Operations Command, is scheduled for release Nov. 13. The memoir is said to traverse McChrystal’s career from his first day at West Point to his last day in uni- WHAT 4 STARTED USGIF Workshop Series: Future of form, and examine what defines true leadership. U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing OUT AS A Hyatt Regency Reston ROUTINE outlaw Platoon: PATROL 5 heroes, renegades, infidels, and the BECAME GEOINTeraction Tuesday Brotherhood of war in afghanistan, Walker's Grille, Alexandria, Va. by Sean Parnell with John Bruning, retells the U.S. Army A BRUTAL 10th Mountain Division’s heroic stand in the moun- AMBUSH. 5-6 tains of Afghanistan. What started out as a routine patrol NGA Tech Showcase East through the lower mountains of the Hindu Kush became NGA Campus East a brutal ambush. Parnell, who was named leader of the 40-man infantry unit at age 24, tells the story of the 16 months of close 5-7 combat that followed, during which the platoon became his family. Ground Warfighter Geospatial Intelligence Conference TASC Heritage Conference Center checklist Manifesto: how to get things right, by Atul Gawande, ex- 7 plores how a checklist, the most simple of techniques, USGIF Tech Day Hyatt Regency Reston can be the best solution to preventing egregious error. Gawande, also an acclaimed surgeon, explores exam- 8 ples of checklist success, from the introduction of the USGIF Invitational method by the U.S. Air Force decades ago for training 1757 Golf Club, Dulles pilots on sophisticated aircraft, to eliminating deadly in- fection at a Michigan emergency room, and into other areas such as disaster 9 response and investment banking. GEOGala Hyatt Regency Reston food truck frenzy 21 YPG Networking Event the gourMet food truck trend has exploded in popularity in recent years, and the SAIC, Tysons nation’s capitol surely wasn’t left behind—there’s even a d.C. Food truck Association. Here’s a roundup of the newest mobile lunch spots to watch out for in summer 2012. JULY 10 GEOINTeraction Tuesday Maggiano’s, Tysons SEPTEMBER 11-12 USGIF & ATIA Technical Workshop Denver, Colo. souvlaki stoP, unveil- reBa’s funnel cakes, Burritos on the run ing its first truck soon, “the nation’s capitol’s first launched in April. Menu 11 claims it will be the first official funnel cake truck,” highlights: burritos, bur- GEOINTeraction Tuesday d.C. food truck to serve has been spotted serving rito bowls, tortilla chips, Denver, Colo. traditional Greek food. at all hours. Menu high- and red or green salsa. Menu highlights: souvlaki lights: traditional funnel OCTOBER sandwiches, Greek salads, cakes, delight bites, fruit 8-11 dolmades, and, of course, fun-doe, and a wide vari- GEOINT 2012 Symposium baklava. ety of toppings. Gaylord Palms, Orlando, Fla.
30 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM Peer intel intelligence for partner engagement. Defense Advanced Research Projects for leading a line of business that will SAIC Inc. has hired JOHN JUMPER Army MAJ. GEN. THEODORE C. Agency (DARPA) for a senior executive support national security space pro- as CEO. Jumper served in the U.S. NICHOLAS, who is currently serving position with Google. It’s worth noting grams for the Intelligence Community, Air Force for nearly 40 years, most as the deputy director of the Signals that Porter, whose résumé includes the military, and NASA. recently as Air Force chief of staff Intelligence Directorate at the National experience as associate administra- from September 2001 to November Security Agency, has been nominated tor for NASA’s Aeronautics Mission Lockheed Martin Corp. promoted 2005. SAIC also named USGIF CEO & for appointment to the rank of lieuten- Directorate, and as a senior scientist STEPHANIE HILL to president of Chairman of the Board STU SHEA to ant general and reassignment into at DARPA, has been mentioned as a information systems and global the position of chief operating officer. Flynn’s current job at ODNI. potential successor to Dugan. solutions-civil. She was previously TONY MORACO was appointed as corporate officer and vice president, Shea’s successor as president of BETTY SAPP was named future direc- The SI Organization Inc. has named corporate internal audit. Lockheed also SAIC’s Intelligence, Surveillance and tor of the National Reconnaissance retired Air Force LT. GEN. JOHN T. promoted ERICH SANCHACK as Hill’s Reconnaissance Group. Office (NRO), which will make her the “TOM” SHERIDAN as vice president successor. Sanchack has held program first woman to lead the NRO. Sapp will of its National Security Space busi- management positions with the cor- President Obama has nominated two move up one slot from her position as ness. Sheridan retired in August 2011 poration’s engineering and technology military officers to serve in key posi- principal deputy director at the NRO to as the Commander, Space and Missile function and information systems and tions in the Intelligence Community. replace Director BRUCE CARLSON. Systems Center, Air Force Space global solutions business. Army LT. GEN. MICHAEL T. FLYNN Command, Los Angeles Air Force Base, has been nominated for reappointment LISA PORTER announced she is step- Calif. He also served as the Air Force LISA DONNAN has joined TASC to the rank of lieutenant general and ping down from her position as director Program Executive Officer for Space, Inc. as vice president and customer reassignment as the next director of of the Intelligence Advanced Research managing the research, design, devel- executive for strategic capabilities the Defense Intelligence Agency. Flynn Projects Activity (IARPA), which she opment, acquisition, and sustainment and technology, a new position in the is currently serving as the Office of has led since its inception in 2008. This of satellite, launch, and command and company’s Growth Office. Donnan was the Director of National Intelligence’s announcement comes on the heels of control systems. In his new role with previously an officer and executive (ODNI) assistant director of national REGINA DUGAN’S departure from the the SI, Sheridan will be responsible president at Command Information Inc.
USGIF accreditation of university Geospatial Intelligence certificate programs supports our nation’s vital national security interests by assuring that students are prepared for careers within the growing GEOINT enterprise. Earning a Geospatial Intelligence certificate from a USGIF accredited institution provides students with the skills required to address national security challenges and assures employers potential hires are of the right caliber.
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Want to develop a Geospatial Intelligence certificate www.soteradefense.com program at your university? Visit usgif.org/education/accreditation for more information. AGILITY. INGENUITY. INTEGRITY. Aperture astriuM services / infoterra gMbh © 2009 © gMbh infoterra / astriuM services Policy Change Detection This color composite radar image of the volcanic eruption of Alaska’s Mount Redoubt was created from three high-resolution acquisitions recorded by Astrium/Infoterra’s satellite TerraSAR-X. Unlike optical satellites, radar can penetrate through thick foliage, clouds, or, in this case, ash to detect changes to the surface. This image was acquired in 2009—the same year the U.S. government lifted its 3-meter resolution restriction on commercial radar satellites. Prior to 2009, the U.S. government was concerned high-resolution radar satellites were too accurate and would reveal too much; thus they remained the exclusive domain of the government and the military. No such restriction existed in Canada, Germany, and Italy—all of which now have high-resolution commercial radar satellites in orbit. High-resolution commercial radar satellite imagery, like the image above, must be purchased from a foreign operator— there is no U.S. company with a high-resolution. commercial radar satellite in orbit at present.
32 | trajectory ll TRAJECTORYMAGAZINE.COM
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