GST’s New Small-Satellite Concept Aims to Enhance Landsat Data Services

[Satellite TODAY 05-02-11] Engineering firm Global Science and Technology (GST) has unveiled a new small-satellite concept that aims to improve current Landsat image data, GST announced April 29.
    Earth scientists use Landsat coverage to monitor agriculture activity, surface mining and reclamation. GST Chief Scientist Darrel Williams, who is leading development on the project, said the concept would also help make current imaging satellites cheaper. "We feel we have a really competitive and compelling concept. We are hoping that we would learn within a year whether they’ve accepted our proposal to actually build the mission," said Williams. GST said it would present its concept to NASA in the next couple of months.
    In November, GST was selected as one of three small companies to receive the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Scientific and Technical Support Services Next Generation contract. The GST team will support multiple science challenges associated with indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract. The three contracts combined have a maximum value of $550 million during the course of five years.