1. THE STEREO PROGRAMME
Space applications for BE, BRUSSELS – 19 June 2014
Pieter Rottiers and Joost Vandenabeele

2.  Development of Technology via ESA (since
1975) and bilateral programmes (mainly with
France, since 1979)
• SPOT and SPOT Vegetation
• PROBA-V
• Pleiades
• APEX
 In parallel: Development of Applications –
Support of scientific use of remote sensing
data via national programmes
• dedicated RS programmes (e.g. STEREO)
• other programmes (e.g. international cooperation)
Remote sensing in Belgium: a dual approach

3. The first Belgian remote sensing programme
• Establishment of first Belgian remote sensing
research programme,TELSAT, in 1984
Objectives
 Create a national remote sensing research
capacity
 Explore possibilities of SPOT imagery for
agriculture, forestry and cartography

4. • Thirty years of continuity in funding
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
Budget national remote sensing programmes
Budget (M€)
From TELSAT I to STEREO III …

5. • Common thread:
 Support and build Belgian remote sensing expertise
 Support scientific use of data from “Belgian” sensors:
SPOT, ERS, VGT, PLEIADES, APEX, PROBA-V
• Evolution – increasing emphasis on:
 International visibility of Belgian research results
 Training and education
 Interaction with users
 Transfer of knowledge to industry and public
administrations
 Development of applications
… 30 years of national remote sensing
programmes

6. • By administrations and NGOs: direct support for
pre-operational application possible via STEREO
By industry
Support for industrial research outside
space s.s. is a regional competence
→ only indirect support via STEREO
possible
Development of applications on federal level

7. The STEREO III programme
• STEREO III = Support to the Exploitation
and Research in Earth Observation
• Approved in September 2013
• Duration: 2014 – 2020
• Budget: 28,6 M EURO
• Duration in line with EC’s Horizon 2020
programme
• Launch of the first call for proposals in 2013

8. STEREO III: Objectives
• Support innovative quality research in the field of
remote sensing
• Stimulate the development of new remote sensing
applications
• Keep/put Belgium on the map as international centre
of expertise in a number of remote sensing fields
• Secure integration of Belgian teams in international
partnerships
• Support Belgium’s RS instruments/platforms
• Support of new technologies such as LIDAR, UAV, …
• Introduce use of remote sensing in new disciplines
and to new users
• Promote remote sensing

9. Thematic focus
In line with GMES/Copernicus (terrestrial and
marine) and STEREO II
1. Global monitoring of vegetation and
evolution of terrestrial ecosystems
2. Management of the environment on a local and
regional scale (water, soil, forest, nature reserves
and biodiversity, agriculture, coastal areas, urban
and peri-urban areas)
3. Interaction between (change in) land cover and
climate change
4. Epidemiology and humanitarian aid
5. Security and risk management

10. Programme Structure
• Research
1. Thematic network projects
2. Exploration projects
3. Shared cost projects
• Development of applications
• Support of research and Belgian
infrastructure and applications
• Helpdesk services
CALL 2013
In line with STEREO II

11. Research: Project types
1. Thematic network projects
• Duration: 4-5 years
• Min. 3 teams
• Large multidisciplinary projects: ranging from
fundamental research to development of applications
• International partner mandatory
• Interaction with potential users of research results
mandatory
• Small scale projects: 1-3 years / 1-3 teams
• Objectives:
– Test new concepts, technologies and sensors
– Test new research track resulting from previous
BELSPO RS linked research
2. Exploration projects

12. Research: Project types
3. Shared cost projects
• Outside call for proposals
• Funding of Belgian partners in projects selected for
international, bilateral, national or regional
programmes (e.g. BRAINS.be)
• Funding of Belgian participation in transnational
programmes such as ERA-nets
• Project subject to the same rules as other research
projects (contract, reports, steering committees…)

13. Development of applications
• Based on verifiable need (request from the user)
• Duration max. 3 years
• Concerns products, services, software code,
procedures, …
• Transfer of technology or knowledge from scientific
partner(s) to company and NGO based in Belgium
or Belgian administration
• The beneficiary must coordinate the project
o Administration/NGO can receive max. 25 % of STEREO
budget on the basis of in kind fund matching
o Industry cannot get funding from STEREO but can own the
research results

14. Support of research and Belgian
infrastructure and applications
• Support to “Belgian” RS instruments and
infrastructure, e.g. organisation of
dedicated APEX campaigns, …
• Participation to Pléiades programme

15. Support of research and Belgian
infrastructure and applications
• Belgian participation to Pléiades Programme
• 2 advantages for authorised Belgian users
o Purchase of Pléiades images at cat-1 prices
o Free access to all Pléiades data already acquired
• Joint BE effort: acquisition of entire Belgian coverage.
o National level (BELSPO, NGI)
o Three regions (AGIV, SPW, BRIC)
http://pleiades.belspo.be

16. EODesk services
• Acquisition of RS imagery for BELSPO projects
• Management of RS information websites
• http://eo.belspo.be (scientists)
• http://eoedu.belspo.be (wider public)
• Development of educational products or contribution
to 3rd party educational products
• Promotion of RS and valorisation of research results
of Belgian scientists via posters, workshops and
exhibitions in Belgium and abroad

17. Image acquisition policy
• Chargeable to the programme (NOT TO THE
PROJECT)
• Budget requested in line with the budget of the
project
• Images are the property of BELSPO
• Archiving of the images available for other STEREO
projects
• Archive data listing:
http://eo.belspo.be/Directory/Data.aspx

18. Programme implementation
• External evaluation previous programme phase
o Assess the performance and impact
o Provide recommendations
• 2013 call in line with on-going STEREO II
priorities and practices (timing issue)
• Remainder of programme to be elaborated
during summer 2014 on basis of outcome of
evaluation
o Relative weight of programme elements / project types
o Prioritisation of most promising research fields
o Establishment of calendar of calls
o ...

19. • Written peer review by 3-4 international
independent experts specialized in the topic of
the proposal
Overall score and recommendation (funding Y/N)
• Rejection of proposals below threshold score
• Oral defense to review panel composed of min. 6
international experts with a broad
complementary background in remote sensing
o Only for proposals that passed first round
Evaluation procedure of proposals

20. Development of Applications
• Compliance with the guidelines of this call and the
programme aims
• Scientific and technical quality
• Need for the application
• Feasibility - Maturity of technology and methodology
• Quality of the partnership
• Business/Implementation plan - Committment of
public/private partner
• Exploitation
Evaluation criteria – written evaluation

21. • Programme management
 Joost Vandenabeele (vdab@belspo.be)
 Jean-Christophe Schyns (schy@belspo.be)
• EODesk
Martine Stélandre (stel@belspo.be)
Pieter Rottiers (ropi@belspo.be)
• Programme support
Chantal Oudaert (ouda@belspo.be)
THE STEREO TEAM

22. Thank you for your attention
Questions?