Starion’s experts work on services and programmes that exploit satellite Earth observation (EO) data for maximum benefit – today and for the future.

We combine the latest in software engineering, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning with over three decades of experience in the space sector to achieve optimum results every time. This makes us the ideal partner to provide scientific, technical and system engineering support to national and international organisations, including critical infrastructures.

 

EO programmes that make a difference

Our innovative approach combined with years of experience results in practical solutions for a broad range of applications. We support the full lifecycle, from creation to data archiving and end-of-life, and work with multiple datasets to produce valuable insights.

Projects include:

  • Destination Earth – providing support to the European Space Agency (ESA) and EUMETSAT for the DestinE initiative creating a digital twin of the Earth
  • MIDAS – pioneering processing methodologies for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data to reveal system failures in critical infrastructures, such as roads, railway bridges and high voltage powerlines
  • ORCS for RACE – Object Recognition and Classification from Satellite (ORCS) using AI for the Rapid Action for Citizens with EO (RACE) project, originally developed during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • AlignSAR – providing open datasets and tools design for SAR applications that are FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable).

This image credit: ESA
Main image credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2023), processed by ESA.

Image of a digital Earth - copyright ESA

Trusted by ESA

Copernicus Space Component Integrator Service

  • Identifying the evolving needs of Copernicus users, proposing improvements and translating these to technical requirements
  • Planning and controlling the implementation of onboarding new Copernicus Contributing Missions and data suppliers, and the quality of Sentinel missions
  • Monitoring day-to-day operational activity and user satisfaction
  • Operating the NEXUS portal – a sophisticated ODATA standard catalogue that enables seamless discovery and retrieval of EO data.

PLES (EO Platform and Φ-lab Engineering Support Service)

We support ESA’s Φ-lab in defining procurement contracts for innovation and performing ad-hoc analysis of spin-in opportunities before ingestion into ongoing or future projects.

We also provide technical assessment of improvement opportunities and technical support in liaison with external bodies, including defining best practices and standards.

We also support ESA with:

  • Independent validation and verification of project deliverables
  • Provision of technical input for contributions to conferences, workshops and communications
  • Assessing and monitoring performance of platforms, and providing metrics
  • ICT support – website maintenance, scientific environment provision.
Copernicus Sentinel 1 satellite - image copyright ESA ATG medialab

EO spacecraft and systems engineering support

We have provided spacecraft operations support to multiple EO missions at ESA’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC), including: EarthCare, CryoSat-2, SEOSAT, Aeolus, Sentinel-1, Swarm, Envisat and ERS2:

  • Mission preparation and pre-launch simulation
  • Launch and early orbit phase (LEOP)
  • Commissioning
  • Routine operations
  • Mission closedown.

We support EUMETSAT through:

  • Requirements specification including: analysis definition and flow down, architectural design (preliminary and detailed) and verification (through strategy definition), execution and evaluation
  • Support for operations and maintenance of existing systems
  • Projects supported include: EPS and EPS-SG (Metop and Metop-SG), MeteoSat (MSG and MTG), Copernicus (Sentinel-3, 4, 5 and 6), Jason-CS, and the forthcoming CO2M.

Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite © ESA ATG medialab