In times of geopolitical change, space technologies for Earth observation are crucial not only for long-term climate and environmental protection but also for urgent security applications. The future role of the European Space Agency (ESA) and Austria’s participation in it were the central topics of a meeting with a distinguished Tyrolean: Dr. Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, met in Innsbruck, at the invitation of GeoVille, with representatives from the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology (BMK), the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), Standortagentur Tirol and experts from GeoVille.
The meeting served both to highlight recent achievements and innovations in Austria’s space industry and to discuss the upcoming ESA Ministerial Conference in late 2025 and Austria’s role in the next ESA program period from 2026 onward.
GeoVille, a leading Austrian company in satellite-based environmental monitoring for over 25 years, presented a groundbreaking development: EarthStreamer. This innovation is set to revolutionize access to Earth observation data. Dr. Christian Hoffmann, CEO of GeoVille, emphasized: “With EarthStreamer, we are not outlining a distant vision for satellite data access – we are making it a reality, providing direct and immediate usability for everyone.”
With advanced compression and streaming technologies, Earth observation data will soon be as accessible as weather data, becoming a daily resource for a wide range of users—from climate researchers and corporate sustainability reporting teams to civil protection agencies and national defense authorities. EarthStreamer not only provides access to the latest satellite images but also makes entire image archives available on standard devices, surpassing current online mapping services in coverage and continuity. Users can effortlessly access and process these data streams in real time on both desktop and mobile devices, without the need for complex software solutions.
The EarthStreamer technology is currently being further developed and refined within ongoing ESA projects in collaboration with various stakeholders. SmartConnect focuses on the seamless integration of satellite data into digital infrastructures for civil protection, while DUNIA provides high-resolution Earth observation data for sustainable development and environmental initiatives.
The Earth Streamer technology was presented to Mr. Aschbacher from ESA and the FFG during a live demonstration to highlight the significant advancement in the operational capabilities of emergency and rescue forces.
Dr. Josef Aschbacher:
"Here at Geoville, satellite data is used to create digital maps and situational awareness data—for Tyrol, for Austria, for Europe, and even globally. These large volumes of satellite data can be easily compressed and accessed by anyone, everywhere on commodity devices using a so-called 'Earth Streamer.' I’m very pleased for ESA that we are involved in enabling this work."
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European Space Agency Website: https://www.esa.int/
Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) Website: https://www.ffg.at/en
Standortagentur Tirol Website: https://www.standort-tirol.at/
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