Astrium Purchases Majority Share in Spot Image

The Earth observation industry is undergoing significant change. With Spot Image and Infoterra, Astrium Services strives to strengthen its services portfolio, address new markets and deliver additional value across the business.

As the exclusive operator of the SPOT optical satellite constellation and strategic partner for other satellites, (the Korean 1 metre KOMPSAT-2, the Taiwanese 2 metre FORMOSAT-2 and others), Spot Image, and its 5 subsidiaries, offer a comprehensive range of satellite data and services in the market. Spot Image is preparing for the planned launch of the Pleiades constellation (2 agile, 50 cm resolution optical satellites) in 2010 and the development of a high resolution sensor to ensure SPOT 5 service continuity beyond 2012.

Already, Spot Image and Infoterra Group enjoy a relationship through the development of joint products and services in many sectors such as, mapping, security, agriculture and telecommunications. This collaboration has recently been reinforced with the start of Infoterra's commercial business operations for the TerraSAR-X radar satellite. Spot Image will remain an independent French company with its individual brand.