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Management of the ISIS remote sensing server

The ISIS programme (Incentive for the scientific use of Images from the SPOT system) is an initiative from the French National Space Agency (CNES) and SPOT Image, which intends to optimise access to the SPOT infrastructure by providing SPOT data at preferential rates, with a view to facilitating European space scientific research.

Context

The ISIS programme (http://www.isis-cnes.fr/) started in 1994 to meet the French researchers’ needs, allowing them to obtain SPOT images at preferential rate. The programme's success has never stopped growing since the beginning and the programme has evolved with an extension to the European researchers and the availability of new SPOT products such as High Resolution SPOT5 products, DEM and Reference3D products.

Today, the ISIS programme has a European dimension and CNES has decided to increase its mission developing close links with the scientific community, for example launching specific actions: regular delivery of ISIS news, availability of a scientific publications database and organisation of exhibitions.

Since January 2009, Telespazio VEGA has been selected by CNES to take the responsibility of the activities led by MEDIAS-France up to this date. Thus, Telespazio VEGA became manager and coordinator of the ISIS programme at CNES’s and SPOT Image’s side. The role of Telespazio VEGA is also extended to thematic exhibition organisation role.
 
The ISIS programme is based on a dedicated website (initially developed by MEDIAS-France) which is organised with two parts:

  • A static editorial part in which the users can find information related to for instance the modalities to submit a project in order to obtain SPOT products, the description of the available products as well as their rates, useful links such as the URL of the SPOT Online Catalogue, etc.
  • A dynamic part in charge of the user registration, of the management of the projects submitted by the scientists, the publications database management.

 

Service description

In the framework of this contract, Telespazio VEGA carries out the following tasks:

  • ISIS website management. This activity includes both the corrective maintenance of the web site developed by MEDIAS-France and evolution developments such as design and ergonomics improvement, addition of news and functionalities useful for the ISIS programme managers such as automatic invoicing or mailing for programme communication. Telespazio VEGA has particularly to look after the Web site security so as to guarantee the maximum level of confidentiality.
  • ISIS programme management support. Researchers, who submit a project in order to obtain SPOT products, must electronically fulfil a series of forms describing their projects on the ISIS Web site. Each project is assessed by the three ISIS managers from CNES, SPOT Image and Telespazio VEGA. The processing to assess a project follows specific steps: project coherence evaluation, thematic evaluation, feasibility study for the required SPOT products delivery and if the project is accepted, production, invoicing, delivery and project closing. In this context, Telespazio VEGA is in charge of several steps (evaluation, invoicing, project closing and global control). Moreover, the Telespazio VEGA manager is in charge of several activities such as the coordination between all ISIS programme managers, technical and thematic support to the users and the delivery of a series of indicators describing the activity and the financial evolution of the programme to the ISIS Committee.
  • ISIS thematic exhibition organisation. The Telespazio VEGA manager is responsible for: (1) Regular updating of the editorial ISIS Web site content and control of the information validity, (2) Organisation of a thematic exhibition on a yearly basis (the first event is scheduled on 2009 autumn), (3) Monitoring of the scientific ISIS publications database.

 

The ISIS server

The ISIS server is « I386 » type.

  • OS: Linux Fedora ;
  • J2EE Web server: Java 1.5 language, Struts 1.1 framework, TOMCAT 5.5/Jvm-Ibm ;
  • Protocol: HTTP ;
  • Database: PostgreSQL 8.1.5 ;
  • Client: standard navigators (firefox, opera, etc).

 

Project characteristics

  • Client: CNES
  • Telespazio VEGA Team: 2 engineers
  • Required skills:
    • Remote sensing knowledge : from sensor to application
    • Project management
    • Scientific exhibitio
    • Website development
    • Database
    • System engineering.
  • Project duration: 3 years

The ISIS Home Page: http://www.isis-cnes.fr/