Space Foundation Highlights Benefits of Remote Sensing

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Jul. 11, 2007) — As part of the Space Foundation’s overall efforts to raise awareness about space, the Washington, DC office together with the Alliance for Earth Observations, organized a briefing for Congressional staff. Entitled “Benefits of Earth Observations,” the event was held on July 11 in the Rayburn House Office Building.

The briefing attracted a bi-cameral, bi-partisan mix of Congressional staff, as well as industry representatives. Providing opening remarks, Nancy Colleton, executive director of the Alliance for Earth Observations introduced the topic of remote sensing and the panelists. Marty Hauser, vice president, Washington Operations and Research and Analysis for the Space Foundation closed the program by highlighting data from The Space Report and the national security applications of remote sensing. Featured panelists for the briefing were: The Honorable Jim Geringer, governor of Wyoming (1995-2003), director, Policy and Public Sector Strategies, Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI); Gene Whitney, Ph.D., assistant director for environment, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), Executive Office of the President; and Tracey Laws, senior vice president and general counsel, Reinsurance Association of America.

Each panelist addressed the value of remote sensing and Earth observations providing insight from different perspectives. Dr. Whitney spoke about the ongoing White House effort to craft a unified Earth observation policy. Ms. Laws addressed importance of remote sensing to non-space industries.  Governor Geringer focused on the criticality of remote sensing for state and local decision makers in developing proactive disaster preparedness plans.  The Governor expressly stated how these space-based assets better equip these decision-makers. 

Pictured on the home page, left to right: Ms. Colleton, Mr. Hauser, Ms. Laws, Gov. Geringer, and Dr. Whitney.