Space Foundation Hosts Visitors from German Aerospace Center and FireWatch America

This week, distinguished guests from the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and FireWatch America visited Space Foundation World Headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., and toured the Discovery Center. One purpose of the visit was to discuss progress on adoption of the FireWatch system locally to help protect people and property from wildfires that have plagued Colorado and the entire Western United States.

DLR and the private firm IQ Wireless GmbH took technology developed to analyze gases and particles in space and created a terrestrial detection tool known as FireWatch. The system uses high-resolution optical sensors installed on towers or masts that connect to a remote central office to monitor forests and detect potential fires at their earliest stages.

Already highly successful in Europe, Australia and Mexico, FireWatch America is poised to deploy along the Colorado Front Range. This week saw the second wave of public and private meetings with a broad base of stakeholders.

FireWatch is a Space Foundation Certification Partner, and was inducted into the Space Technology Hall of Fame® in 2012.

Pictured: The group is treated to a Science On a Sphere presentation in the Space Foundation’s Northrop Grumman Science Center. From left:  Randall Wells, General Counsel for FireWatch America; Rhonda Truett, Space Foundation Director of Global Sales and Certification;  Joe Turnham, CEO FireWatch America; Dr. Ekkehard Kuehrt, DLR Institute of Planetary Research ; Kevin C. Cook, Space Foundation Vice President – Marketing and Communications; Dr. Stubbe Faurschou Hviid, DLR Institute of Planetary Research; Rebecca Williams, Space Foundation Corporate Sales Support Associate; Ken Bond, Volunteer Docent, Space Foundation.