International Geospatial Digest for November 18th, 2024

1.) Many Geospatial Inventions Included in TIME’s 2024 List of Top 200 Inventions

2.) Satellite Imagery Can Identify Plastic on Remote Beaches via New Index

3.) US Space Force is Working with Astranis to Create a Backup GPS Network

4.) Michigan’s Government Updates Real Time Air Quality Data Dashboard

5.) Trimble Expands Collaboration with HALO Trust to Improve Landmine Clearance

Many Geospatial Inventions Included in TIME’s 2024 List of Top 2oo Inventions

TIME has just released their Top 200 Inventions of 2024, and the geospatial industry is well represented. The list is created from a mixture of online applications and editorial staff nominations. Some highlights include X Bellwether’s prediction engine for natural disasters, using satellite imagery and AI, and SandboxAQ’s quantum magnetometer technology that allows for location identification without using GPS. Also included is GHG-Sat’s ‘Vanguard’ satellite, tracking carbon dioxide emissions and Terran Orbital’s GEO Satellite. Read more here

Satellite Imagery Can Identify Plastic on Remote Beaches via New Index

Researchers from RMIT University in Australia created a Beached Plastic Debris Index (BPDI) which uses variations in how sand, plastics, and water reflect light to identify plastics. Similar mathematical formulas have been used to monitor forests and identify fires, but the BPDI is the first time the tool is being tailored for plastic identification. The tool uses satellite images from the Worldview-3 Satellite. Its efficacy was compared to three traditional methods for plastic identification, and it outperformed all three. This is revolutionary because satellites can capture so much data in a small amount of time, which significantly speeds up the identification process. Since it’s easier to pinpoint where plastic debris is accumulating, clean-up operations will be more accurate. Read more here

US Space Force is Working with Astranis to Create a Backup GPS Network

Since its invention, GPS has generated more than 1.4 trillion dollars for the economy and is used in everything we do from navigation to the stock market, so an outage could cost billions. Concerned, the US Space Force has put 2 billion dollars into a backup Resilient Global Positioning System (R-GPS). The current system relies on 31 satellites, so the government has turned to four commercial space industries to create R-GPS. One of which is Astranis who has announced the creation of Nexus, a product line of positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) satellites in response to the contract. The project got off the ground relatively fast due to a Pentagon funding authority known as “Quick Start,” giving out contracts to companies within 6 months. Read more here

A Digital Rendering of a Nexus Satellite

Michigan’s Government Updates Real Time Air Quality Dashboard

The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)’s Air Quality Division has updated their Air Quality Dashboard to provide residents with more accurate air quality data. In addition to real time data, the map includes historical data for reference and links to references. For each region (where data is available) the dashboard will show the Air Quality Index (AQI) for Ozone, PM2.5 and PM10. Read more and check out the map here

Trimble Expands Collaboration with Halo Trust to Improve Landmine Clearance

Trimble is donating an additional 175 Catalyst GNSS Systems to HALO Trust, the world’s largest humanitarian landmine-clearance non-profit organization. These systems allow field teams to clear landmines more safely and accurately. Since Trimble’s first donation, HALO Trust has cleared 802 minefields in 12 war torn countries. With ongoing conflicts in many countries around the world, Trimble’s donation will allow for operational efficiency and provide data on safe land reclamation and development, which will hopefully improve the humanitarian situation in these regions. Read more here