Earth Observation Research Programme STEREO

Belgium started its first national remote sensing research programme as early as 1985. That programme, TELSAT 1, aimed at creating a national remote sensing research capacity and exploring the possibilities of SPOT imagery for agriculture, forestry and cartography. Throughout the years and through a range of follow-up programmes, the aim was broadened to  the development of applications, interaction with users, transfer of knowledge to industry and public administrations, international visibility of research results and training and education.

The current programme, STEREO IV, finances research projects carried out by research laboratories, either on their own or as part of a network and focused on one or more priority themes. These are in line with the research axes of the European Commission:

• Impact of climate change on terrestrial and marine environments (data exploitation, monitoring, modelling, mitigation strategies);
• Advanced Monitoring and Assessment of Hazards (including pandemics);
• Monitoring environment for improved environmental health and biodiversity;
• Geo-information for Sustainable and Green Cities.

In addition, the STEREO programme offers high quality user support and promotes remote sensing and Belgian initiatives in the field of Earth observation.

The programme supports the research community as a whole, via the centralised acquisition of remote sensing imagery.

To promote Remote Sensing and Belgian commitment in Earth Observation and to facilitate the outreach of the research results, the STEREO team:

• offers information to the public at large via a dedicated website and via social media;
• supports and organises workshops and conferences;
• publishes webstories, articles and reports;
• encourages and promotes the use of Earth observation data (mainly the free ones from the Copernicus programme as made available via the Belgian TERRASCOPE data platform);
• answers your questions in the field of satellite Earth Observation;
• makes available educational and promotional material.