EarthScan Announces Space Imaging to Acquire Equity Position
EarthScan Network Inc. and Space
Imaging, of Thornton, Colorado, today announced an agreement in which Space
Imaging would join Data Transmission Network and Photon Research Associates in
holding an equity position in EarthScan.
The objective of the agreement is to
continue to accelerate the introduction and use of remote sensing in the
agriculture industry.
“EarthScan already has an extensive network of trained salespeople and is
establishing EarthScan Solution Partner relationships to provide remote
sensing solutions to agricultural interests throughout North America,” says
John Rasure, CEO of EarthScan.
“With the ability to access Space Imaging’s
IKONOS high-quality, remotely-sensed data, coupled with EarthScan’s remote
sensing services and internet delivery technology, this alliance is an
important step in the evolution of the use of EarthScan products and services
in the agriculture industry.”
EarthScan is a powerful internet-based tool that provides a value-added
service for crop health determination, acreage measurement, and field
performance zone creation and management.
Prior to the launch of Space
Imaging’s IKONOS satellite, remote sensing products were available on a very
limited distribution basis and were very costly.
By breaking into the
mass-market domain with a low cost product that meets the needs of the
agriculture market, EarthScan is able to provide systems integration services
for large agricultural concerns on a much wider scale.
“We are excited about leveraging our satellite technology through partners
and alliances that focus their efforts on building relationships, value-added
products and services for specific vertical industries,” says John Copple,
Chairman and CEO of Space Imaging.
“Our relationship with EarthScan allows us
to jointly offer valuable, innovative technology and services to the
agricultural marketplace.
The fact that agribusiness professionals with a
computer and access to the internet can now work with imagery and tools online
is a substantial advancement in technology.”
“With Space Imaging’s recent positioning of themselves as the first
commercial owner/operator of a satellite with guaranteed access to the highest
quality, remotely sensed data coming into this venture, EarthScan now becomes
a self-sufficient, full vertical play with raw data access through to customer
product delivery capabilities,” according to Jim Myer, Chairman of the Board
of PRA.
“The three partners (DTN, PRA and Space Imaging) share the vision and
enthusiasm that they are now positioned to break down a number of previously
insurmountable barriers and provide remote sensing the opportunity to become a
mass marketed consumer product for a number of common-place applications which
will impact people’s daily lives far beyond this initial agricultural
venture.”
Greg Sloma, President and CEO for DTN added, “EarthScan makes remotely
sensed imagery a usable measurement and management tool in an easy-to-use
format.
We are excited about the agreement with Space Imaging which will push
these solutions forward in the agricultural industry.”
Space Imaging is a leading supplier of visual information products derived
from space imagery, aerial imagery, mapping services and derivative geographic
information products and services.
The company launched the world’s first and
only one-meter resolution, commercial imaging satellite, IKONOS, on September
24, 1999.
For more information about Space Imaging, visit
www.spaceimaging.com .
EarthScan Network, Inc., was founded as a joint venture between Photon
Research Associates (PRA), an applied remote sensing company based in San
Diego, California, and Data Transmission Network, Inc. (DTN), of Omaha,
Nebraska, is a leading business-to-business electronic commerce and
information services company serving the agriculture, weather, energy and
financial services industries.
DTN is a portfolio company of VS&A
Communications Partners III, LP, the private equity affiliate of Veronis
Suhler.
For information about EarthScan, call 800-850-5387 or visit the
EarthScan Web site at www.EarthScan.com .
Contact DTN at 800-485-4000 or
visit the DTN web site at www.dtn.com .
For information on PRA, call
858-455-9741 or visit their web site at www.photon.com .
