History

Prof. Alexey M. Volkov (1943-2002) was the founder and the first director of the NTs OMZ. Prof. Volkov was one of the distinguished and recognized contributors to establishment and development of the Earth remote sensing facilities in the USSR and in Russia. Since 1975 at the Sate Research Center for Earth Resource Study (GOsNITsIPR) he began his career as senior scientist, in 1987 he was appointed the GOsNITsIPR Deputy Director and later on – Deputy Director General of NPO PLANETA and Director of NTsIPR.

The A. Volkov’s conception on the development of satellite data acquisition, processing, archiving, and distribution (NKPOR) was approved at ROSAVIAKOSMOS and Prof. Volkov as Deputy Director of Space Observation Center — the NTs OMZ Director began establishing a new NKPOR. Virtually the whole NITsIPR’s team together with A. Volkov changed for the NTs OMZ. The NTs OMZ’s few solidarity team has a great scientific and technical potential and many years’ experience (more than 30 years) in remote sensing techniques and facilities. The total number of the NTs OMZ staff is 269 and among them 28 are PhD and Dr.

The NTs OMZ has developed the state-of-the-art technologies, soft and hardware, and techniques for satellite data acquisition, processing, cataloging, archiving, and distribution at short notice. There are in operation the modern multipurpose PK-2 and PK-7 antenna stations that receive data from the home spacecraft (METEOR-3M, MONITOR-E, RESURS-DK) and foreign spacecraft (NOAA, Terra and ERS-2). At present, the Center is engaged in activities related to new spacecraft (METEOR-M and ELEKTRO) operation.
The NTs OMZ maintains the Fund of Remote Sensing Data, completes orders for operational space imaging, and delivers data from the Fund. Consumers are provided with data products of standard processing levels and value-added processed products as well.
The NTs OMZ-implemented technologies for value-added processing of remote sensing data enable generating digital maps of river floods, forest fires, land use, ice conditions, etc. These maps may contain coordinate grid, boundaries of hydrological objects, administrative boundaries, road network, settlement names, etc.

The NTs OMZ`s principal activities take place within the framework of the Federal Russian Space Programme and under the agreements between ROSKOSMOS and the European Space Agency, Space Agencies of France, Germany, USA, Ukraine, and other countries.
The NTs OMZ’s team has a many years’ experience in participating in international projects. Recently the Center is engaged in the European Project GMES (Global Monitoring Environment and Security) – GMES-RUSSIA. The Project is implemented against the European Commission’s order during the period 2002-2008 aimed at establishing the independent global information system in Europe.

The NTs OMZ under the joint US NASA/RF FKA Project received the data from the US SAGE-III equipment installed on board the Russian METEOR-3M ¹1spacecraft. The Center contributes to RIM-PAMELA Project which purpose is to search and study antiparticle fluxes (antiprotons, positrons, antinucleus), provides data acquisition and delivers the RESURS-DK1 data to the Project participants. The Center contributes to the international projects OSCSAR, ERUNET, GSE Forest Monitoring, IRIS, IPY-CARE, DAMOCLES, MONRUK and many others.

Since 5 December 2006 under the Russian Federation President Decree 426 as of 25 April 2006 „On Public Company „Russian Corporation of Space Device Engineering and Information Systems“ and in pursuance of the Russian Federation Government Regulation 347 dated 2 June 2006 in the course of reorganization, federal state unitary enterprise „Research Center of Space Information Systems and Observing Technologies“ (FGUP „Space Observation Center) was affiliated as Scientific and Technological Center for Earth Space Monitoring (NTs KMZ) to FGUP RNII KP.

The NTs OMZ was affiliated to the NTs KMZ as organization department acting as Ground Segment of the Federal Space Agency in charge of receiving, recording, processing, and distribution of data from remote sensing satellites.

Under FGUP RNII KP’s Order 90 as of 10.04.2007 the NTs OMZ was excluded from Scientific and Technological Center for Earth Space Monitoring (NTs KMZ) and became the Center of FGUP RNII KP with the previous name, functions, and tasks – NTs OMZ (Research Center for Earth Operative Monitoring).