Optical and SAR Ground Segment Integration - An Italian Experience

摘要

In 1994 the Italian Ground Segment for the Treatment of Optical Imaging (Joint Remote Sensing Ground Centre -- Centro Interforze Telerilevamento Satellitare) was built inside the air base of Pratica di Mare near Rome. C.I.T.S. was created to receive, store and analyse the Helios 1 imagery data. In 2002 the Italian military added access to Helios 2 satellites. One year later the Chief of Defence decided to realize the new C.O.S.M.O.- SkyMed User Ground Segment inside the Centre., considering the relevant expertise of C.I.T.S. military staff and the possibility to optimise the integration between optical and SAR systems. The C.O.S.M.O.-SkyMed dual-use program continues to grow in complexity. The aim of this contribution is not only to underline the difficulties met by the operational users in the integration between two different systems inside the same infrastructure, taking into account limitations deriving from defence environment and related security aspects, but also we want to emphasize military effort to realize a sort of integration of operational Helios experiences with C.O.S.M.O.'s technical requirements.