Airbus Defence and Space has sold its Tokyo Spot Image KK (TSI) subsidiary to Japanese geospatial data specialist PASCO Corporation as part of a wider strategic agreement between the two companies.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Founded in 2002,…
Airbus Defence and Space has sold its Tokyo Spot Image KK (TSI) subsidiary to Japanese geospatial data specialist PASCO Corporation as part of a wider strategic agreement between the two companies.
Financial details were not disclosed.
Founded in 2002, TSI sells all of Airbus DS’ geospatial products to the Japanese market. Following completion of the acquisition, TSI will be renamed Satellite Image Marketing Corporation.
As part of the deal, PASCO has entered into a general distribution agreement with Airbus DS which gives it the exclusive rights to distribute data produced from the SPOT 6 and 7 earth observation satellites in Japan.
In order to do so PASCO is to be equipped with a SPOT direct receiving station for both spacecraft.
The two companies have worked together since 2003 when PASCO acquired Airbus’ Pixel Factory EO data processing product. Since then the pair have signed several distribution contracts for the Japanese market starting with data produced by the TerraSAR-X satellite, which was deployed in 2005. More recently PASCO has used data from the two Pléiades satellites that were launched in 2011 and 2012.
Commenting on the agreement, Bernhard Brenner, head of the geo-intelligence program line at Airbus DS, said: “We are very pleased with this combined deal, allowing PASCO to distribute the most up-to-date portfolio of our satellite products.
“We look forward to the new opportunities this cooperation will bring within the Japanese market. This deal is a clear signal for the confidence we have in the continuous success of high-resolution data distribution. PASCO is a long standing partner with whom we are glad to pursue a very close working relationship based on high mutual respect and common business interests.”
At the start of December, Airbus DS agreed to sell the rights to SPOT 7 to Azerbaijan’s state-run satellite operator, Azercosmos.
Azercosmos has renamed the EO satellite Azersky and Airbus will help it to develop its ground segment as part of the arrangement. The companies will jointly operate the spacecraft.
Azersky was launched on 30 June from India by a PSLV rocket and has a 12-year lifespan. The satellite began commercial operations on 2 December.