Orange : OBS delivers cloud services for the European Space Agency Copernicus project to boost the use of Earth Observation Data

Orange Business Services is proud to be part of the Airbus Consortium, one of the four groups of companies selected for the Copernicus data and information access service (DIAS) project by the European Space Agency (ESA). Orange Business Services, through its entity Orange Cloud for Business, is providing expertise in cloud-based ICT services together with its globally operated public cloud solution, Flexible Engine, to complement Airbus' deep aerospace expertise.

Copernicus is a European Union initiative to provide free and open access to near-real-time data, models and forecasts about our planet, harvested by a family of dedicated satellites and in-situ observations. This Earth Observation Data is key to help manage global security and the environment. DIAS was established to support the Copernicus program, making this data freely available to EU citizens through a cloud computing architecture.

The Airbus and Orange Business Services consortium aims to develop and offer within six months a single 'one-stop-shop' of all the data and value-added services. This will allow scientists, businesses and entrepreneurs to create business models and develop software and applications based on Earth Observation Data.

The consortium led by Airbus will use the Orange Business Services globally-operated public cloud solution - called Flexible Engine -- to meet the demands of Copernicus and ensure all its data is secure and freely available. Flexible Engine is a highly secure and reliable public cloud offering built on OpenStack technology. It will provide the massive scalability and big data environment required to store, structure and access Copernicus data. Orange Business Services will assist Airbus to assess, define and update the cloud roadmap in line with this strategy.

Orange Business Services will also bring its deep knowledge of digital business needs in a wide range of industries to boost the development of new innovative usage of Copernicus Earth Observation images.

'Big data analytics supported by the right cloud capabilities can help unlock the value of this data to innovate and create new business models to provide economic growth for Europe. The entire Orange team is proud to participate in a project as ambitious as Copernicus DIAS. By utilizing our know-how and public cloud solution Flexible Engine, we will offer users innovative solutions to take advantage of the big data collected by ESA,' explains Philippe Laplane, CEO of Orange Cloud for Business.