David Belton
Vice President
MDA Geospatial Services Inc.
Canada

Biography
David Belton joined MDA in 1999. He is currently the Vice President of MDA Geospatial Services Inc. This group provides advanced geospatial information solutions derived from the high-resolution RADARSAT satellites, commercial optical satellites, and aerial systems to improve the decision making and operational performance of business, government, and defence organizations worldwide. Prior to his current position, Mr. Belton was responsible for the overall business development of MDA's RADARSAT and optical satellite imagery and derived services business for the civilian government and commercial sector.

Abstract
Building Partnerships to Deliver National Earth Observation Data Portals

MDA Geospatial Services Inc. (MDA) has partnered with the Netherlands Space Office (NSO) since 2012 to deliver RADARSAT-2 data to the NSO’s Satellietdataportaal (Satellite Data Portal) Initiative. The Dutch government established the NSO to develop the Netherlands’ space program, to act as the face of the Dutch space community for international space organizations, and to function as the central point of contact for the space community within the Netherlands. As a function of this mandate, the NSO works to develop and support the geospatial community in the Netherlands by providing access to resources and funding. The NSO has collaborated with MDA to deliver large volumes of RADARSAT-2 data of the Netherlands through the Satellietdataportaal. During the initial program, MDA has collected, processed and delivered almost 600 Standard mode, dual polarized images to the Satellietdataportaal. The imagery is of the Netherlands and its surrounding waterways, and has enabled work by the Dutch geospatial community on agricultural and InSAR applications. This initial collaboration has proven beneficial to the NSO and its geospatial community, and the NSO is taking steps to extend the contract for multiple years. In this next phase, the NSO will transition from Standard to Extra-Fine RADARSAT-2 imagery. Extra-Fine is a higher resolution RADARSAT-2 mode that provides 5 m resolution data, while still providing large-area collection. This new data set enables a new range of applications that was not possible in the past, while providing compatibility with the existing data stack. The collaboration between MDA and the NSO is an excellent case study that highlights the benefits of developing a national Earth observation data portal in support of a national geospatial community. During this presentation, David Belton, vice-president of MDA’s Geospatial Services will provide an overview of MDA’s support of the NSO in building a national Earth observation Data Portal, and speak on the value of building a strong direct relationship between a national space office and a satellite operating agency. The presentation will provide insight into how this type of collaboration can deliver value to national geospatial communities, enabling the development of new products and services that can deliver significant economic benefit.