Alsat-1 Contribution in Forest Fires Mapping in Algeria

AlSat-1, the First Algerian National Satellite, and the first of five microsatellites in the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), was launched on the 28 November 2002 from Plesetsk. AlSat-1 was joined by SSTL built Microsatellites for Nigeria, the United Kingdom and Turkey with the second DMC launch on the 23 September 2003 and the fifth microsatellite for China was launched into the same orbit by the third DMC launch on the 27 October 2005. A team of eleven (11) Algerian engineers has been trained at Surrey through the AlSat-1 project with specializations in the following disciplines: System Engineering, ADCS, Power, RF, OBDH, Mechanical and Launch Interface, Earth Observation Payload, GPS, Operation, TTC and Propulsion. AlSat-1, the first space asset to the country provides indigenous national space capability, unique independent earth observation source and international cooperation opportunities. In a constellation with four other satellites, Algeria will have daily access to global images for disaster mitigation, national remote sensing applications, space commercial exploitation and international cooperation with both developed and developing countries. The paper will attempt to address Alsat-1 contribution in forest fires mapping within the country for the years 2003 – 2005. It has been shown that the large amount of data produced by the satellite has been of a great use because it has pointed out the vulnerable regions. Among the other areas where Alsat-1 has also contributed we can find the followings: land occupation cartography, agricultural statistics, drought and finally the migrating locust.