Interview: Yiota Hadjicosta
The city of Limassol can become a gateway but also a crossroad for future investments and a development centre of entrepreneurship, which will bring multiple benefits for the society and the economy of our country, says
The Managing Director of the Limassol-based Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence and coordinator of the ‘EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming’ project, explains that space technologies are becoming technologies that can and should be integrated into the everyday life of citizens. Prof. Hadjimitsis explains that “the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence was established in 2020, based in Limassol, through the EXCELSIOR Project and provides the highest quality of Space, Earth Observation and Geoinformation services at National, Regional, European and International level”. He notes that Eratosthenes aims I to attract more than 150 researchers by 2026.
What is the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence that is located in Franklin Roosevelt Street in Limassol and what is its role ?
The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence was established in 2020, based in Limassol, through the EXCELSIOR Project and provides the highest quality of Space, Earth Observation and Geoinformation services at National, Regional, European and International level. The main concept behind the ERATOSTHENES CoE is to be a fully functional Digital Innovation Hub and a Research Excellence Centre for EO in the EMMENA region, creating an ecosystem where the state-of-the-art sensing equipment, cutting edge research, targeted education services and entrepreneurship come together. We are currently in the process of installing the main infrastructure of the Hub, such as the the ground-based satellite data acquisition station at CYTAs premises, the atmospheric remote sensing station, as well as the design of the building of the Centre of Excellence in Verengaria area, Limassol. Our goal is to attract more than 150 researchers by 2026.
How does space science solve problems, for example for agriculture and the economy?
Space technology is the most appropriate tool for the effective implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy. Recent technological developments in Big Data Management, available computing power, data and imagery from the Copernicus programme, which is a European project aiming to provide free and open access data and information about the planet and the environment, enable the continuous and automated acquisition of agro-environmental information on parcel level. Also, space technology combined with data analysis tools has a wide range of applications in agriculture, such as the estimation of the expected crop yield, crop quantity determination, crop species identification, extreme weather damage assessment, irrigation needs management and crop disease detection.
Can space science solve everyday problems of the world and how?
Space technologies are technologies that can and should be integrated into citizens’ daily lives. Citizens need to understand that when we refer to space technologies, we do not mean astronauts, but our own daily life, at all levels. Space technologies involve the way we are informed about disasters, the way we manage crop production, we monitor and protect cultural heritage, the way satellite information can immediately give us information on topics such as oil spill in the sea, the way we detect burned areas from fires, information about the hectare subsidies in a parcel, monitoring and recording natural disasters and land use changes in a city, monitoring water losses in major water pipelines, etc.. Joining forces , the state, research and university community can undertake actions that will improve the lives of citizens at all levels.
When is the new satellite data receiving station expected to be installed in Cyprus and how will it help in practice?
We expect that the installation of the data Acquisition Station for Earth Observation in the infrastructure of CYTA will be completed by the end of 2025. The station will have unique characteristics and capabilities, not only for Cyprus, but also for the wider region of the Middle East. It will be able to simultaneously receive data in three different frequency bands from low-orbit satellites, covering existing and future missions, serving the needs of the Centre and other international satellite organizations. Simply put, each interested organization will be able to receive data from various satellites, in near real time, enabling immediate solutions to real problems, such as natural disasters, maritime surveillance, climate observation. Its concise coverage, high definition and immediacy in receiving satellite data makes satellite remote sensing the most efficient and inexpensive tool in this field.
How can Cyprus be included in the space arena?
The Centre is undoubtedly a key factor in paving the way for Cyprus to enter the space arena through its engagement with Earth observation, both at a research and business level. The activities of the Centre are in line with the Cyprus Space Law already approved by the Republic of Cyprus. The centre helps the ecosystem of Cyprus to develop in the space sector through synergies and partnerships with private and public bodies, promoting the importance and benefits of space technology. Eratosthenes takes advantage of the actions of the European Commission to support Copernicus users and optimise the benefits of the programme in Cyprus with the aim of consolidating the use of space technology. As a centre of excellence we are in full alignment with the objectives of the Republic of Cyprus and the Department of Electronic Communications of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy to further enhance the know-how of the domestic space industry and Academy, upgrading its relations with the European Space Agency and preparing Cyprus for a cooperation as an Associate Member (AM).
What is human’s relationship to space?
The science of remote sensing and Earth observation from space does not deal directly with human’s relationship to space. Instead, it focuses on collecting, analyzing and interpreting data from satellites orbiting the Earth. However, the use of this data contributes to understanding the planet, disaster prevention and technology development, thus strengthening our relationship with space.
What are the benefits for Limassol and Cyprus?
The city of Limassol can become a gateway but also a crossroad of future investments and a centre of entrepreneurship development. This will will bring multiple benefits for the society and the economy of our country. The employment of more than 150 researchers and the cooperation with over 600 organizations of international recognition in the field of space such as NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) and ESA (European Space AGENCY), creates a great benefit for Limassol and for the whole of Cyprus.
All the activities of the Centre are directly related to monitoring and environmental protection issues and thus there is a fertile ground for synergies at research level, service level and in claiming funds together with the municipality of Limassol. For this purpose, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence and the Limassol Municipality, in order to strengthen the cooperation of the two institutions for the program called “European mission: 100 climate neutral and smart cities by 2030”. The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence as a digital innovation hub will contribute to the effort of the Limassol municipality to realize this goal. Our role as a Centre of Excellence, is to provide our infrastructure and expertise to create a dynamic living lab that will help develop solutions and products to meet the climate neutral City goal by 2030.
The Centre of Excellence can provide immediate solutions for the city of Limassol such as the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for the integrated management of all activities and services of the municipalities and the region. We already have a close cooperation with almost all the municipalities of Limassol on various topics such as the use of GIS systems. It is important to mention that our team has been one of the important partners in cooperation and coordination with the Deputy Ministry of Shipping for the development of Marine Spatial Plan in Cyprus. Within the framework of the marine spatial plan, useful tools for monitoring maritime activities have been developed also within the Limassol area. Finally, the Centre of Excellence can assist in the continuous observation and detection of marine pollution through satellite data and especially in the Limassol area where there is strong interest from local stakeholders.
Who are the project partners?
EXCELSIOR is coordinated by the Remote Sensing and Geoenvironment Laboratory of the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomatics of the Cyprus University of Technology with the following partners: the Eratosthenes Centre of Excellence, The Department of Electronic Communications of the Deputy Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digital Policy, the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the National Observatory of Athens ( NOA) and the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research T(TROPOS). The project involves CyRIC and the World Radiation Center in Switzerland, PMOD / WRC. It is important to mention that in the process of preparing the proposal, the EXCELSIOR project had received support from 19 state agencies, 6 ministries and more than 100 organizations including NASA, the European Space Agency, the Israel Space Agency, the Aristotle University, etc.
You have recently recorded the storm in Limassol and the tornado. How is the recording of such phenomena done?
The storm that occurred at dawn on Wednesday (14/2/2024), in Limassol, was recorded by the Atmospheric Remote Sensing station of the ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence.
The station has state-of-the-art equipment, including a Raman Lidar, a disdrometer and a halo Doppler lidar, and by early summer the station will be enhanced with additional equipment, i.e. a Cloud Radar and a microwave radiometer that, in addition to recording atmospheric particles, will retrieve complementary cloud information. It should be noted that there is no such equipment in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East and South Africa.
Can technology somehow prevent or prepare the state and the world for such phenomena?
Currently there are satellites that can retrieve high-resolution images and can even do so in real time. Real-time monitoring of a fire or extreme weather event has enabled authorities to give clearer assessments and instructions to the citizens. At the same time, they can predict the course of the phenomenon more accurately and thus deal with it more effectively. In addition, the combined use of technical intelligence and remote sensing technologies provides the possibility of creating predictive models to support competent bodies to take prevention measures in a timely manner. An example is the predictive model for fire risk, on which our centre currently works, . This model will combine information on vegetation, topography, meteorology and other parameters with the ultimate goal of identifying areas that have a high risk of fire. Disaster Risk Management is one of the most important global issues that space technology can provide an immediate solution to both forecast and management.
Are innovation and research linked to space science? We have heard several times that Cyprus can become a hub in the region of technology and innovation. How can this be done? Are there prospects through the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming project?
The ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, through the partnerships it has developed and through the infrastructures it will maintain, will place Cyprus on the world map of Earth Observation. Additionally, the Centre has as its main priority to work with industry, society, academia and the state on joint projects, research proposals, networks and initiatives, to work on new ideas that will lead to products and services and to strengthen the economy of Cyprus and the region. The Centre has already developed innovative technological applications in Agriculture, Environment, Energy, Disaster Risk Reduction for the promotion and use of these technologies in our country and abroad.
We are fully aligned with the state’s goal to promote Cyprus as a regional centre for research, innovation and entrepreneurship, building a competitive and productive economy, based on knowledge and excellence and providing solutions to environmental, economic and social challenges through space technologies.
Diofantos Hadjimitsis is a Full Professor at the Department of Civil Engineering and Geomaticsand the Remote Sensing and Geoenvironment Laboratory of the Cyprus University of Technology. In addition, he is the managing director of ERATOSTHENES Centre of Excellence, Coordinator of the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming project and Co-Coordinator of the NASA MedRIN network. He also served as vice rector of academic affairs of CUT.
