For many years, Norway has focused on using satellite data in marine environment monitoring and in sovereignty enforcement.
User requirements and needs have been emphasized in developing services based on satellite data. Radar data have been most
used, because at the country’s high latitude, optical observations are difficult due to cloud cover and low illumination.
Norway supports about 1% - 2% of the costs of the European Space Agency and EUMETSAT programmes but uses about 5% - 10% of
the data from the satellites. Consequently, Norway is a significant user in Europe. The high data use has brought Norwegian
scientist to the leading edge of development, which in turn has resulted in the award of important contracts, both from ESA
and within the EU framework programmes.
International issues
International developments in Earth observation focus mostly on contributing to improving global environmental and climate monitoring as well as to evolve commercial systems for detailed mapping. In Norway, development has focused on products and services that meet national needs and goals.
