Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company, is selling its subsidiary Tokyo Spot Image KK (TSI) to PASCO CORPORATION (hereinafter PASCO). At the same time, PASCO enters into a new distribution agreement with Airbus Defence and Space for a SPOT 6/7 Direct Receiving Station (DRS) with associated data distribution rights.
This deal marks a significant milestone in the long-term collaboration between the two companies, which began in 2003 when PASCO acquired its first Pixel Factory. Later, several distribution contracts have been signed for the Japanese market. This began with TerraSAR-X Direct Access Station deployed in 2005, followed in 2011 by Pléiades DRS and Pixel Factory systems in 2012. Last year, PASCO purchased the Street Factory product, therefore becoming one of the main customers of Airbus Defence and Space.
Founded in 2002, Tokyo Spot Image KK is a 100% subsidiary of Airbus Defence and Space. During the past 12 years, TSI has been focussing on the development of the civilian market, with significant successes in the mapping, agriculture and forestry sectors, generating profit every single year. The sale of TSI to PASCO is a logical step toward a full cooperation between the two companies.
At the same time, and only a few days after the commercial launch of SPOT 7, PASCO selected to be equipped with a SPOT 6/7 DRS, and thus will take full advantage of the Airbus Defence and Space constellation of four optical and two radar satellites. By adding this SPOT 6/7 DRS to its existing Pléiades and TerraSAR-X DRS, PASCO will be able to serve its institutional and commercial clients in the long term, with the highest reactivity and product quality, leveraging the advantages of high and very high-resolution data in optical and radar domains.
Bernhard Brenner, Head of the Geo-Intelligence Program Line at Airbus Defence and Space, said: “We are very pleased with this combined deal, allowing PASCO to distribute the most up-to-date portfolio of our satellite products. We look forward to the new opportunities this cooperation will bring within the Japanese market. This deal is a clear signal for the confidence we have in the continuous success of high-resolution data distribution. PASCO is a long standing partner with whom we are glad to pursue a very close working relationship based on high mutual respect and common business interests.”
“We enter into a new era of our trusted partnership. I am confident to achieve productive sales in Japan by utilizing the know-how of PASCO, Airbus Defence and Space and Tokyo Spot Image KK. It gives me a great pleasure to establish these prestigious agreements with Airbus Defence and Space and I firmly believe that we will be able to fulfill the fast-growing demand of geospatial information products for our valued customers” said Yuji Mesaki, President and CEO of PASCO CORPORATION.
More than 25 organisations around the world have already chosen to be part of Airbus Defence and Space’s Direct Receiving Station network and this number is continuing to grow.
