UN World Conference on
Disaster Risk Reduction
2015 Sendai Japan

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Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction,
Sendai-Japan
March 17th, 2015, 9:00 – 12:00
 

Business Model

 
  1. Fractional Ownership Model:
    In this model, multinational participants partner to deploy a constellation of relatively inexpensive Nano-satellites and a network of small, moveable ground terminals that together create an efficient, persistent communications infrastructure.

    Partnership is provided in return for investment in the system. Investment may be monetary, or in-kind contributions such as develop and build a spacecraft bus, integration & testing, training, launch services, etc.. For example, each country pays a fee for the participation to the UN Global-Sat Consortium for managing this program. Furthermore, with the “group block” purchase, the Central management organization would be able to distribute data to participating countries at no extra cost.

    Fractional ownership models have been successful in providing previously unaffordable capabilities to partner nations who cooperatively share and manage assets. As the UN Global-Sat partner, each country would be entitled to a share of the available tasking bandwidth, from the constellation. The country could then choose to share this information to enhance cooperation with the other constellation partners and / or its neighbors who may not be participating. Thus, a modest investment for a fractional part of the entire system is multiplied and returns access to a globally distributed network. This model differs from the Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), which consists of six countries that agreed to cooperatively manage imaging satellites by a commercial company.

  2. Data and Cost of Service Model:
    An economical data sharing cost structure mechanism needs to be created for an international data policy framework commensurate with the underlying need for globally shared data, which must transcend the regionally restrictive and costly subscription model that most existing commercial satellite data collection services currently use and, be consistent with a viable business case for the satellite hardware and services.

    Potential Data Policy Model 1: In this policy it is assumed that the UN Global-Sat System is supported by a membership organization made up of participants in the program.
    • Each national partner contributes to a pool of funds to cover the cost of operations the amount of which is based solely on the partner’s usage, as a not-for-profit based operation. Ownership of the data is recognized as that of the entity that first makes the information available.
    • The subsequent value added steps associated with collection, synthesis and distribution are also recognized and assigned a rate that is used as a basis for assessing the cost of usage for the partnering nations.
    • Each participant in the supply chain will have an agreement with the Consortium that will allow for unrestricted use of non-proprietary data for the members of the collaboration.
    Potential Data Policy Model 2: This policy concept is much the same as the first proposed policy except that a commission of members sets a rate for a cost per bit of data based on annual estimated cost of operation. The Consortium System would keep track of all data collection and distribution transmissions based on cost of data – collected and distributed. The rate is determined by a commission of members and covers all cost associated with the continuing operation of the System.
UN Global-Sat