On April 1, 2004 the German Remote Sensing Data Center founded an innovative service in the Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI). Since that time, ZKI has decisively contributed in a variety of ways to the employment and establishment of remote sensing in the sphere of state and public administration in Germany, Europe and internationally. ZKI has now been awarded the “Badge of Honour for German Aerospace” for its “outstanding achievements in the use of earth observation data in support of crisis management after natural disasters and in humanitarian aid globally” by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DGLR).
The honour was conferred at the Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrt conference (DLRK) in Bremen by the president of DGLR, Professor Rolf Henke. The panegyric was delivered by Professor Jan Wörner, president of the National Academy of Science and Engineering, acatech, and formerly general director of ESA and DLR executive board chairman. In a very graphic and enthusiastic speech he paid tribute to the activities of ZKI, from the rapid provision of disaster information to risk analyses and the development of early warning systems.
The director of DFD, Professor Stefan Dech, Professor Günter Strunz (department head GeoRisks and Civil Security) and Dr Monika Gähler (head of ZKI) thereupon accepted the prize on behalf of the entire ZKI team. Prof. Dech illustrated in his speech of gratitude the activities of ZKI over the last 17 years using several examples, from the disastrous 2004 tsunami in Indonesia to the recent flood catastrophe in Germany in 2021, and expressed his gratitude for the magnificent tribute of the team presentation: “The Badge of Honour for German Aerospace represents high recognition of ZKI and our institute as a whole. We are honoured, grateful and proud. The tribute given us encourages us also in the future vigorously and with dedication to contribute through our research to the use of remote-sensing-supported geoinformation for crisis prevention and management as well as for dealing sustainably with our natural resources to alleviate the effects of environmental disasters.”
LINK to DLR Webnews in german: Supporting emergency responders during disasters
LINK to DGLR Press Release in german: Center for Satellite Based Crisis Information (ZKI) receives Badge of Honour for German Aerospace
Recording of the award ceremony