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Pléiades Neo used to monitor B...
Pléiades Neo used to monitor Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge accident
On March 26, 2024 a significant maritime accident occurred in Baltimore, Maryland when the Dali cargo ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, a major transportation route in the region. This incident posed several challenges:
- Immediate Damage Assessment: Rapid identification of damage to the bridge and the ship was essential to coordinate emergency response efforts.
- Regular Monitoring: Ongoing observation is necessary to track the dismantling of the damaged bridge and ensure safety during recovery operations.
Very high-resolution and detailed data was required to support precise planning and decision-making processes throughout incident management.
To address these challenges, the Pléiades Neo constellation was used to capture images with a resolution of 30cm, providing exceptional clarity and detail for accurate assessments.
The OneNow satellite tasking option was used to acquire an image immediately after the incident occurred. This enabled usable data to be collected, and valuable insight could be provided in the shortest timeframe possible.
Day of the Accident (March 26, 2024):
- Immediate Response: Pléiades Neo satellites acquired high-resolution images of the impacted area within hours of the collision. Despite the cloudy weather, imagery allowed for the rapid identification of the damage to the bridge and the precise location of the cargo ship.
- Damage Assessment: These detailed images were used to assess the extent of the damage and could have been used by disaster responders to plan initial response actions.
Days Following the Accident:
- Continuous Monitoring: Over the next several days, the OnePlan tasking option was used to collect nearly cloud-free Pléiades Neo images on a regular basis.
- Detailed Tracking: The regular imagery acquisitions provided frequent and detailed updates on the progress of the dismantling work. This imagery could have been used to ensure clean-up operations were proceeding according to plan, safely and efficiently.
Ship Docking (May 20, 2024):
- After almost two months of work, the Dali cargo ship was able to return to the Port of Baltimore, although the front of the ship was severely damaged and still contained part of the collapsed bridge.
- At this time, enough of the bridge debris had been removed from the river to allow Baltimore’s port to reopen for commercial activities.
Very high-resolution, accurate imagery, such as Pléiades Neo imagery, and the tasking capabilities of the Airbus Constellation provide several benefits in managing this kind of major accident:
- Rapid Response: High-resolution images allow for immediate damage assessment, enabling quick and informed decision-making by local authorities.
- Persistent Monitoring: Daily revisit and wide coverage ensures continuous observation of the affected area, supporting effective management of dismantling and docking operations.
- Safety Assurance: Detailed and accurate data helps to ensure the safety of all operations, from initial emergency response to final resolution.
Overall, the advanced technical features of Pléiades Neo can be crucial in providing a comprehensive and effective solution for monitoring and managing the aftermath of disasters such as the Francis Scott Key Bridge accident. This use case demonstrates the significant impact of satellite technology in crisis management, highlighting the importance of rapid, detailed, and continuous observation capabilities.
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