[Freegis-list] Interesting NGA News (about VMAP1)

[Andras Fabian]

I have just found this interesting piece of information at the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Site. It seems to be some weeks old, but
was new to me (and haven't found any discussions about it). The
interesting part is, that they speak about some great improvements (and
even competition) of VMAP1 data, but one can't really understand weather
or not now all CD's will be available (very weired). But read for
yourself:

http://www.nga.mil/NGASiteContent/StaticFiles/OCR/nga0602.pdf

International Partnership Completes Decade-Long Conversion
to Worldwide, Digital Vector Data
BETHESDA, Md.—With the recent completion of the decade-long Vector Map
Level 1 program, geospatial analysis efforts worldwide received a
significant boost. An international effort, led by the National
Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, collected vector data—the digitized
points, lines and polygons representing features on Earth—to create the
best available standardized data of its kind.
Analysts use vector data for high-level analysis and cartographic
products. Standardized data enables users worldwide to work from a
common reference point. VMap1 data separates into thematic layers—or
coverages—with all the data topographically—or smartly—structured.
Available data includes boundaries, elevation, hydrography, industry,
physiography, population, transportation, utilities and vegetation. The
Defense Logistics Agency distributes this data to the U.S. military on
CDs, while publicly releasable data is available on the Internet and
through the Geospatial-Intelligence Feature Database.
Cooperation among the international geospatial community, including
contract and government employees of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech
Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, New
Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom
and Unites States, made the project possible.
New Zealand-produced data aided in tsunami recovery and relief efforts
in Southeast Asia. Additional data is assisting relief efforts in
Pakistan. Another project data set formed the basis of a Northern Italy
Reference graphic instrumental in planning efforts for the upcoming
Winter Olympics in Turin.
The program—known as VMap1—responded to the needs of the geospatial
industry. In the early 1990s, the industry shifted from the production
of static paper maps to the direct digital input of dynamic information
into geographic information systems. With the delivery of the final CD
(of 234 total) in December 2005, NGA and its international co-producers
and contractors completed a 12-year project providing near-global
coverage.
Marzio Dellagnello of NGA’s Global Foundation Office led the Vector Map
Co-Production Working Group team responsible for the production and
provision of VMap1 data and products. “Scanned paper maps provided most
of the source data for the project,” said Dellagnello, who worked on the
project from its inception. His team provided quality control of the
data.
An off-shoot of the project is the Multinational Geospatial
Co-Production Program, a five-year, international effort to further the
cooperation and success of the VMap1 project. MGCP will produce a series
of higher resolution vector data sets, and has increased the number of
participating countries from 19 to 28. (VMap1 data specifications are
for a 1:250,000 scale, while MGCP’s goal is 1:50,000 to 1:100,000.)
NGA is a Department of Defense combat support agency and a member of the
National Intelligence Community. The Agency’s mission is to provide
timely, relevant and accurate geospatial intelligence in support of our
national security. Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., NGA has major
facilities in the Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia and St. Louis,
Mo., areas with NGA support teams worldwide.