SaveCrops4EU

Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg is a “Digital Competence Center” dedicated to space activities. It was incorporated in 2020 and is fully own by Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%). Its operations began in January 2021, with a first project kick-off in September 2021.
Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg leverages big data, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to address complex end-to-end challenges, while fostering excellence in user experience. Its expertise covers innovative design and implementation approaches with customers, minimum viable products development, design and development of key digital building blocks of space systems, rollout and operations of solutions, experimentation of new technologies and concepts, digital business models, and international project management. Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg also developed with Luxembourgish partners a Flooding Digital Twin Proof of Concept.
As part of SaveCrops4EU, Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg manages the project coordination and system architecture design. It also ensures that the integration of the various scientific components into a pre-operational system is done consistently and according to industry standards.
Besides its own skills and heritage, Thales Alenia Space in Luxembourg can benefit from the support of and capitalize on both Thales Alenia Space’s and Thales’ legacy and expertise. Drawing on over 40 years of experience and a unique combination of skills, expertise and cultures, Thales Alenia Space delivers cost-effective solutions for telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation, environmental management, exploration, science and orbital infrastructures. Governments and private industry alike count on Thales Alenia Space to design satellite-based systems that provide anytime, anywhere connections and positioning, monitor our planet, enhance management of its resources, and explore our Solar System and beyond. Thales Alenia Space sees space as a new horizon, helping to build a better, more sustainable life on Earth. A joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%), Thales Alenia Space also teams up with Telespazio to form the parent companies’ Space Alliance, which offers a complete range of solutions including services. Thales Alenia Space has built several telecom, Earth observations and satellite navigation constellations. All the geostationary Meteosat weather satellites were built under the company’s prime contractorship, which is also the world leader in altimetry. Thales Alenia Space is a major partner onboard 11 out 12 Copernicus missions, a very sophisticated European program fully dedicated to environmental monitoring. The world leader in pressurized modules, the company built over 50% of the International Space Station’s habitable volume and will provide nearly 75% of Lunar Gateway’s pressurized volume. Gateway is the future space station that will orbit around the Moon. And yet, our company has contributed to numerous iconic space exploration missions across the solar system, including Cassini-Huygens for Saturn, BepiColombo for Mercury, ExoMars, Euclid, to name a few. The company is now developing a new telecommunications digitalized product line, Space INSPIRE, that is fully reprogrammable in orbit.Moreover, in direct relation to the Digital Twin Technologies, Thales Alenia Space was in charge in 2019 of ESA HLA Gaia-PHI high-level architecture study, participated in the Digital Twin Ocean precursor, and currently contributes to the DestinE Core System Platform Services program at system Level.
Contributors: Sander Rouwette, Brian Maguire, Jean-Baptiste Paolucci, Nicolas Jessel
Keywords: Digital Twin System Architecture, Digital System Solutions, Scientific component integration

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) is a public Research and Technology Organization (RTO) operating in materials, environment, information technology, and space resources sectors. The REMOTE group at LIST focuses on the combination and exploitation of remote sensing information and in-situ monitoring with terrestrial systems modelling to produce information on the status of natural resources ranging from local or regional to global scales. The group specializes in optical, thermal, and microwave remote sensing, surface energy balance, radiative transfer modelling of plant canopies, and quantification of ecological variables and land use change processes. The activities of the group rely on a wide range data obtained by multiple and complementary sensors installed on spaceborne and airborne platforms targeting unprecedented accuracy and spatio-temporal resolutions. Moreover, REMOTE group aims to integrate remote sensing data and in-situ measured data with terrestrial systems modelling and satellite and terrestrial communication services exploiting advanced data assimilation techniques and AI. In SaveCrops4EU, LIST leads the developments of the Forecasting Pillar with the integration of the data-driven and crop growth modelling and the development of Monitoring services based on the exploitation of thermal infrared remote sensing data.
Finally, LIST acts as the Scientific Lead of the whole SaveCrops4EU consortium, validating the project's overarching scientific approaches and models.
Contributors: Mauro Sulis, Martin Schlerf, Tian Hu, Joao Gabriel Vinholi, Yu Li,
Keywords: Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, Thermal Remote Sensing, Machine Learning and Deep Learning, Crop Growth Modelling, Yield Forecasting, Heat and Water Stress

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH (FZJ) pursues cutting-edge interdisciplinary research addressing pressing issues facing society today while at the same time developing key technologies for tomorrow. Activities focus on the fields of information technology and brain research as well as on energy and the environment. The cooperation of researchers at FZJ is characterized by unique expertise and infrastructure in physics, materials science, nanotechnology, and supercomputing. With about 6,500 employees, FZJ – a member of the Helmholtz Association – is one of Europe’s largest research centres. In cooperation with different partners, FZJ develops and uses key technologies such as high-performance computing to open the door to new applications. In this process, research questions and technological developments are inextricably linked with each other. Environmental terrestrial research and observations focus on hydrological and biogeochemical processes in terrestrial systems and is performed at the Institute of Bio- and Geosciences: Agrosphere (IBG-3). A combination of experiments, modelling and innovative observation technologies is used to study processes on both the small and large scale to put management recommendations for sustainable and resource-conserving use of ecosystem resources on a scientific basis.
Contributors: Johannes Keller, Heye Bogena, Daniel Caviedes-Voullieme, Felix Nieberding
Keywords: land surface modelling, hydrological modelling, terrestrial systems modelling, data assimilation, model-data fusion, supercomputing

The Image Processing Laboratory (IPL) at the University of València is a leading center for advanced imaging research. It plays a crucial role in the ESA-funded SaveCrops4EU project, which utilizes satellite and remote sensing data to protect European crops from environmental stressors. Within this initiative, our Laboratory for Earth Observation (LEO) focuses on applying innovative imaging techniques to monitor the health and dynamics of vegetation.
We utilize satellite imagery to assess crop health, monitor changes in vegetation cover, and analyze the impacts of stressors such as drought and heatwaves. Through spectral analysis, we derive important indicators of vegetation growth, which offer insights into crop physiology and how crops respond to stress. Our efforts directly support SaveCrops4EU's goal of developing effective monitoring systems for the early detection and mitigation of crop threats.
The LEO's expertise in developing advanced remote sensing algorithms is crucial for this project. We refine methodologies for accurate crop monitoring, ensuring data-driven decision-making for sustainable agriculture. By integrating multi-sensor data, we provide comprehensive insights into crop conditions.
The University of Valencia, through the IPL LEO group, is dedicated to delivering actionable data and expertise to support the SaveCrops4EU initiative. We contribute to building resilient agricultural systems in Europe, ensuring food security in the face of environmental challenges.
Contributors: Jochem Verrelst, Gabriel Caballero, Emma de Clerck, Dávid D.Kovács
Keywords: Cropland monitoring, vegetation biophysical parameters, radiative transfer modeling,  Inferring essential vegetation products from space.

Founded in 1872, the Walloon Agricultural Research Centre (CRA-W) is a scientific establishment under the Regional Government of Wallonia (Belgium). CRA-W visions and values aim at maintaining and developing the scientific excellence and societal usefulness that legitimize it as a special contributor to the sustainable development of the agricultural industry in Wallonia in its economic, ecological and cultural dimension. The different departments of the CRA-W offer complementary expertise areas and together form a multidisciplinary research institution covering the main fields of interest in agriculture, horticulture and forestry as well as the food processing industries and environmental sciences.
As part of the SaveCrops4EU project, CRA-W, leveraging its expertise in the field, is responsible for the use case related to crop nitrogen stress. CRA-W will also be in constant interaction with end-users to identify user requirements and gather their feedback on SaveCrops4EU DTC.
Contributors: CURNEL Yannick,LECLERE Louise
keywords: Nitrogen management, Winter wheat, Potatoes, Stakeholder engagement, Use case

Pioneering AI and machine learning applications for precision agriculture
In the frame of the SaveCrops4EU peoject CropOM carries out a  Use Case, focuses on the optimization of irrigation scheduling.
The core activities addressed by CropOM are central to the implementation of national policies in line with the EU directives concerning the plans for improving the efficiency of irrigation systems and the sustainability of food production with respect to agricultural water use under climate change conditions.
In this context, the solution proposed by the DTC-Agriculture for this Use Case is twofold: (i) benchmark of crop yield forecasting and what-if scenario pillar against existing and alternative solutions developed by CropOM; (ii) quantification of possible improvements in existing commercial services delivered by CropOM with respect to crop water need forecasting and simulation of irrigation scheduling available through the CropModel API.
Contributors: Bálint Alföldy, Pál Tasnádi, Márton Tolnai
Keywords: data integration, crop modelling, what-if scenarios, yield forecast