History

The first phase of the SEAS-OI (Survey of the Environment Assisted by Satellite in the Indian Ocean) project started in 2004. From 2004 to 2007, the project coordinators focused on communicating about the project, define the main aspects of the future program and create a CPER (Contrat de Projets Etat-Region). The administrative and technical caracterization of the station took place between 2007 and 2009, with the signature of a quadripartite agreement in July 2008, between the Regional Council of La Reunion, the French State, the IRD (Institut de recherche pour le Développement) and the University of La Reunion. The project ownership agreement was signed in October 2009. From 2009, several discussions were organized in order to identify the expectations of future users. The period 2009-2011 was dedicated to the setting up of the SEAS-OI platform, with the definitions of the specifications, the signature of industrial agreements for satellite imagery and the creation of the ad hoc structure. The platform was delivered in septembre 2011 and inaugurated in november 2012.

SEAS-OI has been operating since July 2012.