GANDER Investing
Potential investors are being sought from the public and private sectors.
The company is offering an exciting opportunity to invest in a new venture
which combines the latest advances in space micro-technology with a
strong market need. There are also potential synergies with the growing
global positioning and satellite telecommunications markets.
It is estimated that GANDER could achieve a five per cent penetration
of the commercial and leisure marine industry within 5 years, divided
between shipping, offshore oil and gas operations, fishing fleets, passenger
ships and the leisure market. The latter represents over 30 million
boats worldwide. Substantial sales to the world's navies are also forecast.
Extensive discussions and market research have been carried out in
all sectors of the shipping industry, as well as with the US and Royal
Navies, coastguards and the oil industry.
Additional sales are also expected to the public sector, including
the world's meteorological organisations and navies.
A pricing structure will be drawn up to establish a competitive entry
price for early purchasers in order to achieve rapid market penetration.
As an example of pricing, a major shipping line might be expected to
pay some six per cent of its existing insurance premiums as GANDER fees.
Rates for the leisure market would be substantially lower, although
the market size is much larger.
GANDER's mission is not only to become a profitable commercial venture
providing accurate safety information at sea, but also to save the lives
of many thousands of people, reduce pollution from shipwrecks and dramatically
improve the accuracy of weather forecasting.
The project has been divided into four phases:
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Phase I: Technical study. SOS will define the data processing and
production software as well as its costs. SSTL will identify and if
necessary redesign an altimeter suitable for a microsat.
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Phase II: Instrumentation design and production/prototype launch.
Expected timescale one year. A fully functional GANDER satellite will
be built, launched and commissioned.
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Phase III: Further satellite production and launch, initial sales.
Expected timescale one year.
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Phase IV: Sales build up and movement into profitability.
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