Use Of Space Technology Research Articles

The Ineluctable Outer Space for India's National Security

Outer space, or simply space, is the void that exists between celestial bodies. This frontier of outer space is fast emerging as the fourth dimension (after land, sea and air) for military applications. Space will undoubtedly be the military high ground for warfare in the future acting as a “force multiplier” for any military operation. Militarization of space involves use of space technology for exploiting weapons on the ground and in the earth's atmosphere with more accuracy. India has to defend her physical, economic and cultural identity in the prevalent geo-political milieu as it faces varied and complex security challenges. There is a clear and present danger that sooner or later space could be weaponized by various countries. India can no longer be immune to the rapidly changing international security environment, threat to India's national security from nuclear and missile capabilities in its neighbourhood and the vulnerabilities of its space assets. It is therefore imperative that India exploits the capabilities of space, concurrently at appropriate levels, to achieve the desired operational capabilities in a compressed time frame. Since the early 1990s, the Indian armed forces have benefitted from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) civilian satellites. However, as operational requirements now demand an increase in military capabilities, the armed forces certainly need dedicated military satellites. This space capability has to be optimally exploited by the three services of the Indian defence forces with synergy and harmony, which is possible only under a single appropriate command structure. It is high time that India realizes: “To remain in Race, the Indian armed forces should be in Space”.

Use of space technology for assisting water quality assessment and monitoring of inland water bodies

Satellite remote sensing has been a valuable tool in providing a complete and synoptic geographical coverage of water quality in fresh water systems. The principal benefit of satellite remote sensing for inland water quality monitoring is the production of synoptic views without the need of costly in situ sampling. In addition spatial and temporal variations of water quality and trophic state in fresh water bodies such as dams and reservoirs can be mapped and assessed using satellite remotely sensed imagery. Satellite remote sensing techniques may also be used to design or improve in situ sampling monitoring programmes by locating appropriate sampling points based on the qualitative results obtained directly from the satellite images. A further benefit is the capability of establishing spectral statistical relationships of satellite data with water quality parameters. Cyprus is made attractive by the frequency of high cloud-free imagery availability and moreover due to the fact that a single Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) or Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) image of Cyprus covers almost the entire island. This paper examines the potential of using satellite remote sensing for the qualitative assessment of water quality in inland water bodies such as dams in Cyprus; including evaluation on spatial, temporal water quality variations and finally an assessment on trophic state.

Monitoring of The Impacts of the Natural Disaster Based on The Use of Space Technology

The forecasting, mitigation and preparedness of the natural disaster impacts require relevant information regarding the disaster desirable in real time. In the meantime it is requiring the rapid and continuous data and information generation or gathering for possible prediction and monitoring of the natural disaster. Since disasters that cause huge social and economic disruptions normally affect large areas or territories and are linked to global change. The use of traditional and conventional methods for management of the natural disaster impact can not be effectively implemented for intial data col1ection with the further processing. The space technology or remote sensing tools offer excellent possibilities of collecting vital data. The main reason is capability of this technology of collecting data at global and regional scales rapidly and repetitively. This is unchallenged advantage of the space methods and technology. The satellite or remote sensing techniques can be used to monitor the current situation, the situation before based on the data in sight. as well as after disaster occurred. They can be used to provide baseline data against which future changes can be compared while the GIS techniques provide a suitable framework for integrating and analyzing the many types of data sources required for disaster monitoring. Developed GIS is an excellent instrument for definition of the social impact status of the natural disaster which can be undertaken in the future database developments. This methodology is a good source for analysis and dynamic change studies of the natural disaster impacts.

Proposal for a United Nations Basic Space Technology Initiative

The United Nations Programme on Space Applications, implemented by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, promotes the benefits of space-based solutions for sustainable economic and social development. The Programme assists Member States of the United Nations to establish indigenous capacities for the use of space technology and its applications. In the past the Programme has primarily been focusing on the use of space applications and on basic space science activities. However, in recent years there has been a strong interest in a growing number of space-using countries to build space technology capacities, for example, the ability to develop and operate small satellites. In reaction to this development, the United Nations in cooperation with the International Academy of Astronautics has been organizing annual workshops on small satellites in the service of developing countries. Space technology related issues have also been addressed as part of various other activities of the Programme on Space Applications. Building on these experiences, the Office for Outer Space Affairs is now considering the launch of a new initiative, preliminarily titled the United Nations Basic Space Technology Initiative (UNBSTI), to promote basic space technology development. The initiative would be implemented in the framework of the Programme on Space Applications and its aim would be to help building sustainable capacities for basic space technology education and development, thereby advancing the operational use of space technology and its applications.

Making a technological choice for disaster management and poverty alleviation in India

The right mix of policy, institutional arrangements and use of technology provides the framework for a country's approach to disaster mitigation. Worldwide, there has been a shift away from a strictly 'top-down' approach relying on government alone, to a combination of 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches. The aim is to enhance the indigenous coping mechanisms of vulnerable communities; draw on their cooperative spirit and energy; and empower them through appropriate information and contextual knowledge to mitigate natural disasters. In light of this, the paper examines India's use of space technology in its disaster management efforts. Poverty alleviation and disaster management are almost inseparable in many parts of the country, as vulnerability to natural disasters is closely aligned with poverty. Addressing these issues together requires integrated knowledge systems. The paper examines how knowledge inputs from space technology have strengthened the national resolve to combat natural disasters in conjunction with alleviating rural poverty.

An adaptively corrected composite material telescope

Revolutions in telescope technology have consistently driven the next generation of astronomical discoveries. Over the last century the development of the 1.5 and 2.5m telescopes at Mount Wilson Observatory, the 5m at Palomar Observatory, and so on through to the 10m Keck telescopes, have led to new discoveries based on the increase in telescope aperture. The Hubble Space Telescope, while not having the largest aperture, continues to be at the forefront of discovery because of its use of space technologies. Still, these telescopes all have something in common: they are made from steel and glass. The next revolution in telescope technology is being driven by changes in thematerials that make up the telescope and optics. Telescopes now being constructed for use at the Navy Optical Prototype Interferometer1 (NPOI) are being made entirely from carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP). These CFRP telescopes are remarkably rigid and have excellent optical figure. As well, adaptive optics can enhance the performance of these telescopes.2 Composite telescopes with adaptive optic correction will play a key role in increasing the performance of the NPOI instrument and fulfilling its mission. Traditional mirror fabrication techniques require long periods of controlled grinding and polishing, and a typical meter-class mirror can take several months to complete. A significant advantage to building telescopes and their optics from composite materials is the reduction in construction time. The composite optics are constructed using glass mandrels that, once fabricated, can be used to reproduce a large number of telescope mirrors. One major advantage is that the high-quality mandrel eliminates the need for optical polishing of the surface, so once the mirror is formed from CFRP it is ready for coating. The optical tube assembly for the NPOI telescope is also manufactured from CFRP, providing both low weight and excellent structural rigidity. The result is a 1.4m aperture telescope that weighs a fraction of what a similar telescope of steel and glass would weigh. As a result, the telescope can be accurately moved Figure 1. This exploded view of the CFRP telescope shows the position of the composite optics.

Capacity building for the space sector: Microsatellite as a way forward. The example of the university of sains Malaysia

Due to the large capital investment and high risk generally associated with space activities only a limited number of countries have been able to benefit from the use of space technology. Space technology is often seen as an important tool to allow the transition from a developing country to a developed country. As Malaysia's vision is to be a developed country by 2020, it need to enhance the capability and capacity of its space technology at an accelerated pace. At this stage, Malaysia can be considered as new in space activities, since the first satellite successfully launched into orbit was only in 1997. This paper describes a microsatellite project undertaken in a university environment in Malaysia by the School of Aerospace Engineering from the University of Sains Malaysia (USM) where the students will be participating in the development and operations. Such involvement aim at forming an integral part of the students education extending the traditional way of teaching with practical classes thus providing hands-on experience and offering skills and experience needed by the future Malaysian space workforce, and to expand Malaysian space capacity building.

Human genome behaviour: a powerful mechanism for optimizing the use of space technology in surveying networks design

An approach based on the behaviour of human genome is developed to efficiently provide a general framework for optimizing the use of space technology in surveying networks design. The developed approach attempts to apply the successful self-organizing principles based upon the biological evolution to artificial intelligence. It mimics the phenomena of natural selection observed in nature to achieve its goals by continuously adopting a population of candidate solutions and improving its performance over successive generations. The goal of adaptation is to find the best solution that optimizes the design of a surveying network based on the use of satellite observations. This network can be defined as a set of stations, co-ordinated by a series of sessions formed by placing receivers on the stations. The problem is to search for the best order for observing these sessions to give the best observation schedule at minimum cost. The obtained results prove the effectiveness of the developed technique in term of solution quality and computational efforts.

Technologies for the people: a future in the making

India’s post-independence policy of using science and technology for national development, and investment in research and development infrastructure resulted in success in space, atomic energy, missile development and supercomputing. Use of space technology has impacted directly or indirectly the vast majority of India’s billion plus population. Developments in a number of emerging technologies in recent years hold the promise of impacting the future of ordinary Indians in significant ways, if a proper policy and enabling environment are provided. New telecom technologies—a digital rural exchange and a wireless access system—are beginning to touch the lives of common people. Development of a low-cost handheld computing device, use of hybrid telemedicine systems to extend modern healthcare to the unreached, and other innovative uses of IT at the grassroots also hold promise for the future. Biotechnology too has the potential to deliver cost-effective vaccines and drugs, but the future of GM crops is uncertain due to growing opposition. Some of these emerging technologies hold promise for future, provided a positive policy and enabling environment.

Regional cooperation through space technology: Basis for a South America space agency

In South America only Brazil and Argentina have steadily growing space programs. The other countries are not creating truly in-doors capabilities that allow the development and launching of native orbital devices. This figure changes when the analysis runs through the use of Space Technology. As users, the South America countries play a very important role in the world scenery. Within the continent there are three operational receiving stations for Earth Observation satellites and many large regional cooperating projects are being developed mostly in the Panamazonia Region. These projects have raised the level of human resources through training and education in excellent centers such as those in Argentina, Brazil and Colombia. The stations, the projects and the training programs within the Earth Observation branch in South America open the possibility to integrate the countries in a regional space agency following the way that ESA was established in the early 70's. This document describes the technological facilities available in the region, the possible integration projects and the regional environmental themes that can mosaic South American countries in a space agency.

The mitigation, management, and survivability of asteroid/comet impact with Earth

The chances that Earth will collide with a significant near earth object (NEO) within the next century are very small, but such a collision is possible, would be catastrophic, and could happen at any time. Much discussion has been devoted to methods of diverting these objects away from Earth through the use of space technology. However, if these efforts are unsuccessful, we would need to implement effective strategies to survive the event, no matter how cataclysmic. To date, disaster management for various impact scenarios has not been addressed (except in novels and Hollywood films). An impact disaster may be many orders of magnitude greater than any disaster the human species has ever experienced. Initially, technology and experience gained in other large-scale disasters will most likely form the foundation of how these impact events will be managed and classified. Given the size and energy of the projectile, the estimated area of damage, and whether impact effects might be localized or global in nature, we can begin to build basic disaster response scenarios, anticipate public health concerns, and formulate questions in need of answers. Questions we must deal with include: what will be required technologically, sociologically, and medically to survive? What types of evacuation plans and warning systems might be required? Capabilities in need of further investigation include: technological protection strategies related to ‘impact winter’, expanded chemical hazard control methodologies, food storage and production, roles of national governments, and international cooperation. Whatever the magnitude and severity of the event, we must reflect on what we know, what capabilities we can apply, develop or adapt, and seriously investigate what might be done to manage it and survive.

Earth weather and climate control: can space technology contribute?

With ongoing progress in space technology, questions of its potential for the modification of weather and climate phenomena (often summarized by the term ‘geoengineering’) ranging from small-scale severe weather events to mitigation of effects caused by global climate change and ozone depletion have become popular. This paper reviews the current state of scientifically based studies in this context and attempts to provide a basis for an assessment of geoengineering efforts with respect to technological, economic and fundamental scientific aspects. The overview indicates that the current state of knowledge about climate variability as a consequence of natural and anthropogenic influences is sufficient to classify geoengineering solutions as highly risky and their consequences as extremely difficult to predict. Even on smaller scales and with less complexity of interacting processes, only very limited boundary conditions, i.e. a narrow range of atmospheric variability and land surface topography favouring the intended alteration, seem to justify weather modification. Moreover, as for systems reaching scales of large organized storms and hurricanes, required energy and control resources are well beyond existing capabilities. Consequently, the use of space technology for provision of better information on environmental change and integration of remote sensing data into weather and climate models forecasts is supported.

Space law as a branch of international law

‘Need I apologize for my choice of subject? Some may say it belongs to the realm of exotics of law. Some may ask: Why deal with issues so remote when there are so many much closer to us still awaiting a solution? Why reach so far?’ With these words the late Judge Manfred Lachs introduced his 1964 lecture at the Hague Academy of International Law on the topic ‘The International Law of Outer Space’. The subject is no longer exotic today. Within the three decades following the launch of Sputnik 1 in 1957, the use of space technology is now widespread, not only for military but also for civilian purposes, including satellites for communications, meteorology, television and radio broadcasting and other applications. Remote sensing data is employed in agriculture and resource management as well as in environmental monitoring. Writing a quarter of a century later than Lachs, in a prologue to a collection of articles by “a new generation of space law scholars’, K.-H. Böckstiegel notes:‘Space law is coming of age. What started out as an exotic field of law and then continued with the discussion and codification of legal rules, following the development of exploratory space activities, is now confronted with the challenge of arriving at just and effective rules for the use of space serving many practical and conflicting economic, political and military interests.’

Administrative Entrepreneurship and Space Technology: The Ups and Downs of "Mission to Planet Earth"

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an agency seeking to pour new wine into old bottles as the post-cold War era evolves. NASA is as close to a pure agency as exists in the U.S. federal government. It conducts and supports research and development (R&D) at the frontier of knowledge. Its work is most visibly associated with missions from earth, such as manned space launches and planetary science missions. Yet it is now the locus of a major new program attuned to the global environment called Mission to Planet Earth (MTPE). A study of MTPE gives insights into the difficulties government organizations face in seeking change, and how new large-scale technologies are shaped by the political/policy process. It points up the role of administrative leaders in charting a course for new technology and how their strategies succeed and fail. There is great interest in the subject of administrative entrepreneurship and innovation (Doig and Hargrove, 1987).(2) There is also interest in administrative constraints, barriers that are part of democracy's checks and balances on bureaucracy and the technologies it promotes (Wilson, 1991). NASA's Mission to Planet Earth illuminates well the politics of emergent technology in the contemporary era. It reveals how administrative entrepreneurs build political support for their technologies, and the factors that constrain them in keeping that support over time. Mission to Planet Earth Proclaimed under another name in 1982, MTPE is a NASA program to develop a sequence of ever-more sophisticated satellites to monitor the ills of the planet. The first MTPE satellite is presently monitoring the ozone depletion problem. Future satellites will probe the ocean dynamics and investigate climate change. The centerpiece of MTPE and by far the dominant element in the program is the Earth Observation System (EOS). EOS is now configured as a group of satellites, flying in formation, providing a relatively comprehensive and simultaneous view of land, sea, atmosphere interactions. This system includes a computer-based element on the ground to collect and disseminate information. EOS is critical to the vision of MTPE, and MTPE is integral to a broader national and international research program called Global Change. It is viewed as essential to answering many policy questions in this area. The cost of the full program is uncertain because much of it lies ahead. One can envision a routine system of environmental monitoring in the 21st century. The problem is not the long-term future but the immediate present. Getting to the future takes money, organizational commitment, and agreement from many parties. The future can be delayed a very long time. EOS is in development, and launch of the first elements would not take place until near the end of this century. The present projection is that EOS will cost $8 billion for development between 1992 and 2000, with additional expenditures in the early 21st century. Although substantial, $8 billion is much less than the $17 billion projected for the same period just a brief time ago. That such a great change could occur so quickly is indicative of the uncertain political environment of contemporary technology policy. The Political Construction of Technology Virtually everyone welcomes the use of space technology for global environmental problems. The debate is over not whether, but what should constitute MTPE, and who should make the necessary determinations. NASA is the government entrepreneur, but only one actor among a number influencing the course of the In understanding what has happened and why, it is useful to build on a growing body of knowledge called 'social construction of technology. This is primarily the work of sociologists and historians, and it is a counter to earlier literature that spoke of technology being out of control or having a life of its own (Bijker et al. …

Societal benefits of space technology

The introduction of any new technology inevitably leads to a number of benefits. Space technology has provided such benefits in fair abundance, and in a number of fields. In assessing benefits, however, it is necessary to differentiate between individual or corporate/commercial benefits and social benefits, since the two may not always by synonymous. This paper aims to examine the benefits derived through applications of space technology from this point of view. It takes India as a case-study and describes the benefits that have accrued from the use of space technology, beginning with the Indo-U.S. Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE, 1975–1976). It discusses the various gains from the on-going, operational multi-purpose INSAT system, and examines in-depth the issues like: what are the benefits, who benefits (i.e. which section of society) and how much. While the paper focuses mainly on the areas of broadcasting and telecommunications, it also touches on benefits from remote sensing and meteorology. It covers, in particular, the benefits expected to be derived from the Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS), the first of which was launched in March 1988. In the final section, the paper seeks to analyse the Indian experience from the view point of a more generalized perspective: the use of space technology in a developing country environment. Based on this, it draws certain conclusions about the benefits from space technology that may be generally applicable to most developing countries.

Space applications for disaster mitigation and management

This report has been prepared under the aegis of the Committee on Safety and Rescue Studies of the International Academy of Astronautics and is based on a Round Table the Committee convened on the occasion of the 38 th International Astronautical Congress 1987 at Brighton, Sussex, England, with subsequent amplification by experts not present at the Round Table. The general theme of this Congress was “30 Years of Progress in Space”. This occasion was reason to review the progress that had been achieved in a field of space application which has been pursued by the Committee for many years: the utilization of space-based systems for the improvement of safety, for disaster prevention and for disaster and distress response on Earth. Although this area of application has probably never been a primary driver for developments in space, it has two very distinct and remarkable characteristics: It serves in a very direct sense all people by helping to avoid or to manage emergency situations, and it is a truly international and worldwide challenge and opportunity. A lot has been achieved in the past and there is a growing awareness of what space technology can contribute in this field. The Committee felt, however, that further potential exists and further progress is necessary in technology, in procedures, in institutional matters, and in international cooperation. It was therefore considered as being appropriate to convene in a round table, key representatives from the user and the space technology communities in order to discuss the state of the art, still existing problems and obstacles for a more effective use of space technology for disaster management, the perspectives of space technology development and what next steps should be taken in order to further improve the present state. The report summarizes the discussion and tries to translate it into some general recommendations addressed to those concerned with disaster mitigation and management. Attached to the report are summaries of the statements given by the Panel Members.

Satellite Geodynamics

Satellite geodynamics concerns the use of space technology in the study of the dynamic processes and movements of the solid Earth. The study involves measurements of the Earth's gravity and magnetic fields, the distortions and relative motions of its tectonic plates and the orientation of, and rate of rotation about, its axis. These studies address fundamental questions of geophysics such as the causes of Earth movements and earthquakes, the nature of convection in the mantle, and the origin of the magnetic field. The use of space technology has helped advance our concepts and models in solid-Earth geophysics. Shortly after the dawn of the space age, tracking data were used to precisely define the pear-shaped Earth. Since that time, other data have given several up-to-date representations of the secularly changing magnetic field and global models of the gravity field. Using this technology, it is now possible to determine the contemporary rate of relative plate motion at the level of about 1 cm a year. There are exciting prospects for future missions in satellite geodynamics. The Geopotential Research Mission is designed to improve gravity and magnetic field models and new, highly portable geodetic systems based on the Global Positioning System and spaceborne laser systems should permit rapid determination of positions with 1-cm precision.

On Altitude Demarcation Between Atmospheric and Outer Space

The entire world knows the role of the Soviet Union the study and opening of outer space and celestial bodies and its tremendous successes carrying out scientific experiments aimed at the use of space technology for practical purposes. From the very onset of the space age, the Soviet Union, guided by the noble intention of conducting activity space in the interests of science our country and the world and the cause of the progress of all humanity…, (1) has invariably furthered the development this sphere of the very broadest cooperation and the creation of the most favorable conditions for strengthening the scientific and technical ties and cooperation both with countries of the socialist community and with those having other social systems. This policy was adopted by the Twenty-fourth Congress of the CPSU and was developed further decisions of the Twenty-fifth Congress of the CPSU.

AN ONGOING ASSESSMENT OF THE USE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY IN MONITORING OIL SPILLS

ABSTRACT The U.S. Congress has directed NASA to conduct an assessment of the potential use of space technology in the monitoring of oil spills and ocean pollution. As a result, laboratory studies, aircraft missions, and spacecraft studies are underway to perform this assessment with the cooperation of the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Geological Survey, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing. Primary emphasis in the space system will be directed toward all-weather remote sensing and surveillance in which the space system would provide information to regulatory agencies for closer investigation with aircraft or ships. Laboratory and aircraft missions will be directed toward understanding and obtaining simultaneous microwave and optical imagery of oil spills on the sea with instruments of potential usefulness in the modeling of the movement of spills, along with detection and surveillance image definition. This paper summarizes the status of these efforts as of late 1978. Initial results of the required assessment should be available by the end of 1979.

Use of Space Technology to Explore for Natural Resources

Remote sensing of the earth by satellites, piloted spaceships, and orbiting research stations has revealed new potential for flexible and worldwide surveying of the globe. Remote sensing means observations and measurements made with the use of space technology, facilitating the description of the conditions of formation and stratification of natural resources and distinctive features of phenomena of the environment surrounding the earth. (1) The information on land, ocean, and atmospheric targets collected by remote sensing may be of specific value to agriculture, geology, hydrology, oceanography, geography, cartography, etc.