Bringing Space closer to people 57-th International Astronautical Congress (Spain,
2006) Valery A.Menshikov
FGUP "M.V.Khrunichev SRPSC" - NII KS Yubileiny, Moscow region, M.K.Tikhonravov Str., 27,
141092, Russia Present stage of evolution of world community is
characterized by increasing needs of governmental and non-governmental
structures, organizations and persons in using of space systems and
technologies. It's first of all related to space communication, space
navigation systems and Earth remote sensing satellites. Furthermore, as Head of
Russian Space Agency Anatoliy Perminov said during his interview to "BOOS"
magazine, Astronautics is one of the key instruments for solution of global
problems dealing with preservation of the environment, energy support,
man-caused and natural disaster protection, exhaustion of natural resources. From the moment of launch of first satellite by
Soviet Union in 1957 the achievement in the field of Astronautics
penetrate into life of society and every person more and more. Now it's
difficult to imagine the absence of satellites that provide steady
communication, broad- and telecasting, air and sea crafts without navigation
devices of space systems GLONASS and NAVSTAR, weather forecast without using of
information from meteorological satellites, area and monitoring objects without
earth remote sensing data. It's discussing of possibilities of wider using of
achievements of Astronautics in the interests of both world community and every
person on the Earth that was the leitmotif of 57th International
Astronautical Congress (IAC). The 57th IAC took place in Valencia,
Spain during first week of October with motto "Bringing space closer to
people"; this Congress was organized by International
Astronautical Federation (IAF), International Academy of Astronautics (IAA)
International Institute of Space Law (IISL). More than
2000 specialists and scientists from 45 countries have taken part in Congress.
About 1500 reports were presented at more than 140 sessions of 26 symposiums.
They were dedicated to: -
results of space research in the field of space
missions, including life, microgravity, space exploration and SETI (Search for
Extraterrestrial Intelligence); -
on-going and future operational Applications,
including Earth observation, disaster reduction, communication, space station,
small satellites; -
development of new space technologies in the fields
of astrodynamics, structures, power and propulsion; -
space infrastructure including space systems,
launch vehicles and transportation systems; -
interaction of space with society including
education, policy and economics, history and law. One of the discussed themes was "Earth Observation
Applications and Economic Benefits". At plenary meeting and session proper
attention was focused on problems and directions of integration of space and
ground observation systems in the interests of effective monitoring different
types of object and resources, creation markets and applications of geospatial
data for various strata of society. This
problem was reflected in report, presented by Space Systems Research Institute
- Branch of Khrunichev Space Center and dedicated to multiply use of earth
observation, meteorological and navigation satellites for the purposes of
on-line monitoring natural resources, stationary and mobile objects. In
report monitoring systems with integrated structure were considered. Such
systems support collection of different data flows and storing them in frames
of common information field. Main performance tasks in this field of activity
are: -
on-line space monitoring based on observation and
meteorological satellites, operating in "open sky" mode; -
creation of the global navigation field as part of
the joint on-line monitoring information field by using space navigation
systems; -
creation of the ground-based on-line monitoring
sensor net, operating in the global navigation field and interconnected with
space and ground-based communication facilities, joint in structure integrated
communication net; -
creation and using of banks of support information
on-line monitoring based on Earth observation data archives; -
creation of the structure of on-line monitoring
information centers, linked in boarders of the integrated communication net. Different aspects of creation and using of
distributed geospatial data systems in the wide spectrum of utilitarian
applications, include ethic issues were
presented in the reports of representatives of ESA, French company Alcatel
Alenia Space and Spain research center Starlab Barcelona SL ( The
session participants paid theirs attention to the other actual problem of
modern world - the problem of ground fresh water monitoring. This problem can
be solved correctly only by wide using of Earth Observation data. This idea was
sounded in reports of Space Policy Institute, George Washington University
( It's
necessary to admit that main idea of overwhelming majority of reports is a rush
growth of the Earth observation data utilizing sphere based on sophisticated information
technologies - from the cities development planning to the monitoring of rural
settlements in difficult climate zones. One more
theme in discussing of which specialists of Space
Systems Research Institute - Branch of Khrunichev Space Center took part was
dedicated to space education. As a rule, problems of training specialists in
the field of space activity, using of space means and technologies for educational
process attract special attention at such forums. This Congress was no
exception. All sessions gathered full auditoriums, and their duration always
exceeded schedule time. This is a evidence of attitude to education in the
world, desire of specialists from different countries to exchange experience of
effective decision of problems that are inevitably appeared during educational
process. Present
stage of evolution of rocket-and-space engineering is characterized by
increasing of intensification of integration in the field of space development.
Quantity of mutual space programs grows steadily, more and more countries are
involved in the area of space activity. In these conditions growth of highly
skilled specialists demand is quite explainable. In this connection creation of
global international system of propagation knowledge and education in the
sphere of space activity become extremely important and actual task. That's
why at one of the educational sessions the specialists of Space Systems
Research Institute - Branch of Khrunichev Space Center proposed to use the
possibilities of the remote education system being created in the institute. In
corresponding report main tasks of this system, structure and functional tasks
of its technical elements, technical, methodical and informational aspects of
creation of the system, experience of its using during training specialists of
Republic of Kazakhstan for programme "KazSat" were presented. Actuality
of using of remote education was confirmed in the reports of specialists of
Spain company PiLDo Labs who presented new space educational web-platform,
scientists of Madonna University from Michigan who informed participants about
project of medical educational system for African countries with use of
communication satellites. A whole
series of reports was dedicated to space education in the bounds of different
educational and research structures. So, Australian colleagues shared their
experience in organizing of training specialists in Victorian Space Science
Education Centre, Japan representatives recounted the perspectives University
Space Engineering, the union of more than 300 educational institutions. Main
goal of this Consortium is involving students into real space projects. Special
attention during educational part of Congress was paid to participation of
students in concrete programs dealing with: -
creation of low-sized satellites (Moscow State
Technical University named Bauman, Dutch company Delta-Utec SRC, Scuola di
Ingegneria Aerospaziale from Italy); -
creation of rocket units (Space Club-Kansai, TOIN
High School from Japan, Narom/Andoya Rocket Range from Norway, BERTIN
Technologies, CNES, ONERA from France); -
experiments and testing (Institute of Biochemical
Physics, European Space and Technology Centre, University of Bremen. Taking into account extensive Congress program it's
impossible to make detailed review of all reports and discussing. As for
overall impression about 57th International Astronautical Congress,
it's necessary to establish a fact that now we can see considerable growth of
interests to Astronautics, its achievements, practical application in the
interests of whole international community, independent countries and every
person. |
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