Highlights in Space 2009
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International Astronautical Federation International Institute of Space Law 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren 94 bis, Avenue de Suffren UNITED NATIONS 75015 Paris, France 75015 Paris, France Tel: +33 1 45 67 42 60 Fax: +33 1 42 73 21 20 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] URL: http://www.iislweb.com OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS URL: http://www.iafastro.com Highlights in Space 2009 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation and the International Institute of Space Law The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs is responsible for promoting international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and assisting developing countries in using space science and technology. United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs P. O. Box 500, 1400 Vienna, Austria Tel: (+43-1) 26060-4950 Fax: (+43-1) 26060-5830 E-mail: [email protected] URL: http://www.unoosa.org ST/SPACE/46 V.09-88652—January 2010 UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR OUTER SPACE AFFAIRS UNITED NATIONS OFFICE AT VIENNA Highlights in Space 2009 Prepared in cooperation with the International Astronautical Federation and the International Institute of Space Law Progress in space science, technology and applications, international cooperation and space law UNITED NATIONS New York, 2010 ST/SPACE/46 This document has not been formally edited. INTRODUCTION This publication has been compiled from reports prepared for the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space and covers the period from 1 November 2008 to 31 October 2009. The report was prepared by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF). In addition, the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) provided information for the section on international cooperation and space law. Many international experts from various specialized fields have contributed to the drafting of this comprehensive report. The information contained therein indicates a wide variety of ongoing space activities in national as well as international space programmes. This publication is available in English only. This 2009 review of latest developments in space science, technology, space applications, international collaboration and space law has the aim to inform a broad worldwide audience of recent advancements in the manifold field of outer space. We hope that “Highlights in Space 2009” can significantly contribute to all the efforts undertaken by the United Nations family, in particular the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, in attempting to disseminate information on space activities and on the benefits involved to all nations of the world. iii iv CONTENTS Introduction............................................................................................................ iii I. OVERVIEW ............................................................................................... 1 II. SPACE TRANSPORTATION ................................................................... 3 A. Current Launch Activities..................................................................... 3 B. Development Activity........................................................................... 8 III. ROBOTIC EARTH ORBITAL ACTIVITIES ......................................... 13 A. Telecommunications........................................................................... 13 B. Remote Sensing .................................................................................. 27 IV. HUMANS IN EARTH ORBIT................................................................. 39 A. International Space Station Deployment and Operations ................... 39 B. Other Earth-Orbital Flight Operations................................................ 47 V. SPACE STUDIES AND EXPLORATION.............................................. 52 A. Astronomy and Astrophysics.............................................................. 52 B. Plasma and Atmospheric Physics ....................................................... 56 C. Space Exploration ............................................................................... 57 VI. TECHNOLOGY ADVANCEMENT ....................................................... 67 A. Propulsion………. .............................................................................. 67 B. Power…………… .............................................................................. 71 C. Spacecraft Design, Technology, and Development............................ 72 D. Materials and Structures ..................................................................... 73 E. Information Technology ..................................................................... 74 F. Automation and Robotics ................................................................... 76 G. Space Research Facilities.................................................................... 76 H. Environmental Effects of Space Flight............................................... 78 v VII. EDUCATION… ....................................................................................... 81 A. Teaching Programmes .................................................................. …..81 B. Public Awareness…............................................................................ 86 VIII. GLOBAL SPACE MARKETS AND OPPORTUNITIES ....................... 87 A. Government Programmes ................................................................... 87 B. Commercial Enterprises...................................................................... 89 IX. INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND SPACE LAW ................... 95 A. Global Developments and Organizations ......................................... 101 B. Europe……………........................................................................... 105 C. Africa and the Middle East ............................................................... 114 D. Asia and the Pacific .......................................................................... 116 E. The Americas……............................................................................ 121 vi I. OVERVIEW Space Transportation. The major space transportation events of 2009 were the launch of JAXA’s Ibuki spacecraft by a Mitsubishi H-2A, the launch of Japan’s H2 Transfer Vehicle (HTV) to the International Space Station (ISS) by the first H-2B rocket, the suborbital flight of NASA’s Ares I-X test vehicle, and four NASA space shuttle launches to the ISS. WhiteKnightTwo, the carrier aircraft for Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo tourist vehicle, conducted ten test flights this year, including an overpass of New Mexico’s Spaceport America site. Virgin Galactic signed a lease with New Mexico as the “anchor tenant” for that spaceport, and the spaceport’s operator signed an agreement with Spaceport Sweden, which will be located at the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, to coordinate commercial space industry activities. Satellite Communications. Intelsat and SES spearheaded the creation of an industry-wide global database to collect information on interference and to endorse standardized training and certification for the personnel who install and operate satellite uplink ground stations. It will not deal with interference by terrestrial wireless broadband transmitters, which are governed by national regulating agencies. The heaviest and the most powerful commercial satellites ever launched were orbited this year: the 6.91-tonne mobile-communication satellite TerreStar-1 and the 20-kW Sirius-FM5 radio broadcast satellite. A new midrange satellite platform design was created by Boeing Satellite Systems International. Intelsat ordered the first four of these 702B spacecraft, which are in the 5.4-6.2-tonne, 6-12 kW range and employ components adapted from Boeing’s lighter 601 bus and the heavier 702. Earth Observations. ESA’s Gravity field and steady-state Ocean Circulation Explorer (Goce) satellite was finally launched after a year’s delays. It is now measuring Earth’s gravity field, modeling the geoid, and studying ocean circulation It has no moving parts and uses a unique throttleable electric ion propulsion system to compensate for upper-atmosphere drag. NASA’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) was lost due to the failure of its Taurus XL launcher’s payload fairing. It was to have measured miniscule changes in carbon dioxide and oxygen concentrations in the atmosphere in order identify sources and sinks for carbon dioxide. Similar but different data are being received from Canadian microsatellite CanX-2 and Japan’s Ibuki satellite, launched successfully earlier in the year. The Eumetsat Council approved a $90-million contribution to the Jason-3 ocean altimetry satellite, enabling initiation of its development. It will follow the previous French-U.S. projects Topex-Poseidon, Jason-1, and Jason-2 in measuring wave heights and ocean currents. 1 Earth-Orbit Operations for Humans. The fourth and final solar-power wing was delivered to the International Space Station, as were both the pressurized and external modules of the Japanese Kibo laboratory. The crew size was increased from three to the station’s full complement of six. NASA contracted with the Russian space agency Roskosmos for crew transportation to and from the station after the planned Shuttle retirement in 2010, and issued seven-year contracts to two commercial firms for station resupply flights following that retirement. The companies will be solely responsible for designing, building, and launching the rockets, a first for NASA. During nearly 37 hours of spacewalks, NASA astronauts replaced