DOCSLIB.ORG

Of Space Law

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Of Space Law JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW VOLUME 19, NUMBER 2 1991 JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW A journal devoted to the legal problems arising out of human activities in outer space VOLUME 19 1991 NUMBERS 2 EDITORIAL BOARD AND ADVISORS BERGER, HAROLD GALLOWAY, ElLENE Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Washington, D.C. BOCKSTIEGEL, KARL-HEINZ GOEDHUIS, D. Cologne, Germany London, England, BOUREr.. Y, MICHEL G. HE, QIZHI Paris, France Beijing, China COCCA, ALDO ARMANDO JASEN1ULIYANA, NANDASIRI Buenes Aires, Argentina New York, N.Y. DEMBLING, PAUL G. KOPAL, VLADIMIR Washington, D. C. Prague, Czechoslovakia DIEDERIKS-VERSCHOOR, I.H. PH. MCDOUGAL, MYRES S. Baarn, Holland New Haven, Connecticut FASAN, ERNST VERESHCHETIN, V.S. N eunkirchen, Austria Moscow, U.S.S.R. FINCH, EDWARD R., JR. ZANOTTI, ISIDORO New York, N.Y. Washington, D.C. STEPHEN GOROVE, Chainnan University, Mississippi All correspondance should be directed to the JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW, University of Mississippi Law Center, University, Mississippi 38677. JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW. The subscription rate for 1992 is $69.50 (domestic) and $75 (foreign) for two issues. Single issues may be ordered at $38 per issue (postage and handling included). Copyright@ JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW 1991 Suggested abbreviation: J. SPACE L. JOURNAL .OF SPACE LAW A journal devoted to the legal. problems arising out of human acti"ities in outer space VOLUME 19 1991 NUMBER 2 ---~-------------------------------------------------- ------------------ STUDENT EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS A. Kelly Sessoms, ed. Clark C. Adams Gayle L. K. Holman Thomas C. Levidiotis Candidates Lisa A. D'Ambrosia R. Bradley Prewitt FACULTY ADVISER STEPHEN GOROVE All correspondance with reference to this publication should be directed to the JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW, University of Mississippi Law Center, University, Mississippi 38677. JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW. The subscription nte for 1992 is $69.50 (domestic) and $75 (foreign) for two issues .. Single issues may be ordered at $38 per issue (postage and handling included). Copyright @ JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW 1991 Suggested abbreviation: J. SPACE L. JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW A journal devoted to the legal problems arising out of human activities in outer space VOLUME 19 1991 NUMBER 2 CONTENTS ARTICLES The Use of Nuclear Power Sources in Outer Space: A New Set of United Nations Principles? (Vladimir Kopal) ................... 103 The Moon and Mars Missions: Can International Law Meet the Challenge? (Carl Q. Christol) ............................................ 123 SPECIAL FEATURES Events of Interest .................................................................... 137 A. Past Events ....................................................................... 137 Reports Tasks and Legal Aspects of the German Space Agency, DARA (Mathias Spude and Birgitta Staudt) ................................. 137 International Bar Association Discusses Space Law in Hong Kong, Sept. 20 - OctA, 1991 (Phillip Dann) .............................. 142 International Colloquium on the Law of Outer Space, Montreal, Oct. 8-11, 1991 (Tanja L. Masson·Zwaan) ................................. 146 The Thirty-Fourth Session of COPUOS: An Appeal for Strengthening Space Law (Yvonne Lodico) ................................................ 162 Comments Current Status and Prospects for Space Insurance (Daniel E. Cassidy) ............................................................................ 166 Space Insurance: European Perspectives (Kevin J. Madders) ........ 171 The Omnibus Space Commercialization Act (Glenn H. Reynolds) ... I72 Case Note Martin Marietta Corporation v. ,International Telecommunications Satellite Organization (INTELSAT) ................................... 173 Short Accounts The First Asian Comerence, on Air Transport and Space Activities, Taipei, Taiwan, May 25-30, 1991(Frans G.von der Dunk}.176 Air and Space Law and the Challenges of the XXlst Century (Dr. Donald H. Bunker} ..................................................... 179 Space Activities and Society (Margaret J. Gorove} ......................... 180 Symposium on the Changing Law of Outer Space (Dr. Eilene M. Galloway} .................................................. 181 Other Events .................................................................................. 182 Brief News ...................................................................................... 183 B. Forthcoming Events ........................................................... 185 Book Reviews ......................................................... 187 Gorove, Stephen, Developments in Space Law - Issues and Policies (V. S. Vereshchetin} .......................................................... 187 Bockstiegel, Karl-Heinz (ed.), Handbuch des Weltraumrechts (Stephan Hobe} ................................................................... 189 Recent Publications ................................................ 192 Books .............................................................................................. 192 Contributions ,to, Books ................................................................... 193 Articles ......................................................................................... 194 Reports ........................................................................................... 196 Notes/Comments ............................................................................. 197 Cases .............................................................................................. 197 Short Accounts ............................................................................... 197 Book Reviews/Notices ..................................., .................................. 198 Official Publications ...................................................................... 198 Miscellaneous ................................................................................ 20 1 Corrigendum .................................................................................. 201 Current Document ................................................... 202 OT A Report Brief, Exploring the Moon and Mars: Choices for the Nation ............................................................................... 202 Index to Volume 19 ................................................. 205 THE USE OF NUCLEAR POWER SOURCES IN OUTER SPACE: A NEW SET OF UNITED NATIONS PRINCIPLES? Vladimir Kopal+ Introduction During the last decade, the use of nuclear power sources in outer space became one of the most discussed topics on the agendas of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) and both of its subcommittees. The consideration of this topic has advanced in recent years and is now approaching its end in the form of a new s.et of principles addressed to States and international organizations launching objects with nuclear power SOurces (NPS) on· board into outer space. This article deals with the progressive emergence of these principles in the joint efforts of COPUOS and its subcommittees. The deliberations on NPS developed in two stages, the dividing line being 1986 when the Legal Subcommittee started a systematic elaboration of draft principles on this subject. Nevertheless, the most significant result was recorded in 1990 when an agreement on the principle including "Guidelines and criteria for safe use" was reached. Another important step was made in 1991 when COPUOS reached consensus on "Responsibility" and "Liability and Compensation." In connection with them, the ensuing article will also outline some questions relating to the concepts of responsibility and liability in the wider context of the development of present international law. In the last section of the article, attention will be drawn to a number of issues concerning the draft principles which are still under discussion. In particular, the problem of defining the term "launching State" for the purpose of these principles, as well as the question of what legal form the new. set of principles should take, will be discussed. It is likely that "Principles relating to the use of NPS in outer space" will be finalized soon and, thus, become a new contribution to the progressive development of international space law by the United Nations. + Professor of Law, Doctor of Sciences. Chair of. International Law, Faculty of Law, Charles University, Prague, Czechoslovakia; member, Editorial Board, .bURNALOF SPACE LAW. 104 JOURNAL OF SPACE LAW Vol. 19, No.2. The First Stage of Deliberations on NPS' Initiated by Canada in 1978 following the accident of the Soviet nuclear powered satellite Cosmos 954, the use of NPS in space was first raised in the Scientific and Technical Subcommittee. As a follow up in 1979, the Subcommittee established, in accordance with General Asse!l)bly resolution 33/16 of 10 November 1978, a working group of experts to consider the technical aspects and safety measures relating to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space.! This group, which was open to all . members of. the Subcommittee, met three times during the sessions of the Subcommittee from 1979 to 1981, and again in 1984 and 1985. After a certain break, when· the item of NPS was considered only in the Subcommittee, the working group was reconvened in 1988 and has continued its deliberations in 1989 and 1990, producing valuable reports reflecting the progress reached in its discussions.2 Among the conclusions reached in the early stages of the deliberations of the working group, two key elements have served as cornerstones for further work not only
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Landsat 4 with Previous Landsats
    P saM~~~ilableunder NASA ~PnSOrsnlb in h, interest of early and wide dfi. %.ination of Earth Resources Surrey Program ini~rnatbnand wUN~hub for any use made t :. :d." 1 LANDSAT-4 MULTISPECTRAL SCANNER (MSS) SUBSYSTEM RADIOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATION (E83- 10226) LhbDShT-4 bULTISPECTEAL SCAPiYEB N83-L 1467 jbSS) SUbSYSTEH LAbIOPIETBXC CHABACTEkILATION (hAsA) 77 p dc A05/UP A31 CSCL l4R U ncla s RECtt v cD cc NASA ST1 FAClUM ACCESS DEPT. FEBRUARY 1983 ORIGINAL PAOF: IS OF POOR QUELrrY - NfEA - NIlWWl~bcs~ld GOOOARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER *' swai GREENBELT, MARYLAHO I LANDSAT-4 MULTISPECTRAL SCANNER ( MSS) SUBSYSTEM RADIOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATiON Editors W. Alford and J. Barker NASAlGoddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland B. P. Clark and R. Dasgupta Computer Sciences Corporation 8728 ColesviUe Road Sdver Spring, Maryland GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER Greenbelt. Maryland FOREWORD .The authcrs wish to acknow!edge the support received from both government and contract per- sonnel associated with the Landsa t-4 program. Constructive discussions and useful data have been provided by both W. Webb and J. Bala of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Outside contractor support was provided by L. Beuhler from Operations Research, In- corporated, and by J. Dietz and P. Mallerbe from the General Electric corporation. Many general references to the Landsat program iue available to the public. Relevant information and data from these references have been extracted for incorporation :-t, this document. It is hoped that this will broaden the circulation of critical information crur',zd in these documents. Of particular interest are four publications, two by the Hughes Aircraft Company and two by the General Electric Corporation.
    [Show full text]
  • F, I3/ M EARTH VIEW: a Business Guide to Orbital Remote Sensing
    _Ot-//JJ J zJ v - _'-.'3 7 F, i3/ m EARTH VIEW: A Business Guide to Orbital Remote Sensing NgI-Z4&71 (_!ASA-C_-ISB23_) EAsT VIEW: A 3USINESS GUI_E TO ORBITAL REMOTE SENSING (Houston Univ.) 13I p CSCL OBB Unclos G3/_3 001_137 Peter C. Bishop July 1990 Cooperative Agreement NCC 9-16 Research Activity No. IM.1 NASA Johnson Space Center Office of Commercial Programs Space Station Utilization Office "=.,. © Research Institute for Computing and Information Systems University of Houston - Clear Lake - T.E.C.H.N.I.C.A.L R.E.P.O.R.T Iml i I Jg. I k . U I i .... 7X7 iml The university of Houston-Clear Lake established the Research Institute for Computing and Information systems in 1986 to encourage NASA Johnson Space Center and local industry to actively support research in the computing and r' The information sciences. As part of this endeavor, UH-Clear Lake proposed a _._ partnership with JSC to jointly define and manage an integrated program of research in advanced data processing technology needed for JSC's main missions, including RICIS administrative, engineering and science responsibilities. JSC agreed and entered itffo : " a three-year cooperatlveagreement with UH-Clear _ke beginning in May, 1986, to ii jointly plan and execute such research through RICIS. Additionally, under Concept Cooperative Agreement NCC 9-16, computing and educational facilities are shared by the two institutions to conduct the research. The mission of RICIS is to conduct, coordinate and disseminate research on _-.. -- : computing and information systems among researchers, sponsors and users from UH-Clear Lake, NASA/JSC, and other research organizations.
    [Show full text]
  • Civilian Satellite Remote Sensing: a Strategic Approach
    Civilian Satellite Remote Sensing: A Strategic Approach September 1994 OTA-ISS-607 NTIS order #PB95-109633 GPO stock #052-003-01395-9 Recommended citation: U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, Civilian Satellite Remote Sensing: A Strategic Approach, OTA-ISS-607 (Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, September 1994). For sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP. Washington, DC 20402-9328 ISBN 0-16 -045310-0 Foreword ver the next two decades, Earth observations from space prom- ise to become increasingly important for predicting the weather, studying global change, and managing global resources. How the U.S. government responds to the political, economic, and technical0 challenges posed by the growing interest in satellite remote sensing could have a major impact on the use and management of global resources. The United States and other countries now collect Earth data by means of several civilian remote sensing systems. These data assist fed- eral and state agencies in carrying out their legislatively mandated pro- grams and offer numerous additional benefits to commerce, science, and the public welfare. Existing U.S. and foreign satellite remote sensing programs often have overlapping requirements and redundant instru- ments and spacecraft. This report, the final one of the Office of Technolo- gy Assessment analysis of Earth Observations Systems, analyzes the case for developing a long-term, comprehensive strategic plan for civil- ian satellite remote sensing, and explores the elements of such a plan, if it were adopted. The report also enumerates many of the congressional de- cisions needed to ensure that future data needs will be satisfied.
    [Show full text]
  • Landsat-8: Science and Product Vision for Terrestrial Global Change Research D
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Civil Engineering Faculty Publications Civil Engineering 2014 Landsat-8: Science and product vision for terrestrial global change research D. P. Roy South Dakota State University, [email protected] M. A. Wulder Canadian Forest Service T. R. Loveland U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center C. E. Woodcock Boston University, [email protected] R. G. Allen University of Idaho Research and Extension Center See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/civilengfacpub Roy, D. P.; Wulder, M. A.; Loveland, T. R.; Woodcock, C. E.; Allen, R. G.; Anderson, M. C.; Helder, D.; Irons, J. R.; Johnson, D. M.; Kennedy, R.; Scambos, T. A.; Schaaf, C. B.; Schott, J. R.; Sheng, Y.; Vermote, E. F.; Belward, A. S.; Bindschadler, R.; Cohen, W. B.; Gao, F.; Hipple, J. D.; Hostert, P.; Huntington, J.; Justice, C. O.; Kilic, Ayse; Kovalskyy, V.; Lee, Z. P.; Lymburner, L.; Masek, J. G.; McCorkel, J.; Shuai, Y.; Trezza, R.; Vogelmann, J.; Wynne, R. H.; and Zhu, Z., "Landsat-8: Science and product vision for terrestrial global change research" (2014). Civil Engineering Faculty Publications. 55. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/civilengfacpub/55 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Civil Engineering at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Civil Engineering Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors D. P. Roy, M. A. Wulder, T. R. Loveland, C. E. Woodcock, R.
    [Show full text]
  • LANDSAT-4 Science Investigations Summary N/ A
    NASA-CP-2326-VOL-2 19840022311 NASA Conference Publication 2326 LANDSAT-4 Science Investigations Summary Including December 1983 Workshop Results Volume H Proceedings of the Landsat-4 Early Results Symposium, February 22-24, 1983, and the Landsat Science Characterization Workshop, December 6, 1983, and held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland I N/_A NASA Conference Publication 2326 LANDSAT-4 Science Investigations Summary Including December 1983 Workshop Results Volume H John Barker, Editor NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Proceedings of the Landsat-4 Early Results Symposium, February 22-24, 1983, and the Landsat Science Characterization Workshop, December 6, 1983, and held at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland National Aeronautics and Space Administration ScientificandTechnical InformationBranch 1984 Page intentionally left blank FOREWORD The Landsat Science Office at Goddard Space FI ight Center (GSFC} is ch!arged with the responsibil ity of characterizing the l qual ity of l'andsat-4 image data and, through data analysis, the performance of the Landsat system. It has enlisted the participa- tion of recognized and experienced members of the Landsat community (private, acadmic and government, U.S. and International) in in- vestigating various aspects of this multifaceted topic. The Landsat Science Investigations Program provides the framewock within which the individual investigations are taking place. One feature of the Program is to provide in-progress exchange of observations and findings among individual investigators, especially through an ongoing series of Investigations Workshops. Release of information resulting from the investigations is via public symposia. The Landsat-4 Early Results Symposium (so named since most investigators had had access to Landsat data for only a brief period) was hel d on February 22-24, 1983.
    [Show full text]
  • Landsat 4, 5 and 7 (1982 to 2017) Analysis Ready Data (ARD) Observation Coverage Over the Conterminous United States and Implications for Terrestrial Monitoring
    remote sensing Article Landsat 4, 5 and 7 (1982 to 2017) Analysis Ready Data (ARD) Observation Coverage over the Conterminous United States and Implications for Terrestrial Monitoring Alexey V. Egorov 1 , David P. Roy 2,* , Hankui K. Zhang 1 , Zhongbin Li 1, Lin Yan 1 and Haiyan Huang 1 1 Geospatial Sciences Center of Excellence, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD 57007, USA; [email protected] (A.V.E.); [email protected] (H.K.Z.); [email protected] (Z.L.); [email protected] (L.Y.); [email protected] (H.H.) 2 Department of Geography, Environment & Spatial Sciences and Center for Global Change and Earth Observations, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-517-355-3898 Received: 28 January 2019; Accepted: 17 February 2019; Published: 21 February 2019 Abstract: The Landsat Analysis Ready Data (ARD) are designed to make the U.S. Landsat archive straightforward to use. In this paper, the availability of the Landsat 4 and 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat 7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) ARD over the conterminous United States (CONUS) are quantified for a 36-year period (1 January 1982 to 31 December 2017). Complex patterns of ARD availability occur due to the satellite orbit and sensor geometry, cloud, sensor acquisition and health issues and because of changing relative orientation of the ARD tiles with respect to the Landsat orbit paths. Quantitative per-pixel and summary ARD tile results are reported. Within the CONUS, the average annual number of non-cloudy observations in each 150 × 150 km ARD tile varies from 0.53 to 16.80 (Landsat 4 TM), 11.08 to 22.83 (Landsat 5 TM), 9.73 to 21.72 (Landsat 7 ETM+) and 14.23 to 30.07 (all three sensors).
    [Show full text]
  • Landsat—Earth Observation Satellites
    Landsat—Earth Observation Satellites Since 1972, Landsat satellites have continuously acquired space- In the mid-1960s, stimulated by U.S. successes in planetary based images of the Earth’s land surface, providing data that exploration using unmanned remote sensing satellites, the serve as valuable resources for land use/land change research. Department of the Interior, NASA, and the Department of The data are useful to a number of applications including Agriculture embarked on an ambitious effort to develop and forestry, agriculture, geology, regional planning, and education. launch the first civilian Earth observation satellite. Their goal was achieved on July 23, 1972, with the launch of the Earth Resources Landsat is a joint effort of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Technology Satellite (ERTS-1), which was later renamed and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Landsat 1. The launches of Landsat 2, Landsat 3, and Landsat 4 NASA develops remote sensing instruments and the spacecraft, followed in 1975, 1978, and 1982, respectively. When Landsat 5 then launches and validates the performance of the instruments launched in 1984, no one could have predicted that the satellite and satellites. The USGS then assumes ownership and operation would continue to deliver high quality, global data of Earth’s land of the satellites, in addition to managing all ground reception, surfaces for 28 years and 10 months, officially setting a new data archiving, product generation, and data distribution. The Guinness World Record for “longest-operating Earth observation result of this program is an unprecedented continuing record of satellite.” Landsat 6 failed to achieve orbit in 1993; however, natural and human-induced changes on the global landscape.
    [Show full text]
  • Aeronautics and Space Report of the President: Fiscal Year 2015 Activities
    Aeronautics and Space Report of the President Fiscal Year 2015 Activities Aeronautics and Space Report OF THE PRESIDENT Fiscal Year 2015 Activities The National Aeronautics and Space Act of 1958 directed the annual Aeronautics and Space Report to include a “comprehensive description of the programmed activities and the accomplishments of all agencies of the United States in the field of aeronautics and space activities during the preceding calendar year.” In recent years, the reports have been prepared on a fiscal-year basis, consistent with the budgetary period now used in programs of the Federal Government. This year’s report covers activities that took place from October 1, 2014, through September 30, 2015. Please note that these activities reflect Aeronautics and SpaceAeronautics Report of the President the Federal policies of that time and do not include subsequent events or changes in policy. On the title page, clockwise from the top left: 1. Pluto is seen from the Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) aboard NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft, taken on July 13, 2015, when the spacecraft was 476,000 miles (768,000 kilometers) from the surface. Credits: NASA/Applied Physics Laboratory (APL)/Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). 2. A DHC-3 Otter is flown in NASA’s Operation IceBridge-Alaska survey of mountain glaciers in Alaska. Credit: NASA/Chris Larsen, University of Alaska-Fairbanks. 3. This image shows an artist’s concept of NASA’s Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission. Credit: NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)–California Institute of Technology. 4. Engineers at Orbital ATK prepare to test the largest, most powerful booster ever built for NASA’s new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS).
    [Show full text]
  • Index of Astronomia Nova
    Index of Astronomia Nova Index of Astronomia Nova. M. Capderou, Handbook of Satellite Orbits: From Kepler to GPS, 883 DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-03416-4, © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014 Bibliography Books are classified in sections according to the main themes covered in this work, and arranged chronologically within each section. General Mechanics and Geodesy 1. H. Goldstein. Classical Mechanics, Addison-Wesley, Cambridge, Mass., 1956 2. L. Landau & E. Lifchitz. Mechanics (Course of Theoretical Physics),Vol.1, Mir, Moscow, 1966, Butterworth–Heinemann 3rd edn., 1976 3. W.M. Kaula. Theory of Satellite Geodesy, Blaisdell Publ., Waltham, Mass., 1966 4. J.-J. Levallois. G´eod´esie g´en´erale, Vols. 1, 2, 3, Eyrolles, Paris, 1969, 1970 5. J.-J. Levallois & J. Kovalevsky. G´eod´esie g´en´erale,Vol.4:G´eod´esie spatiale, Eyrolles, Paris, 1970 6. G. Bomford. Geodesy, 4th edn., Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1980 7. J.-C. Husson, A. Cazenave, J.-F. Minster (Eds.). Internal Geophysics and Space, CNES/Cepadues-Editions, Toulouse, 1985 8. V.I. Arnold. Mathematical Methods of Classical Mechanics, Graduate Texts in Mathematics (60), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1989 9. W. Torge. Geodesy, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 1991 10. G. Seeber. Satellite Geodesy, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin, 1993 11. E.W. Grafarend, F.W. Krumm, V.S. Schwarze (Eds.). Geodesy: The Challenge of the 3rd Millennium, Springer, Berlin, 2003 12. H. Stephani. Relativity: An Introduction to Special and General Relativity,Cam- bridge University Press, Cambridge, 2004 13. G. Schubert (Ed.). Treatise on Geodephysics,Vol.3:Geodesy, Elsevier, Oxford, 2007 14. D.D. McCarthy, P.K.
    [Show full text]
  • Landsat and the Data Continuity Mission
    Landsat and the Data Continuity Mission Carl E. Behrens Specialist in Energy Policy June 7, 2010 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R40594 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Landsat and the Data Continuity Mission Summary The U.S. Landsat Mission has collected remotely sensed imagery of the Earth’s surface for more than 35 years. At present two satellites—Landsat-5, launched in 1984, and Landsat-7, launched in 1999—are in orbit and continuing to supply images and data for the many users of the information, but they are operating beyond their designed life and may fail at any time. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) jointly operate Landsat. The two agencies are developing a follow-on initiative known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM). The LDCM spacecraft (LDCM-1), with its instrument payload, is currently planned for launch in December 2012. NASA completed the Critical Design Review of the LDCM on June 1, 2010, allowing the project to proceed with full- scale fabrication, assembly, integration, and test of the mission elements. Landsat has been used in a wide variety of applications, including climate research, natural resources management, commercial and municipal land development, public safety, homeland security and natural disaster management. Despite its wide use, efforts in the past to commercialize Landsat operations have not been successful. Most of the users of the data are other government agencies. For that reason, funding a replacement for the failing Landsat orbiters has been a federal responsibility.
    [Show full text]
  • SPACE APPLICATIONS **DB Chap 2 (09-56) 1/17/02 2:15 PM Page 11
    **DB Chap 2 (09-56) 1/17/02 2:15 PM Page 9 CHAPTER TWO SPACE APPLICATIONS **DB Chap 2 (09-56) 1/17/02 2:15 PM Page 11 CHAPTER TWO SPACE APPLICATIONS Introduction From NASA’s inception, the application of space research and tech- nology to specific needs of the United States and the world has been a pri- mary agency focus. The years from 1979 to 1988 were no exception, and the advent of the Space Shuttle added new ways of gathering data for these purposes. NASA had the option of using instruments that remained aboard the Shuttle to conduct its experiments in a microgravity environ- ment, as well as to deploy instrument-laden satellites into space. In addi- tion, investigators could deploy and retrieve satellites using the remote manipulator system, the Shuttle could carry sensors that monitored the environment at varying distances from the Shuttle, and payload special- ists could monitor and work with experimental equipment and materials in real time. The Shuttle also allowed experiments to be performed directly on human beings. The astronauts themselves were unique laboratory ani- mals, and their responses to the microgravity environment in which they worked and lived were thoroughly monitored and documented. In addition to the applications missions conducted aboard the Shuttle, NASA launched ninety-one applications satellites during the decade, most of which went into successful orbit and achieved their mission objectives. NASA’s degree of involvement with these missions varied. In some, NASA was the primary participant. Some were cooperative mis- sions with other agencies. In still others, NASA provided only launch support.
    [Show full text]
  • Spacecraft System Failures and Anomalies Attributed to the Natural Space Environment
    NASA Reference Publication 1390 Spacecraft System Failures and Anomalies Attributed to the Natural Space Environment K.L. Bedingfield, R.D. Leach, and M.B. Alexander, Editor Neutral ThermosphereNeutral Thermal Environment Solar EnvironmentSolar ll SSppaacc Plasma rraa ee uu EE tt nn v aa v Ionizing i Ionizing i r Meteoroid/ N N r Radiation o Orbital Debris o Radiation e e n n h h m m T T e e n n t t s s Geomagnetic Field Gravitational Field August 1996 NASA Reference Publication 1390 Spacecraft System Failures and Anomalies Attributed to the Natural Space Environment K.L. Bedingfield Universities Space Research Association • Huntsville, Alabama R.D. Leach Computer Sciences Corporation • Huntsville, Alabama M.B. Alexander, Editor Marshall Space Flight Center • MSFC, Alabama National Aeronautics and Space Administration Marshall Space Flight Center • MSFC, Alabama 35812 August 1996 i PREFACE The effects of the natural space environment on spacecraft design, development, and operation are the topic of a series of NASA Reference Publications currently being developed by the Electromagnetics and Aerospace Environments Branch, Systems Analysis and Integration Laboratory, Marshall Space Flight Center. This primer provides an overview of seven major areas of the natural space environment including brief definitions, related programmatic issues, and effects on various spacecraft subsystems. The primary focus is to present more than 100 case histories of spacecraft failures and anomalies documented from 1974 through 1994 attributed to the natural space environment. A better understanding of the natural space environment and its effects will enable spacecraft designers and managers to more effectively minimize program risks and costs, optimize design quality, and achieve mission objectives.
    [Show full text]