2012: The Year of Space Tourism

March 23rd, 2010
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Space HotelAlong with being the year in which the world might end, 2012 may also turn out to be the year of space tourism.

Virgin Galactic recently conducted a captive carry test flight of its VSS Enterprise spacecraft, which lasted for almost 3 hours and reached an altitude of 45,000 ft (13716 m). The company has reservations from over 330 customers generating around $45 million, and plans to spend 2010-2011 testing its spacecraft, moving toward independent powered flight at the end of that timetable. Commercial operation would start after this period.

2012 is also the year in which the Russian space agency plans to resume tourist flights to the International Space Station. Although Russia has been conducting these flights for a decade, the last one occurred in 2009 when the space station crew was increased. When flights resume, Russia will have a dedicated Soyuz spacecraft for tourists with a price tag of around $45 million per flight.

Finally, the four-person Galactic Suite Space Resort orbital hotel has plans to begin operations in 2012. A stay at the hotel will include an 8-week training course and three-night stay in space for $4.4 million (3 million euro). Guests will wear Velcro allowing them to stick to the walls of the station, and the hotel can also accommodate the two pilots needed for transportation to and from Earth. Galactic Suite Ltd claims over 200 potential guests have shown interest in the project and 43 have reserved stays.

While space tourism will likely be an expensive undertaking for the time being, if these initiatives are successful, prices are likely to fall. The years after 2012 may see an ever-increasing number of people choose to vacation in space… if the world is still around.

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Space Tourism | Posted by Ari Litwin

The Israeli Space Program and Cooperation with India

March 14th, 2010
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Stuck between hostile neighbors and a deep blue sea, Israel has felt the necessity to stay technologically ahead of its neighbors in a variety of fields, space being no exception. The first country in the Middle East to domestically produce and launch its own satellites, the Israel Space Agency (ISA) has been doing so for over twenty years and appears to be joining up with partners for future projects to advance its technology, develop trade, and secure its borders.

The missions of the Israel Space Agency have frequently been focused on terrestrial concerns over space exploration and study. Declassified CIA analysis, available for viewing at the Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room on the CIA’s website, states that the Israeli government in the 1980’s was initially interested in the Space Defense Initiative (SDI) as a means to acquire new technology. In a Science and Weapons Review Cable from January 10th, 1989 an unnamed author states “The Israelis originally were interested in participating in SDI simply to gain access to new technology” but later became concerned about chemical attacks by ballistic missiles after Iran and Iraq engaged in “the war of the cities” where urban centers were specifically targeted. (Science and Weapons Review Cable 2 of 18 Jan. 10th, 1989) One of the defenses against missiles that was under consideration by the Israeli government was an “…airborne high-energy laser (HEL) system”, one of the more expensive SDI proposals. Another SDI system tested at Soreq Nuclear Research Facility near Tel Aviv and costing an estimated $85 million was a hypervelocity gun (Science and Weapons Review Cable—Section 4 of 18) A separate document, (Science and Weapons Review-Cable Israel Antitactical Ballistic Program Jan. 10th 1989) states that “A large part of their (The Israeli Government) ATBM program is funded through the US SDI program…”

At the same time that the Israeli side of SDI research was looking into laser and hypervelocity projectile (Electro-Thermal-Chemical launcher) research, some of the more exotic SDI projects, to protect Israeli airspace and cities, it was also busy with the nuts and bolts of traditional projects, such as the Ofeq reconnaissance satellite.

The first Ofeq was launched in September of 1988 and according to an untitled CIA document, “…reinforced their (Arab nations) determination to pursue their own satellite development programs.” (Untitled: Israel’s launch of a small research satellite in September 1988) thus starting the Mid-East Space Race. Ofeq-1 was placed successfully in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) making Israel only the seventh nation in the world, according to the Israeli Ministry of Science and Technology website, to produce and launch satellites domestically. Concerns about launching over its eastern neighbors forced, and continues to force, all domestic launches to be made over the Mediterranean Sea. The westward, retrograde, launches are incapable of taking advantage of the Earth’s rotation resulting in smaller payloads. The three hundred kilogram weight of the Ofeq satellites is the likely maximum payload for such launches. “The geographical constrains” caused the ISA “…to focus on very small satellites, loaded with payloads of a very high degree of sophistication.” The ISA is well into its third generation of packing the best of Israeli produced electronics and optics into small, highly maneuverable packages.

Ofeq satellites, built in part by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), are good examples of small, exceptional satellites in LEO. The compact size of the satellites makes them more maneuverable than larger ones enabling them to be focused on a target quicker and the apogee of 600 kilometers likely contributes to their ability to exceed Israeli commercial satellites for resolution. Israeli commercial systems are capable of 0.8 meters. While it is difficult to obtain information on the capabilities of the system, it is believed that the Ofeq is capable of “…delivering both panchromatic and color images…” and obtains images in “…swaths ahead of satellite trajectory, beneath it and lateral to it.”

The one main disadvantage to the Ofeq is its estimated life span in LEO. A higher orbit would likely result in a longer lifetime than its estimated 4 years. The low orbit restriction may be a result of the “geographical constrains” that the Ministry of Science and Technology has been dealing with since 1988 when the first Ofeq was launched from Palmachim Air Base on the Mediterranean coast. A growing concern that has been raised about the future of all satellite programs is a result of the satellite launch vehicle chosen to place the multi-million dollar Ofeq and other satellites into orbit.

The Shavit satellite launch vehicle, based on the Jericho ballistic missile, on which development started in the 1960’s, is built by IAI who contributes to the Ofeq and is one of the largest aerospace industries in Israel. While there are likely advantages to having the same satellite and launch vehicle manufacturer, the sketchy history of the Shavit has been a concern for some time. Ofeq 4 and 6 were destroyed when their Shavit launch vehicles failed to reach orbit. Despite the fiery shortcomings, IAI insists that the launch vehicles are safe and “…based on flight-proven hardware and software, and a unique integration and launch concept.” reducing launch preparation time and costs.

With the continuing chest thumping of Iran and its nuclear ambitions as well as other threats closer to home, IAI’s confidence alone may not be enough for the Israeli government. The Israel Space Agency entered a new stage of its history by partnering with a country for launches of its valuable spy satellites; India.

On the surface, one of the world’s largest nations has little in common with one of the smallest but similarities can be found in the threats they face. Both border neighbors who have engaged in military operations against them and India was a victim of one of the most brazen terrorist attacks in recent memory in November 2008 when Mumbai came under amphibious assault. Israel is certainly no stranger to terrorist acts or full blown military conflicts with its neighbors such as the 2006 conflict with Iranian backed guerillas in Lebanon or the air raid into northeastern Syria in 2007. The past decade has shown that the threats both nations face are more likely to come from small units and obscure corners, something that Israeli spy satellites appear tailor-made for addressing.

Israel found in India a partner to launch its reconnaissance satellite into a polar orbit, something impossible from Palmachim Air Base, so that it may watch the Iranian nuclear program more closely, over a longer period of time, and from a higher orbit than previous satellites. Previously, Israel had approached the US for a majority of its defense requests, but it appears to be favoring India, its largest importer of weapons including IAI weapons systems, possibly to cement the developing relationship between both countries.

The TECSAR launch “…was secret and carried out under tight security” in 2008 and was only the second launch by the India Space Research Organisation for another country. A previous launch for Italy is estimated to have cost $11 million. “Israel reportedly took the decision to launch the satellite from India three years ago [2005], and asked for Delhi’s help because it lacks a vehicle capable of boosting the satellite into a polar orbit.” The ISA was likely charged for the services but may have gotten a discount in return for turning over the same technology for use by India a year later.

According to a Reuters report, India launched an identical satellite for its own intelligence gathering on the volatile Pakistan border and its border with China. The all weather capable TECSAR is an improvement over previous Indian satellites which “…tended to go a bit blind in bad weather…” according to the blog. Less than a six months after the Mumbai attacks, which killed nearly two hundred people and wounded hundreds more, India appeared desperate for better reconnaissance capabilities. “New Delhi apparently asked the Israelis to speed up the satellite after the Mumbai attacks in November when gunmen arrived on the shores of the country’s financial capitol in boats.” India is Israel’s largest arms market, according to the same article, and it appears to be on the edge of becoming its biggest satellite buyer as well.

TECSAR is assumed to be an improvement over the Ofeq system, but with similar dimensions. It is likely capable of the same high maneuverability making it ideal for watching rafts deploy from fishing trawlers, such as in the Mumbai attacks, or individual rocket platoons, such as Israel faced in Lebanon in 2006. More traditional satellite roles, such as watching the alleged Syrian nuclear program which was destroyed in a 2007 Israeli attack are also capable of being carried out.

Between Israel’s high tech industry and India’s software industry a collaboration of the two would likely make for more advanced systems, quicker than either one could produce on their own. This may be the future of military space cooperation, as well as of other fields, where smaller and developing nations look to each other for help instead of to the global giants: China, Russia, and the United States.

An unnamed defense analyst stated about the Indian launch of the first TECSAR in 2008, “This is bound to be seen in the Islamic world as a sinister tie-up between Israel and India.” India and Israel are likely to view it as a developing relationship with benefits for both economies and improved security along both of their borders.

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International Politics, Military, Policy - India, Policy - Israel | Posted by Charlie Harrington

Human Spaceflight Destination Update

March 7th, 2010
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DestinationsFor the better part of the past decade, the moon has been the destination of choice for global human spaceflight programs. The United States Bush Administration’s Vision for Space Exploration as well as the Russian, Chinese, Japanese, and Indian space programs (and possibly even others) have been seen as aiming for a sustained human presence on the moon. Robotic precursor missions, China’s Chang’e-1, India’s Chandrayaan-1, Japan’s Kaguya, and the US Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, as well as future planned robotic missions have been seen as preparation for manned lunar missions. The recent discovery of water on the moon only increases the importance of this destination. However, the moon may no longer be the de facto destination of choice it once was.

China

For China, the moon is still the primary destination. The country plans to study the feasibility of designing a moon rocket (like the US Apollo-era Saturn V), although no firm plans for a manned moon landing have been made. Even so, Bao Weimin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences believes that landing on the moon will be absolutely necessary. Since China also has plans to launch a series of space stations, is it likely that time will be sacrificed to ensure a stable ongoing budget for these programs. When the first set of boots will touch lunar soil is, as yet, unknown.

India

For India, the next destination is Low Earth Orbit (LEO). India has plans to launch two astronauts in an, approximately, six-year timeframe, and has approved £1.7 billion for the program. India also plans to continue its unmanned lunar exploration program and sees the moon as a future destination for human spaceflight. Some analysts surmise that India and China are engaged in an Asian space race, much like the space race the US and Soviet Union were engaged in the 1960s.

Japan

Recently, the Japanese government announced that it has ceased plans to conduct a manned lunar program. The projected cost of 1 trillion yen ($11 billion) is seen as too expensive. Japan, like India, has had plans for a manned lunar mission for years but has yet to send an indigenous human spaceflight mission to LEO. It is unknown if Japan will continue to work toward this capacity or invest further in unmanned missions and launch astronauts by continuing to partner with other countries.

Russia

Russia operates under the Interplanetary Expeditionary Complex with the planet Mars as its ultimate destination. The plan focuses on the next 30 years of Russian manned spaceflight, and includes manned lunar exploration as a lower priority destination, something of a milestone on the road to Mars. This plan is built around the Prospective Piloted Transport System spacecraft, for which design details will be released later this year. Thirty years is a long time as policy planning goes, and this particular policy is more than likely going to be subject to numerous revisions.

United States

Throughout the second half of the Bush administration, the US human spaceflight program has had a sustained human presence on the moon as its primary goal. Funding for this plan was not forthcoming, however, and the Obama administration seeks a complete overhaul of these plans. Due to this period of change, a destination for US manned spaceflight is unknown and is a point of contention in that country’s domestic politics.

President Obama seeks to follow a flexible path that focuses on technology-building over any particular destination and relies on the private sector to deliver cargo and crews to LEO. Others want a definite destination to be chosen, and call for Obama to commit to a manned mission to Mars. Adding to the debate, a new engine technology known as a Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) is soon to be tested, and may ultimately allow for 40 day trips to the red planet.

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Policy - China, Policy - India, Policy - Japan, Policy - Russia, Policy - United States | Posted by Ari Litwin

Pushing Ahead: India, Iran, South Africa

February 26th, 2010
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While the United States is in the throes of a massive overhaul of its space program, other countries continue to push ahead with their own plans. Three countries, India, Iran, and South Africa, make an interesting triad in that they are each in the process of developing their space programs, yet are at different stages in that process.

Civilian space programs can be broken down into several categories based on capability. At the top are those that can indigenously launch human beings into orbit, with Russia, the United States, and China in this category. Next are those that can launch unmanned satellites indigenously and may or may not have astronauts that participate with other country’s programs or have sent unmanned probes to the moon and other planets. Finally, there are those that have no launch capability but operate satellites which are placed into orbit by others.

To complicate the matter, two more categories can be included. As more countries create plans to reach the moon, there will be those that have landed human beings on the lunar surface (accomplished only by the United States so far) and those who have deployed unmanned lunar probes. Finally, private efforts to reach orbit with both manned and unmanned spacecraft constitute another category.

India’s space program has accomplished much in its multi-decade history. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has developed a fleet of launch vehicles that can place satellites into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) as well as geosynchronous orbit (GEO), launched an unmanned lunar probe (Chandrayaan-1), and launches satellites for other countries and private corporations.

According to ISRO Chairman K. Radhakrishnan, India has plans to indigenously launch two astronauts into orbit in the 2016-2017 timeframe. If this plan comes to fruition, India will have moved to the next stage of space program development and joined an elite club of states with human spaceflight capacity.

The Iranian government recently claimed that it had launched a rocket with animal passengers, a rat, turtles, and worms onboard. This constitutes an apparent test of technology Iran would need to master to launch its own astronauts into orbit. Even though the country has only obtained the ability to launch satellites in the last few years, Tehran wishes to build the Iranian Space Agency (ISA) into a full-service space program.

Iran, however, lacks the mature technological mastery of launch vehicles that India has built. It is unlikely that an Iranian astronaut will be launched in the near future, and more likely that many more satellite launches will be needed to gain continued mastery and experience.

Finally, the office of South African Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor is considering the reactivation of launch services in that country. South Africa had launch facilities in the past, but gave up this capability due to its links with its nuclear program. The country is one which builds and operates satellites but purchases launch services from others. Building an indigenous launch industry would allow South Africa to become a global supplier of these services. For more information on South Africa’s plans, see the South African Space Portal.

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Policy - India, Policy - Iran, Policy - South Africa | Posted by Ari Litwin

Prestige, Power Projection, International Cooperation, and Space

February 19th, 2010
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The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been tasked by President Obama with the job of outreach to Muslim countries, with a focus on Indonesia. Puzzlingly, NASA is to court partners that do not even have space programs. Many would question the wisdom of partnering with countries that may have nothing to add to a mission, and in fact the concept of focusing on cooperation when no mission parameters have been discussed and agreed upon is suspect. Some would wonder why the US seeks to partner with these countries over many European countries, Japan, and others with advanced space programs and proven records as reliable partners.

Space missions have long been used to foster international cooperation based on prestige and power projection. The Soviet Union and the United States frequently sent foreign nationals into orbit as part of their Cold War strategy if courting supporters and projecting power. This is still done as part of international goodwill missions, and space science is seen as a particularly safe endeavor on which states can partner.

China has undertaken a similar prestige-driven view of space in organizing the Asia-Pacific Space Cooperation Organization (APSCO) with Bangladesh, Indonesia, Iran, Mongolia, Pakistan, Perú, and Thailand. None of these countries’ independent space programs is on par with that of China. The APSCO exists so that China can project the image of being a global power and cement a cooperative relationship with these partner states. The other members of the organization gain the benefits of space technology they would be unable to access alone, as well as enhancement of their technological and industrial bases.

For those who look at space programs only in terms of economics, and international partnerships in terms of what partners can bring to a particular mission, the political logic of prestige and power projection seems a waste. Others argue that these partnerships are a danger to national security as they allow space technology, which can double as military technology, to be proliferated.

Do the benefits of using space missions for prestige purposes outweigh the dangers of proliferating advanced military technology and the economic inefficiencies of having partners with little experience in space?

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International Politics | Posted by Ari Litwin

SpaceX Falcon 9 Almost Ready for First Launch

February 13th, 2010
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Space Exploration Technologies Corporation’s (SpaceX) Falcon 9 rocket is set for launch within the next three months, and all of the parts of the vehicle are at Cape Canaveral awaiting assembly. The rocket is set to be placed on its launch pad for a February 18 tanking test.

Under the recently proposed NASA funding plan, SpaceX would receive a $1.6 billion contract to develop the Falcon 9 for use to haul cargo (and potentially astronauts) to the International Space Station. Elon Musk, the founder of SpaceX, believes his company can launch astronauts by 2014 and will cost only $20 million per seat (compared to the Russian Soyuz’s cost of $50 million per seat).

Musk has some interesting plans for his Falcon rockets. The system is partially reusable, but SpaceX is aiming for full reusability. The company would also like to work toward a flyback first stage for Falcon 9, the capability to set up and launch the rocket in under one hour, and the capability to land the Dragon spacecraft capsule on land as well as at sea. In January 2009, Musk stated that the company was simply missing the billion dollars of capital needed to research and develop these advanced features. With the new NASA contract, financing may not be an issue.

SpaceX lists its launch manifest on its website. The company launches a smaller rocket, the Falcon 1, which successfully reached orbit on its fourth launch and has since launched a Malaysian satellite. The company also lists pricing for its rockets at $8.9-$10.5 million for Falcon 1 and 1e to $44-$49.5 for Falcon 9, cheap by launch standards.

The following chart shows the SpaceX rocket family (note that the intermediate class Falcon 5 was cancelled to begin work directly on the Falcon 9 earlier):

Falcon Rocket Family

SpaceX aims to improve on space launch capabilities in many different areas: reusability, reliability, cost, and preparation time. Only time will tell if they are successful.

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Launch Industry - United States, SpaceX | Posted by Ari Litwin

International Space Station: Key to the Near-term Future of US Human Spaceflight

February 6th, 2010
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ISSThe United States’ human spaceflight program is undergoing an incredible change, not only in its post-Shuttle program but in how the program will be managed and operated. President Obama’s plan for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is to cancel the Constellation program that would have been a large-scale Apollo program redux, and rely on commercial enterprise to take a more commanding role in space.

The key to this commercial pathway into space is the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS was certainly not the first space station and with China’s Tiangong-1 and other commercial stations being planned, will soon be one amongst many. It is, however, the closest humanity has come to building a cosmopolitan outpost in space. Fifteen European countries coordinating through the European Space Agency (ESA), Canada, Japan, Russia, and the United States work on the project.

According to Parabolic Arc, the shake-up at NASA has brought about a commitment by the US to support the station until at least 2020. The ISS budget from NASA would increase around $2 billion over four years, with the station used for science, technology, and education. The head of the ESA has also called for expansion of the station partnership to include China, India, and South Korea.

The International Space Station will also provide the key opportunity for commercial enterprise to gain a foothold on space operations. Obama’s plan includes $6 billion over five years for commercial ventures to ferry both astronauts and cargo to the ISS. If and when commercial space stations, possibly space hotels, are built these companies will have developed the technology needed to support space tourism.

Commercial enterprise, though, is not without its detractors. Skeptics believe that there will be issues of safety and reliability that will preclude any real change from government program to private enterprise. Others believe private firms will be able to generate a profit from space operations and create a brand new industry. These companies will certainly have a substantial learning curve, even fifty years after the beginning of the space age launching rockets is an incredibly unreliable business. It is also unknown if any kind of commercial business model that can generate a sustainable profit is possible in space operations. The companies themselves, however, are looking toward a bright future.

The fear from many space advocates in the United States is that the country is pulling out of the human spaceflight business, but this is hardly the case. The country may not be able to afford to do Apollo again, but even if money were plentiful, should it? Support for the space station will keep human spaceflight alive. Support for commercial enterprise may expand the human reach into low earth orbit by enabling space tourism and creating a human spaceflight industry instead of a government run program. Placing a focus on research and science will result in better technology, allow activity in space to give back to those living on Earth, and provide the programs on which the US can work with international partners.

Finally, the NASA website provides news dealing with the ISS, tracking information for viewing the station, and videos showing life on the orbital outpost.

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International Space Station (ISS), Policy - United States | Posted by Ari Litwin

Iran and North Korean Space Cooperation

January 29th, 2010
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North Korea’s launch of its Unha-2 (which may be the same as or related to the Taepodong-2) rocket on April 5th, 2009 was a result of hard work, trial and explosive error, and quite likely the help of Iran’s own research and funding. In its quest for a space program, Iran may have struck a deal with the reclusive Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to improve the Islamic Republic’s odds of orbiting satellites domestically within the next five years. North Korea would benefit from the cooperation between the two nations with a space program of its own and much needed foreign funds and investment.

Both countries have a long history of sharing technology on their theater ballistic missile programs; Iran’s Shahab series of missiles are virtual clones of North Korea’s Nodong systems, which are a mix of Chinese technology but ultimately based on the Soviet Scud missile. Iran has also been accused of funding development of North Korea’s Nodong 1, which has a greater range than the original Scuds and have found their way to Iran where they have been designated as the Shahab-3 missile family.

The North’s Unha-2 rocket is believed to be a combination of “off the shelf” parts available to both Iran and North Korea. David Wright wrote for the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists in March 2009 that the likely configuration of the satellite launch vehicle is a combination of a first stage containing four Nodong rocket engines, second stage utilizing a Nodong engine or possibly a modified SA-5 (a Soviet-era surface-to-air missile with the capability to vary its thrust in flight), and a final stage that may use a solid fueled engine. Iran began plans to reconfigure its Safir launch vehicle (the rocket which launched the Omid satellite) two months before North Korea’s April 2009 launch. The Safir Block-2 will add a third stage to the original configuration and may utilize design changes that North Korea tested during its launch.

Iran’s attempts at orbit have been with rockets modified from the Shahab-3 that it helped develop with cooperation from North Korea. It appears that the Shahab-3 derived Safir (called Kavoshgar–1 for the sounding rocket tests of 2007-08) may constitute the system of choice for both countries in the future due to their growing experience with the technology and availability of parts to both nations.

North Korea’s testing of satellite launch vehicles has been sketchy for years. An attempt in 2006 ended in the destruction of the rocket less than a minute after launch but the “successful” launch in April 2009 appeared to raise more questions than it answered. The main concern is that many nations believe that both Iran and North Korea are using their space programs as a disguise for their ballistic missile programs. A question has been raised as to why other nations could not find the Kwangmyongsong-2 communication satellite the North claims to have launched in April 2009.

While the US, South Korea, and Japan were condemning the launch, Iran was defending the test, claiming that North Korea was simply testing its space capabilities, a right of every country. Iran, however, may be far from being an objective observer, with that country’s Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group having had a 15 member group in Pyongyang prior to and likely during the test to assist the North’s engineers. A personal letter from Iranian President Ahmadinejad to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il was believed delivered, stressing the importance of cooperation between the two nations on space endeavors.

One scenario is that Iran may have been a joint partner in the launch. With a strong US presence on its east and west borders, Iran may be looking for a “safer” place to test its orbiting rockets without heavy surveillance from the US or, in a worse case scenario, having a discarded stage land in the laps of US military or foreign personnel.

While the common belief amongst Iran and North Korea’s critics is that these programs constitute part of a missile program for both nations, there is a possibility they may be expanding their own intelligence capabilities. Possibly both nations may want a satellite surveillance system for monitoring their neighbors. Both countries have exhibited paranoid distrust of the US and North and South Korea share the most fortified border in the world and recently exchanged shots with each other’s navies. Iran seeks the capabilities it sees in its regional rival, Israel, which also runs an advanced military satellite surveillance system.

Another possibility is that Tehran and Pyongyang may be looking to upgrade their aging stocks of Scud-based missiles. Satellite guided missiles, such as the KH-55s which Iran bought from Ukraine back in 2001, require the use of satellite guidance systems. While Iran doesn’t presently have the systems required to effectively utilize its KH-55s, it is believed that the missiles serve as models for the country’s missile development program and provide the technology on which to train indigenous scientists and engineers.

With satellite surveillance, both Iran and North Korea could monitor their neighbors from a safe distance and with no risk of a surveillance aircraft or ships being engaged by military or coastal defense forces. A space program may be expensive but it is much cheaper than the break-out of a full fledged war because of a “misunderstanding” as could have happened during the recent naval exchange between North and South Korean ships. If a full fledged war ever did erupt, satellite guided missiles would cause devastating damage.

Regardless of the true purpose of the programs, it appears that both countries will continue to reach for space and help each other along the way.

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Military, Policy - Iran, Policy - North Korea | Posted by Charlie Harrington

The Space Jobs of the Future

January 22nd, 2010
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Jetson at WorkParabolic Arc recently posted an article referencing a report by FastFuture about new jobs that are likely to be created between now and 2030. The report itself can be found here, and contains a section on space jobs.

It is difficult to predict what the careers of the future will be. It is likely that some of the jobs envisioned by FastFuture will never materialize, and the need for others may be unpredictable.

The report lists the category “Space Pilots, Architects, and Tour Guides” to support the space tourism industry should it be successful. While pilots may have to contend with spacecraft that become increasingly automated, there would certainly be a need for the other two jobs. Space tour guides would be one position in a growing space tourism industry that would go well beyond simply flying people into space. As flights get cheaper and more people are able to enjoy these vacations, travel planners and agents familiar with space vacationing will be needed as well as hospitality managers and staff to run space hotels. The inauguration of a space equivalent of the cruise ship would expand the need for people to work in the final frontier. An orbital or lunar theme park with rides that take advantage of reduced gravitational effects would be even more extensive.

As spaceports become more like airports, they will require various support jobs. Specifically for spaceports, it is noted, is the more extensive physical and psychological training and checkups that will certainly be needed for passengers on flights. This then branches into what will become the growing field of space medicine. Medical professionals will be needed to ensure space tourist safety. Meanwhile, medical experimentation will benefit from the unique space environment.

The report notes the need for scientists who focus on space in the form of astrogeologists and astrobiologists. Not noted however will be the need for space-focused legal professionals and insurance professionals. Sanitation, food preparation, and physical training experts will also play an important function on space hotels. The unique use of the space environment for tourism such as allowing guests to undertake spacewalks or orbital skydiving (if this is even possible) will require the oversight of trained professionals.

Along with space vacationers, there is the potential for other industries as well. Science fiction affictionados like to bring up the idea of mining asteroids or other planetary bodies although this is probably still a long time off. Looking even further, planet terraforming and colonization would require effectively transplanting human civilization onto other worlds. Although colonies will start fairly simple with people bringing only the most basic necessities, if they grow into permanent or semi-permanent human settlements, they will require many of the same jobs that are done on Earth.

What is more difficult to predict is how virtualization and robotics will affect the need for humans to undertake all of these new functions, although it is just as hard to say how these forces will ultimately affect jobs on Earth. Even so, it is interesting to imagine what could be.

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Economics | Posted by Ari Litwin

The Use of Satellites in Haitian Earthquake Relief Efforts

January 16th, 2010
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Haiti Satellite MapRecently the country of Haiti was struck by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake causing an enormous amount of damage and loss of life. Relief efforts started shortly after the event and have been assisted by space technology. According to Space.com, the United States-Japan Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer’s (ASTER) Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite is capturing images of the worst-hit areas. These efforts are joined by Canada, China, the European Space Agency, France, Germany, Italy, and South Korea which provide free-of-charge satellite use under the charter on “Space and Major Disasters”. Argentina, India, and the United Kingdom are also charter members.

The primary goal of this effort is to produce detailed, accurate, and timely maps of the damage to allow rescue efforts to reach places where they are needed most and to plan out the safest and fastest routes. The United Nations Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT), has been producing maps based on satellite imagery to help the humanitarian efforts in Haiti.

Google’s online imagery services have also been used to help in relief planning. Internet communications technology in the form of blogs, social networking tools, cell-phone text messaging, and other services are being used to collect relief donations and to help connect families with those who were caught in the earthquake. These efforts owe much to the extensive, yet unseen, global satellite communication network.

In the eyes of the general public, space program spending tends to be at odds with humanitarian spending. It is common to hear people ask why space programs get funding when so many people on Earth are in need. The use of space technology in this disaster should speak to the myth inherent in this kind of thinking. Spending “in space”, or more accurately, on space technology and missions is not taking away from “spending on Earth”. Space technology is used everyday by those living on Earth to better their lives. Fortunately, there are not natural disasters on the order of 7.0 magnitude earthquakes in urban centers on a daily basis, however, this disaster shows how spending on satellites is, in some of their functions, spending on humanitarian efforts.

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Disaster Relief | Posted by Ari Litwin