United Nations
Space Policy
Introduction | In 2018, significant policy developments helped shape the future space economy. At the international level, the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) released… Many Eyes Make Short Work of Rain Forest Monitoring
Gamers using satellite data are helping in the fight against illegal logging. Open satellite Earth observation data, PNT data, and online crowdsourcing are part of a proposed European Space Agency…
2013 – Space Products and Services Overview
Space products and services developed over the course of decades have altered the way people relate to both their planet and each other. Constellations of satellites orbiting the Earth provide…
2013 – Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) Satellite Design Activities
Over the past few years, several companies have deployed new satellites designed to use the relatively less crowded Ka-band set of frequencies to support delivery of space-based internet broadband. Operators…
Learning Lessons From Disasters for Space Applications
As expressed by the OECD, space can make a valuable contribution to the challenges that may face our societies and governments in the future. Space platforms can monitor air pollution…
Concerned about Space Debris
Of growing concern to the international community is orbital debris— ranging from paint flecks to entire upper stages— resulting from half a century of space access. It is estimated that…
Hurricanes and Disaster Monitoring Constellations
The dominant space technology that supports energy and Earth resources is remote sensing. Remote sensing images are not limited to the wavelengths of light that can be seen by the…
Disaster Charter Provides Timely Imagery to Response Teams
One of the key challenges in a flood involves getting timely and accurate information regarding flood-affected areas. Satellite imagery can mitigate the magnitude of flood damage by providing response teams…
Tagging Disaster Areas in Satellite Imagery
Scandicraft, a Norwegian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) service provider, has developed a system that “geotags,” or marks the physical location of, aerial images from a disaster area and uploads the…
Poppies Just Look Different from Space
Since 1999, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime has made extensive use of satellite imagery in its Illicit Crop Monitoring Programme (ICPM), helping national governments and the international community…