About APRSAF

What's APRSAF?

The Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) was established in 1993 to enhance space activities in the Asia-Pacific region.

Space agencies, governmental bodies, and international organizations, such as the United Nations, as well as companies, universities and research institutes from over 30 regional participants take part in APRSAF, the largest space-related conference in the Asia-Pacific region. With increasing attendance of high ranking officials, furthermore, APRSAF offers opportunities to discuss international cooperation for space activities in concrete terms.

APRSAF currently organizes four working groups: Earth Observation (EO), Communication Satellite Applications (CSA), Space Education and Awareness (SEA), and Space Environment Utilization (SEU), to share information about the activities and the future plans of each country and region in the respective areas. APRSAF also supports the establishment of international projects as solutions for common issues such as disasters and environmental protection so that the participating parties can realize cooperation.

APRSAF Characteristics

Open and flexible regional cooperation framework

In view of the diversity of needs in the Asia-Pacific region for space utilization and developments, APRSAF provides a flexible framework rather than legally-bound agreements.
The open framework of APRSAF enables various entities to participate in APRSAF.

Voluntary and cooperative activities

Participating parties carry out their projects in a cooperative and voluntary manner.

Concrete cooperative activities to solve regional issues

APRSAF establishes international projects to cope with issues in the Asia-Pacific region and implement concrete actions.

Sentinel Asia for disaster management
SAFE (Space Applications For Environment) for environmental issues
Climate R³ (Regional Readiness Review for Key Climate Missions)
Kibo-ABC (Asian Beneficial Collaborationthrough "Kibo" Utilization)

Objective

APRSAF shall provide opportunities to:

Gather the representatives from space agencies and international organizations in the Asia-Pacific region,
Seek measures to contribute to socio-economic development to the Asia-Pacific region and the preservation of the global environment, through space technology and its applications,
Exchange views, opinions and information on national space programs and space resources,
Discuss possibilities of future cooperation amongst space technology developers and space technology users to bring mutual benefits of the countries in the Asia-Pacific region, identify areas of common interest, and assign priorities thereto,
Review the progress of the implementation of the plans and programs for further cooperation within the Asia-Pacific region,
Consider and recognize the importance to cooperate with space agencies and organizations outside the Asia-Pacific region that support APRSAF objectives.

APRSAF History

1992 APIC

APRSAF was established in 1993 in response to the declaration adopted by the Asia-Pacific International Space Year Conference (APIC) in 1992. APRSAF has been holding annual meetings, jointly organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and organizations of host countries.

	1st	9-10 Sep. 1993 Tokyo, Japan	< Co-Host: Science and Technology Agency of Japan (STA), National Space Development Agency of Japan (NASDA), Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan (ISAS) >
	2nd	31 Oct. -2 Nov. 1994 Tokyo, Japan	(same as above)
	3rd	13-15 Mar. 1996 Tokyo, Japan	(same as above)
	4th	17-19 Mar. 1997 Tokyo, Japan	(same as above)
	5th	21-23 Jun. 1998 Ulanbator, Mongolia	< Co-Host: Mongolian National Remote Sensing Center, STA, NASDA, ISAS >
	6th	24-27 May. 1999 Tsukuba, Japan	Main Theme: "APPLICATION OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY" < Co-Host: STA, NASDA, ISAS >
	7th	19-22 Jun. 2000 Tokyo, Japan	Main Theme: "EASY ACCESS TO SPACE BENEFIT" < Co-Host: STA, NASDA, ISAS >
	8th	23-26 Jul. 2001 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Main Theme: "NEW SPACE AGE IN THE ASIA AND PACIFIC REGION" < Co-Host: Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (MOSTE), Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (MACRES), MEXT, NASDA, ISAS >
	9th	25-27 Mar. 2003 Daejeon, Korea	Main Theme: "BENEFICIAL SPACE APPLICATION FOR THE REGION" < Co-Host: Ministry of Science and Technology, Korea (MOST), Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), MEXT, NASDA, ISAS >
2004 4 WORKING GROUPS	10th	14-16 Jan. 2004 Chiang Mai, Thailand	Main Theme: "TOWARD PROMOTING COOPERATION ON SPACE APPLICATION IN OUR REGION" < Co-Host: Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand (MOST), Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, Thailand (GISTDA), MEXT, JAXA >
	11th	3-5 Nov. 2004 Canberra, Australia	Main Theme: "TOWARD EXPANSION OF THE SPACE COMMUNITY" < Co-Host: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Satellite Systems (CRCSS), MEXT, JAXA >
2005	12th	11-13 Oct. 2005 Kitakyushu, Japan	Main Theme: "MAXIMIZING SPACE BENEFITS FOR THE SOCIETY" < Co-Host: MEXT, JAXA >
	13th	5-7 Dec. 2006 Jakarta, Indonesia	Main Theme: "WORK TOGETHER, BUILDING A SECURE AND PROSPEROUS SOCIETY" < Co-Host: Ministry of Research and Technology , Indonesia (RISTEK), National Institute of Aeronautics and Space, Indonesia (LAPAN), MEXT, JAXA >
	14th	21-23 Nov. 2007 Bangalore, India	Main Theme: "SPACE FOR HUMAN EMPOWERMENT" < Co-Host: Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), MEXT, JAXA >
2008	15th	9-12 Dec. 2008 Hanoi & Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam	Main Theme: "SPACE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT" < Co-Host: Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), MEXT, JAXA >
	16th	26-29 Jan. 2010 Bangkok, Thailand	Main Theme: "SPACE APPLICATIONS: CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS HUMAN SAFETY AND SECURITY" < Co-Host: Ministry of Science and Technology, Thailand (MOST), Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA), MEXT, JAXA >
	17th	23-26 Nov. 2010 Melbourne, Australia	Main Theme: "THE ROLE OF SPACE TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRY IN ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE" < Co-Host: Department of Innovation, Industry, Science & Research (DIISR), MEXT, JAXA >
	18th	6-9 Dec. 2011 Singapore	Main Theme: "A regional collaboration for tomorrow's environment" < Co-Host: Singapore Space and Technology Association (SSTA), Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, National University of Singapore (CRISP), MEXT, JAXA >
	19th	11-14 Dec. 2012 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia	Main Theme:"ENRICHING THE QUALITY OF LIFE THROUGH INNOVATIVE SPACE PROGRAMS " <Co-Host: Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI), National Space Agency(ANGKASA), MEXT, JAXA>