APRSAF
Home About APRSAF Participants Meetings & Events Working Groups Event Calendar Contact Us
Feature Stories
 
 
#001 The 2nd APRSAF Water Rocket Event

As the joint educational activities for primary and secondary school students and teachers, the series of APRSAF-13 side events (APRSAF Poster Contest, APRSAF Water Rocket Event, and APRSAF Space Education Seminar) were successfully held, initiated by APRSAF Space Education Working Group.(Jakarta, 5-12 December)




#002 New Year Message from the APRSAF member's countries for activities in 2007

Dr. Miriam Baltuck, (CSIRO)
Dr. Chin-Young Hwang, (KARI)
Dr. Basanta Raj Shrestha, (ICIMOD)
Dr. KWOH Leong Keong, (CRISP)
Lt. Gen. Dr. Vichit Satharanond, (GISTDA)

Prof. Dr. Sc. Nguyen Khoa Son, (VAST)

#003 Snow leopard project involving, fitted GPS collars using the Argos satellite system, Pakistan
 

Dr. Tom McCarthy (Conservation Director of the Snow Leopard Trust), and the Wildlife Department of Pakistan, initiated a project in Chitral Gol National Park (CGNP), located in northern Pakistan, collect critical data on snow leopard home-range size, movement and activity patterns, use of travel corridors, intra-specific distances, and human-snow leopard interactions.

#004 Thailand's Top Water Rocket Championship #1

Thailand PET-Bottled Rocket Club, Saraburiwitthayakhom School Water Rocket Club and the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) organized the first Thailand's Top Water Rocket Championship on March 18, 2007 at the Cavalry Center's tank's firing range in Saraburi Province.


#005 Vietnam establishes Space Technology Institute - April 3, 2007
Established under Government's decision, the Space Technology Institute (STI) was inaugurated on April 3, 2007. The institute, belonging to the Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), was made to become the nation's leading research center for space technology, especially for developing satellite technology, researching and manufacturing space-related equipment, remote sensing technology, remote sensing applications and space dynamics.
#006 Launch of INSAT-4B, India - March 12, 2007
ISRO's latest communication satellite, INSAT-4B, was successfully launched on March 12, 2007, by the European Ariane-5 ECA launch vehicle of Arianespace. Weighing 3,025 kg at the time of launch, INSAT-4B is the second satellite in the INSAT-4 series.

 

#007 Satellite Monitoring of Active Volcanoes in East Asia
The Earthquake Research Institute (ERI) of the University of Tokyo developed a near real-time monitoring system for 147 active volcanoes in East Asia in cooperation with the Institute of Industrial Science (IIS) of the University of Tokyo and the University of London.

 

#008 Indonesian First Micro Remote Sensing Satellite Performs Well
The Indonesian first micro remote sensing satellite, LAPAN-TUBSAT, which was jointly developed by Indonesian Aerospace Institute (LAPAN) and the Technical University of Berlin (TUB), launched into orbit at an altitude of approximately 630 km in January 2007, is now performing well.

 

#009 The US Earth's Surface Observing Satellite, Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM)
The Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) is the next in a series of Landsat satellites which have collected data of the Earth's continental surface to support global change research and application for more than 30 years. It will continue to obtain valuable data and imagery to be used in agriculture, education, business, science, and government.
#010 Latest News of THEOS - Thailand Earth Observation System
Based on the cooperation agreement between both the Governments of Thailand and France, the Thailand Earth Observation System (THEOS) program has been established. The THEOS satellite is the first high-resolution Earth observation satellite for Thailand to be operated by a Thai public organization, Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA).









#011 RIVF'07 Hanoi Vietnam-March 5-9
The 5th International Conference on Research, Innovation and Vision for the Future (RIVF'07) was held at Hanoi University of Technology, Vietnam from March 5 - 9, 2007.
This conference provided an interactive, professional, and friendly forum for sharing results of research, and progress had made towards future innovative applications of information and communication sciences & technologies.










#012 A Two-Sister Team of Thailand Performed "Zero-Gravity Flight Experiment" in Japan
Thai students participated in the "Zero-Gravity* Flight Experiment Contest" organized by JAXA. This was the first challenge for students in the Asia-Pacific region to experience the "Zero-Gravity" flight as an international cooperation project.
#013 The 5th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, Vietnam - May 17 - 18, 2007
Since 2002, the Mekong Flood Forum has been conducted every year by the Mekong River Commission (MRC). The forum provides opportunities for managers, planners, practitioners and scientists from riparian states, international organizations, and civil society organizations to meet and share experiences and information regarding flood issues and identify ways to improve flood management taking a balanced regional and holistic approach.
#014 The workshop on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Himalayan Region - Sharing Knowledge and Bridging Gaps" Nepal - May 9 - 11, 2007
Sixty key disaster management practitioners from Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan met from May 9 to 11, 2007, in Kathmandu during a workshop organized by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) to share knowledge and experiences on "Social Inclusion in Disaster Risk Reduction in the Himalayan Region."
.
#015 Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in Asia and the Pacific (CSSTEAP)
Affiliated with the United Nations
In resolutions 45/72 of December 11, 1990 and 50/27 of December 6, 1995, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed the recommendation of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUS) that regional centres for space science and technology education should be established in developing countries on the basis of affiliation with the United Nations.
.
#016 Bangladeshi Student Selected for Zero-Gravity Flight

One Bangladeshi student has been selected for Zero Gravity Flight 2007 by the World Space Week Association based in Houston, USA, an affiliated organization of the United Nations engaged in creating Space awareness among the students among the world.
.

#017 CubeSat Project in College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Japan

The students in Nihon University have developed a type of nanosatellite called a CubeSat, which measures 10 cubic centimeters and weighs 1 kg. The satellite is called SEEDS (Space Engineering Education Satellite). As its name implies, the purpose of developing SEEDS was to give the students a practical education in space engineering.

#018 The Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) 2007, Japan

The Asian Conference on Disaster Reduction (ACDR) 2007, was held in Astana, Republic of Kazakhstan from June 25 to 27, 2007.
The conference presented and reviewed significant accomplishments, noteworthy achievements, and good practices in disaster risk reduction at local, regional, national, and international levels, and concluded to address further concerns and challenges.

#019 Snow Leopard Update from Dr. Tom McCarthy: Radio noise hampers satellite-based study of snow leopards in Asia

According to the information of Dr Tom McCarthy, the Director of Snow Leopard Trust Conservation, now the study has faced difficulty due to the signal from the collar not being received by the Argos satellites. The signal from the 0.5 watt transmitter on the collar is being drowned out by background radio noise at the same frequency that is dedicated to the Argos satellites.

#020 The 6 small satellites will be launched onboard the H-IIA rocket in summer 2008, Japan

From 2008, JAXA will use the opportunity of the H-IIA launch to give commercial industries, universities and other organizations a chance to launch small satellites (between 1 kg and 50 kg). JAXA will share the experiences and technologies relating to orbit demonstration that will be gathered by the commercial industries and universities. JAXA aims to expand future applications of space development by using small satellites in Japan, and contribute to education in universities and nurture talented persons.

#021 INSAT-4CR, a communications satellite successfully launched in India

India's Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV-F04) successfully launched the INSAT-4CR satellite on September 2, 2007 at 6:20 p.m. from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, SHAR (SDSC SHAR), in Sriharikota. GSLV-F04 placed India's INSAT-4CR into a geo-synchronous transfer orbit (GTO). This was the fifth time GSLV has flown and was the fourth successful flight.

#022 AOGS (Asia Oceania Geoscience Society) 2007, 4th Annual Meeting, Thailand, July 30 - August 4

The fourth annual meeting of the Asia Oceania Geoscience Society 2007 was held from July 30 to August 4, 2007, in Bangkok, Thailand, together with 1,183 participants from 53 countries and regions.

#023 Selecting students in India to participate in Water Rocket Competition in APRSAF-14

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will be hosting the 14th Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF-14) in Bangalore in November 2007. On the eve of this forum and also as part of celebrations of the 50th Anniversary of the Space Age, a 'Water Rocket Making and Launching Event' will be held in Bangalore for students from the Asia-Pacific countries.

#024 Selecting students in Japan to participate in water rocket competition at APRSAF-14

The Space Education Center of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has selected some Japanese teams to participate in the water rocket competition and have international exchange with representative teams from other Asian countries in APRSAF-14, which will be held in Bangalore, India from November 23 to 25, 2007.

#025 Snow Leopard Update from Dr. Tom McCarthy: Discovering the cause of the previous difficulties

According to Dr. Tom McCarthy, the Director of the Snow Leopard Trust, the attenuation of the original collar of Ms Bayed has been measured (at an average of 9-10 db), and this attenuation arose simply from the collar being placed on a living organism. The attenuation was measured using a container the size of a snow leopard's neck, filling it with tissue equivalent liquid (TEL) (47% sugar, 2% salt, 51% water), and placing it in an anechoic test chamber.

#026 Asia-Pacific Satellite Communications Council (APSCC) 2007 Satellite Conference and Exhibition September 18-20, 2007

This event was held at Millennium Hilton from September 18-20 in Bangkok, Thailand together with over 350 professionals from the satellite and space-related industries and marked its prestige as the most premier satellite event in the Asia-Pacific region.

#027 KAGUYA (SELENE) is successfully injected into lunar orbit and takes images of the Earth

KAGUYA is a lunar explorer that was launched on September 14, 2007 (JST) from the Tanegashima Space Center in the south of Japan, and which has satisfactorily flown toward the Moon.

#028 Malaysia's first astronaut goes into space, October 10, Malaysia

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Mustapha, Malaysia's first astronaut, lifted off on board a Russian Soyuz 15-S rocket with American astronaut Peggy Whitson, the ISS7S new commander, and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan, at 9.21 pm Malaysia time on October 10.He is the first Muslim to go into the space during the fasting month of Ramadan and he will observe the dawn-to-dusk fasting rules during Ramadan, before Aidilfitri (the Malay term for the Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr).

#029 Activities in the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Space Education Center
In May 2005, JAXA established a space education center in Japan to assist young people in their development as human beings. To reach out to a large number of children, the center works closely with school teachers by providing some of them with direct, customized support and others with indirect support. The center is gradually expanding its partnership with entities outside Japan, making the maximum use of the existing cooperation frameworks for space activities. The recent efforts of the center to promote water rockets and CanSat activities offer good examples of creating such synergies and supporting the objectives set by multiple mechanisms for cooperation in space education.
#030 Probabilistic Forecast of Killer Electron Alert in Geosynchronous Orbit

"Killer electrons" are high-energy electrons in the Van Allen radiation belts and they can damage satellites in a geostationary orbit or cause them to malfunction. Forecasting fluctuations in the volume of killer electrons is therefore scientifically very important. Dr. Yoshizumi Miyoshi, assistant professor at Nagoya University, and Dr. Ryuho Kataoka, a special postdoctoral researcher at RIKEN, have developed the world's first space weather forecast which forecasts the fluctuation in the volume of killer electrons using a probability method.

#031 Workshop on Application of Satellite Rainfall Estimation in the Himalayan Region of the Hindu Kush, Nepal, October 1-5

This workshop was organized by the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) in Kathmandu, Nepal from October 1 to 5 to improve the estimation of rainfall in the Himalayan region of the Hindu Kush, aiming to improve the forecasting of floods and monitoring of droughts using advanced remote sensing tools.

#032 58th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), India, September 24-28

The IAC is an annual forum designed to offer space professionals from around the world the opportunity to meet and share information on current and future projects. The 58th session of the IAC, with the theme "Touching Humanity: Space for Improving the Quality of Life," was hosted by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Astronautical Society of India (ASI) at Hyderabad, India from September 24 to 28. More than 2,000 space professionals, journalists and students engaged in space activities from all over the world participated in this session.

#033 Regional Workshop on Innovative Approaches to Flood Risk Reduction in the Mekong Basin, Thailand, October 17 - 19

This workshop organized by the Mekong River Commission(MRC), Asian Disaster Preparedness Center(ADPC) and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit(GTZ) was held on from October 17 to 19 at Charoen Thani Princes Hotel , Khon Kaen, (Northwest of Thailand) with 120 participants from 16 countries.

#034 The 3rd APRSAF Water Rocket Event

As the joint educational activities for primary and secondary school students and teachers, the series of APRSAF-14 side events (APRSAF Poster Contest and APRSAF Water Rocket Event) were successfully held, initiated by APRSAF Space Education Working Group.(India, 21-24 November.

#035 Introduction of Malaysia Space Center and status of RazakSAT


The Malaysia Space Center, under the National Space Agency of Malaysia (ANGKASA), is a complex built on 400 acres of land in Banting, about 40 km south-west of Kuala Lumpur. Currently, two facilities have been completed, the Mission Operation Centre (MOC) and the Optical Calibration Lab.

#036 Introduction of "Future Coasts: Preparing Victoria's Coast for Climate Change" Project in Australia.

The state government started a project on August 27, 2007 as a two-year program implemented with the Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) that aims to provide a much better understanding of the risks of rising sea levels and stronger storm surges.

#037 Lunar explorer KAGUYA: Initial Check of Mission Instruments With First Light Images

KAGUYA (SELENE) is a lunar explorer that was launched on September 14, 2007 from Japan. On October 18, 2007, it was injected into a lunar orbit about 100 km above the surface of the Moon (Japan Standard Time). After successfully being injected into its observation orbit, the functions of KAGUYA's 15 observation missions were verified as part of the initial checks that are to be performed until the middle of December 2007.

#038 The 1st Asia-Pacific Water Forum, Oita Prefecture, Japan - December 3 - 4

The 1st Asia Pacific Water Forum was held in Oita Prefecture, Japan from December 3 to 4, 2007 focusing on three priority themes and attended by around 300 heads of state and government representatives from 49 countries and regions around the world.

#039 JICA Study Session - Monitoring the Environment and Disasters from Space - Japan, November 15, 2007

Since 2005, the Social Development Department of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has organized study sessions on how to use information and communications technology (ICT). In these study sessions, lectures are held in JICA's Tokyo office and broadcast to JICA offices all over the world.

#040 Observation of Amazon Rainforest by Japanese Earth observation satellite ALOS

The 13th Conference of Parties (COP13) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) was held in Bali, Indonesia from December 3 to 14, 2007.
As one of the presentations, Dr. Masanobu Shimada, Research Field Leader of Japan Exploration Agency (JAXA) use PALSAR data from ALOS.

#041 New Year Message from the APRSAF member's countries for activities in 2008


Dr. Mustafa Din Subari (ANGKASA)
Dr. Chin-Young Hwang (KARI)
Dr. Jose Edgardo L. Aban (STCC-COSTA)
Dr. Pham Anh Tuan (STI)
Dr. Vichit Satharanond (GISTDA)
Dr. Miriam Baltuck (CSIRO)
Mr. Basanta Shrestha (MENRIS, ICIMOD)

#042 Report on the Asian conference on Remote Sensing (ACRS) 2007 by Ms. Salmah BINTI KASIM (MACRES, Malaysia)

ACRS2007 was successfully held from November 12 to 16, 2007 at Kuala Lumpur. This is the third time that Malaysia has hosted this event.

#043 Pacific Islands GIS/RS User Conference, Fiji -December 4-7, 2007

The Pacific Islands GIS and RS User Conference were held in Suva from December 4 to 7 last year at the lower campus of the University of the South Pacific. About 200 people from more than 20 different countries attended the conference.

#044 Report on the Mountain GIS e-Conference, Nepal - January 14 - 25, 2008, by Mr. Paribesh Pradhan, a member of the organizing team of the conference

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Mountain Forum Secretariat (MFS), located in the Himalayan region, organized a two-week virtual conference on "Promoting Geographic Information and Earth Observation Applications for the Sustainable Development of the Hindu Kush-Himalayan Region"

#045 Naro Space Center in South Korea

The Naro Space Center, started as part of a national space development program, is now beginning to take shape on Oenaro Island off the southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula. Korea's first space center will cover almost five million square meters (53,375,000 sq. ft) of land.

#046 Start of the delivery mission for Japanese Experiment Module Kibo

Space Shuttle Endeavour, with JAXA astronaut Takao Doi onboard, was successfully launched at 3:28 p.m. (Japan Standard Time) on March 11.
The 1J/A (STS-123) is the first Kibo delivery mission to the International Space Station (ISS), and the Experiment Logistics Module Pressurized Section (ELM-PS) of Kibo was attached to the ISS on March 14.

#047 [[Series 1: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]] Introduction of PRISM
JAXA plans to launch the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT), together with six small piggyback satellites, in the summer of 2008.
The launch date has not been determined yet, but the project leaders of each small satellite are preparing to launch their satellites this summer season.
#048Operation Schedule of Kizuna (WINDS) and Experimental Plans in the Asia-Pacific Region
The Wideband InterNetworking engineering test and Demonstration Satellite (WINDS), also known as Kizuna, was launched on February 23, 2008, and JAXA has successfully completed the deployment of multi-beam antennas onboard Kizuna at the end of a series of critical phase operations conducted on March 1, 2008.
#049 LAPAN-TUBSAT Video Under Extensive Study For Land Use Applications
LAPAN is still under extensive study with regards to how to use LAPAN-TUBSAT video. Video frames have been stitched together to give an image of a wider area and also georeference the data.
#050 Forum on "Sustaining Water Cycle for Disaster Risk Reduction"
October 10, 2007, Japan
The forum, a commemorative public forum on the 20th anniversary of the foundation of the Japanese Association of Hydrological Sciences (JAHS) and international day for Disaster Reduction 2007, was held at the United Nations University, Tokyo on October 10, 2007 with around 100 participants.
#051 [[Series 2: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]]
Introduction of SORUNSAT-1 (Kagayaki)
As the second article in this series, the APRSAF secretariat interviewed Mr. Hiroshi Saegusa, project manager of small satellites (SORUNSAT-1) at Sorun Corp., to learn about the current developmental status of SORUNSAT-1 and his determination to develop it.
#052 JAXA GOSAT Project Team
The Greenhouse gas Observing SATellite (GOSAT) is designed to observe the global distribution of greenhouse gases from space, and is expected to contribute to international efforts for the prevention of global warming by acquiring the current absorption and emission levels of greenhouse gases.
#053 The Second GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium
- The role of Earth observations in tackling climate change -
 
#054 VINASAT-1 Successful Launch, April 18, 2008 - Vietnam
Vietnam's first communications satellite, VINSAT-1, was successfully launched at 22:17 GMT on April 18, 2008, aboard an Ariane 5 carrier rocket from Kourou, French Guiana.

Comment from the vice director of the Space Technology Institute (STI) and the head of the Mechatronics Department of the Institute of Mechanics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology Dr. Pham Anh Tuan.
#055 [[Series 3: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]] Introduction of STARS
The Kagawa Satellite Project started in January 2005, led mainly by the staff of the Nohmi Laboratory in the department of engineering at Kagawa University.
In May 2007, STARS was selected as one of the candidates of small satellites to be launched by JAXA's H-IIA rocket together with the main satellite GOSAT, which is scheduled to be launched in 2008.
#056 [[Series 4: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]] Introduction of SOHLA
In summer 2008, Space Oriented Higashiosaka Leading Association (SOHLA)'s satellite SOHLA-1 will be launched together with five other small piggyback satellites.
#057 Asia-Pacific Workshop on Carbon Cycle Observations
The Asia-Pacific Workshop on Carbon Cycle Observations (APWSCCO) was held from March 17 to March 19, 2008 at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) in Tsukuba, Japan.
This workshop aimed to discuss how to develop a comprehensive and integrated climate change observation system in the Asia-Pacific region that takes user needs into consideration.
#058 [[Series 1: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]]
- SEEDS 2, Nihon University, Japan-
ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C9, successfully launched the Indian remote-sensing satellite CARTOSAT-2A, the Indian Mini Satellite (IMS-1) and eight nanosatellites for international customers (from six countries, including SEEDS 2 from Japan) at 12:53:51 (Japan time) on April 8, 2008 from the south of India.
#059 The Fist Joint Project Team Meeting for Sentinel Asia for Step Two
(1st JPTM for SA2)
-Comments from Participants-


Dr. Masanori Honma (JAXA)
Mr. Koji SUZUKI (ADRC)
Mr. Kazuhiko Fukami (ICHARM)
Prof. Masami FUKUDA (University of Alaska)
Mr. A. Z. MD. Zabedul Islam (SPARRSO)
Dr. Ganesha Raj Kasaregod (ISRO)
Dr. Hyo-Suk Lim (KARI)
Mr. U. Thein Tun (Myanmar)
Mr. Durgendra Man Kayastha (Nepal Survey Department)
Dr. Suvit Vibulsresth (GISTDA)

Dr. Darasri Dowreang (GISTDA)

Dr. Nguyen Dinh Duong (VAST)
Mr. Guoxiang Wu (UNESCAP)

#060 [[Series 2: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]]
- Cute-1.7 + APD II, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan -

Cute-1.7 + APD II is a nanosatellite weighing 3 kg and with a volume of 10 cm x 15 cm x 20 cm that was developed by the Matsunaga Laboratory in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

#061 [[Series 3: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]]
- COMPASS-1 Aachen University of Applied Science, Germany -
Mr.Artur Scholz, the Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Germany

COMPASS-1 wants to emphasize the universities' vital role in space business, by providing modern, innovative and cost-effective solutions for scientific and commercial missions within an educational framework.

#062 [[Series 5: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]]
Introduction of KKS-1

Studens of the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology completed the engineering model of the KKS-1 satellite, received the safety check in JAXA on July 25, 2008, and safely passed that check.
At present they are manufacturing the Flight Model of KKS-1.

#063 Seminar on 39th Anniversary of the First Landing on the Moon

A Seminar on the 39th Anniversary of first Landing on Moon, organized by Bangladesh Astronomical Society was held on 20 July, 2008. On July 20, 1969, US Astronaut Neil Armstrong, the Commander of NASA's Apollo-11 Lunar Mission, had stepped down on the surface of Moon as the first man of the world at 2.17 am Bangladesh Time and made a history for the mankind by landing on a celestial object beyond our Earth.

#064 Partial Solar Eclipse Observed in Bangladesh

On 1st August, 2008 Bangladesh Astronomical Society (BAS) and the National Museum of Science and Technology (NMST) jointly organized a Solar Eclipse Observation Camp. It was a Total Solar Eclipse which started from Canada, traversed over the North Atlantic, Greenland, Arctic, Central Russia and ended up at China. From Bangladesh this Eclipse was observed partially.

#065 Celebrating 25 years of ICIMOD

On December 5, 2008, the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) will mark its 25th anniversary of working for mountains and people in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. ICIMOD is celebrating its silver jubilee with a year-long series of events focused on raising awareness of the effects of climate change and the need to enhance the adaptation and resilience of mountain communities.

#066 [[Series 4: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]] - IMS-1, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India-

The first mission of the Indian Mini Satellite Series, IMS-1 has been developed taking advantage of the improvements in technology and miniaturization. The satellite bus has the capability of carrying various payloads addressing applications in remote sensing, communication and space science.

#067 Report of the United Nations/Indonesia Regional Workshop on
Integrated Space Technology Applications for Water Resource Management, Environmental Protection and Disaster Vulnerability Mitigation
July 7 -11, 2008, Indonesia

The United Nations/Indonesia Regional Workshop on Integrated Space Technology Applications for Water Resource Management, Environmental Protection and Disaster Vulnerability Mitigation was held in Jakarta, Indonesia, from July 7 to 11, 2008.
More than 100 people from the following countries and the Office for Outer Space Affairs attended the workshop: Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Laos, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Thailand, and Vietnam.

#068 [[Series 6: Introduction of the Current Status of Small Japanese Satellites]]
Introduction of SPRITE-SAT, Tohoku University

The SPRITE-SAT project was started based on collaboration between the graduate school of science, responsible for the science equipment, and the graduate school of engineering, responsible for the satellite bus, in Tohoku University in 2003.

#069 Water Rocket Competition and Workshop, Indonesia -Introducing Basic Knowledge of Rockets for Students-

The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (LAPAN) in cooperation with the Science and Technology Display Center (PP Iptek) has held meetings to do with the water rocket manufacturing process for junior high school students all over Indonesia. This activity aims to teach students about the basic knowledge of water rockets.

#070 World Space Week 2008 Celebrated at Enayetpur, Bangladesh

World Space Week is a program of the United Nations aimed at creating space awareness among school students, and it is being celebrated every year in October in about 52 countries around the world. Since 2003, Bangladesh has been participating in this celebration and Bangladesh's main event of this program is held in Enayetpur..

#071 [[Series 5: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]]
AAUSAT-II, a Danish Student Satellite

Engineering students from Aalborg University students have constructed a picosize satellite - AAUSAT-II. It was launched on April 28, 2008 from Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India. It was built between 2003 and 2007 at Aalborg University. More than 150 students (Danish as well as visiting students) from different master specializations participated in this multi-disciplinary cross-educational project.

#072 [[Series 6: PSLV Successfully Launched Ten Satellites]] Delfi-C3, Delft University of Technology

At Delft University of Technology, students and staff have worked for three years on the nano-satellite Delfi-C3.  On 28 of April 2008, Delfi-C3 was launched from Sriharikota in India as piggy back launch.

#073 The 15th Session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum
-Comments from Working Group Co-Chairs and Host Countries-

Dr. Takashi Moriyama (EOWG/JAXA, Japan)
Prof. Tran Manh Tuan (EOWG/STI, Vietnam)
Mr. Hiroki Kohhata (CSAWG/JAXA, Japan)
Dr. Vu Van San (CSAWG/MIC, Vietnam)
Dr. Takashi Kubota (SEAWG/Jaxa, Japan)
Dr. Doan Minh Chung (SEAWG/STI, Vietnam)
Mr. Tetsuo Tanaka (SEUWG/JAXA, Japan)
Dr. Pham Anh Tuan (SEUWG/STI, Japan)
Host Country: APRSAF-14 (ISRO, India)
Host Country: APRSAF-15 (VAST, Vietnam)
Dr. Thongchai Charuppat (GISTDA, Thailand)

#074 The Current Situation of THEOS
Thailand has benefited enormously from space technology over decades. Its activities are related to earth observation, communications and science. With the aim of fulfill Thai user's requirement on earth observation field, the THEOS program was initiated at July, 2004 under the responsibility and developed by the Thai space agency GISTDA (Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency) with EADAS ASTRIUM, France as prime contractor.
#075 New Year Message from the APRSAF member's countries for activities in 2009
Dr. Miriam Baltuck (CSIRO, Australia)
Mr. Pramod Pradhan (NITI, Nepal)
General Dr. Vichit Satharanond (GISTDA, Thailand)
Dr. Chin-Young Hwang (KARI, Korea)
#076 Two Years of LAPAN-TUBSAT Operating in Orbit, Indonesia
January 2009 is making the 2 years of LAPAN-TUBSAT operating in orbit. LAPAN-TUBSAT is the micro satellite developed by Indonesia Aeronautics and Space Institute (LAPAN) in cooperation with Technische Universität Berlin, which is launched on January 2007.
#077 Kazakhstan Participated in APRSAF for the First Time
In APRSAF-15, held in Vietnam in December 2008, there were six participants from Kazakhstan. This was the first time for Kazakhstan to participate in the forum.
One of the Kazakhstani participants, Dr. Talgat Mussabayev, Chairman of National Space Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan, wrote about his experience of APRSAF-15.
#078 Bangladesh Participates In IYA-2009 Opening Ceremony In Paris
On January 15-16, the opening ceremony of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. A two-member delegation from Bangladesh participated in this opening ceremony. The members were Dr. A. R. Khan, President of the Bangladesh Astronomical Society and Mr. F. R. Sarker, General Secretary of the Bangladesh Astronomical Society and Single Point of Contact (SPoC) of IYA2009 for Bangladesh.
#079 445th Birth Anniversary of Galileo Galilei Celebrated in Bangladesh
On February 15, 2009 the 445th anniversary of the birth of eminent astronomer and father of modern science, Galileo Galilei, was celebrated in Bangladesh. On an initiative of the Bangladesh Astronomical Society, the National Museum of Science and Technology, Bangladesh (NMST), organized a day-long program including a seminar, exhibition, and video presentation in its auditorium.
#080 Main elements of Kazakhstan's space development by Dr. T. Mussabayev, Prof M. Moldabekov
Space activity on a global scale is constantly developing as a source of innovative technologies, actually in all areas of modern life. Many industries and services of the world have a direct dependence on the development of space activity. Thus, many countries of the world, including those in the Asian-Pacific region, are consistently increasing their scientific and industrial potential in this sphere, confidently and actively developing space technologies.
#081 Watching the Earth Breathe From Space
~ Successful Launch of IBUKI (GOSAT) ~
The Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite "IBUKI" (GOSAT) was launched successfully by the Japanese H-IIA Launch Vehicle, Flight No. 15 (H-IIA F15), at 12:54 p.m. on January 23, 2009 (Japan Standard Time, JST).
IBUKI is the world's first satellite dedicated to measuring greenhouse gases.
#082 The Third GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium
Data Sharing for Transverse GEOSS
-Comments form Organizer & Parallel Sessions' Co-chairs-
From February 4 to 6, 2009, the Third GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium "Data Sharing for Transverse GEOSS" (3rd GEOSS AP Symposium) was held at the Kyoto Research Park in Japan. The symposium was organized by the secretariat of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) with the support of the Japanese government. Over 250 participants from 33 countries attended the symposium.
#083 Report on current operational status of small satellite "SOHLA-1"
The Space Oriented Higashiosaka Leading Association of Japan (SOHLA) confirmed that SOHLA-1 was launched as a piggyback satellite with the Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite "IBUKI" (GOSAT) by H-IIA Launch Vehicle No. 15 at 12:54 p.m. on January 23, 2009 (Japan Standard Time) from the Tanegashima Space Center. Further, it was confirmed that the satellite was working well at 14:36 according to S-band communication between SOHLA-1 and the Tanegashima Tracking and Communication Center of JAXA.
#084 ICIMOD Celebrates 25 Years of Working for Mountains and People
In 2008, ICIMOD celebrated 25 years of working for mountains and people in the Hindu Kush-Himalayan region. A series of activities and events were held starting in April 2008 on the themes of resilience and the Hindu Kush-Himalayan people's adapting to climate change, and promotion of sustainable mountain development. The celebrations culminated with a week-long series of events from December 1 to 6, built around the actual anniversary day of ICIMOD's foundation on December 5.
#085 The WINDS "KIZUNA" Symposium and Workshop 2009
Comments from Participants
On February 24, 2009, the WINDS "KIZUNA" (Japanese satellite) Symposium and Workshop 2009 was organized by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) with the support of the Japanese government to discuss the topic of "Toward new and closer bonds in the Asia-Pacific region by using WINDS".
A total of 277 participants from 13 countries (Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Lao PDR, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Federated States of Micronesia, and the USA (Hawaii)) attended the symposium.
#086 GEO Call for Proposals - Earth Observations in Decision Support
Last month, the Group on Earth Observations (GEO, www.earthobservations.org) issued a Call for Proposals "Earth Observations in Decision Support."
#087 APRSAF POSTER CALENDAR 2009
This calendar is published by the Asia-Pacific Regional Space Agency Forum (APRSAF) Space Education and Awareness Working Group, which encourages the use of space materials to enhance education for young people and aims to stimulate intellectual curiosity and passion of young people through their involvement with space activities.
#088 ABDUL JABBAR ASTRONOMY WORKSHOP STARTS IN DHAKA
On April 26, 2009 a workshop on astronomy started at the Jamil Sarwar Trust Auditorium in Dhaka. It was arranged by the "Celebration Committee of International Year of Astronomy 2009, Bangladesh."
#089 Report on current operational status of small satellite "KUKAI"("STARS")
By Dr. Masahiro Nohmi, Associate Professor at Kagawa University
"STARS" is a technical name that stands for Space Tethered Autonomous Robotic Satellite and consists of a mother satellite (called KU) and a daughter satellite (called KAI), and we now call it "KUKAI" as a nickname.
#090 Snow Leopard Update from Dr. Tom McCarthy: Update of Pakistan Project and Introduction of New Project in Mongolia
 
The Snow Leopard Trust (SLT) was established in 1981. The SLT research projects using GPS collars were initiated in 2006 to support the conservation of the snow leopard in Asia. It uses GPS collars to locate and study the home range and movement corridors of snow leopards. Dr. Tom McCarthy, "Managing Director of Field Programs" of the SLT, and his team members post updates on their activities on the APRSAF website."
#091 Report on Current Status of Small Satellite "Kagayaki"
Mr. Hiroshi Saegusa, project manager of the small satellite Kagayaki at Sorun Corp., reports on the current status of Kagayaki.
Kagayaki was launched as one of six piggyback satellites with the Japanese Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite (GOSAT) by H-IIA Launch Vehicle on January 23, 2009 from the Tanegashima Space Center.
The main mission of Kagayaki is to connect the dreams of children who have intractable diseases or are disabled, and the dreams of their families, with space.
#092 7th Annual Mekong Flood Forum (AMFF-7) FORUM STATEMENT
About 120 participants - including those from the Mekong River Commission (MRC) Member Countries of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam and their National Mekong Committees and line agencies, Dialogue Partners: China and Myanmar, regional and international scientists and experts, and representatives of international and national civil society organizations - attended the 7th Annual Mekong Flood Forum, 13 and 14 May 2009, Bangkok, Thailand. The Forum was organised by the MRC Regional Flood Management and Mitigation Centre (MRC-RFMMC) in cooperation with the Thai National Mekong Committee. The theme was 'Integrated flood risk management in the Mekong River Basin'.
#093 Introduction to RazakSAT (Malaysia's remote sensing satellite)
RazakSAT is scheduled to be launched from Kwajalein Atoll, an island located in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, U.S.A. on July 14, 2009 using a Falcon 1 launcher developed by SpaceX. RazakSAT is a small Low Equatorial Orbit (LEO) satellite that carries the electro-optical payload of a Medium-sized Aperture Camera (MAC) - a pushbroom camera with 5 linear detectors (1 panchromatic, 4 multi-spectral).
#094 STAR eNews VOL. 1 (April 3, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#095 STAR eNews VOL. 2 (April 17, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#096 STAR eNews VOL. 3 (April 30, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#097 STAR eNews VOL. 4 (June 4, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#098 Satellite Communications in Mongolia
The Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA) has been established under the auspices of the Prime Minister of Mongolia in 2004. Its main purpose is to coordinate and facilitate the ICT development in Mongolia.
 
#099 STAR eNews VOL.5(June 30, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#100 STAR eNews VOL.6(September 29, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#101 IAC2009, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
The 60th International Astronautical Congress 2009 Daejeon, Korea (IAC 2009 Daejeon) was successfully held from 12 to 16 October 2009. The APRSAF Secretariat participated in the congress and exhibited a booth to introduce APRSAF activities.
#102 6 small satellites launched and 4 small satellites to be launched by H-IIA
“The Second Joint Workshop on Small Satellite” was held in the Campus Innovation Center Tokyo, in Tamachi, Tokyo, Japan on 9 November, 2009. The 4-hour workshop programme included 6 reports on small satellites piggybacked on GOSAT, 4 presentations of small satellites to be launched with PLANET-C in 2010, free discussion and so on.
#103 APRSAF-16 WELCOME TO BANGKOK! (Contributed by GISTDA)
Following our latest message of hosting the APRSAF-16 in Thailand, GISTDA is pleased to welcome all prospective participants to Bangkok. The conference will take place during 26 - 29 January, 2010 at the hotel Sofitel Centara Grand Bangkok. This five star hotel is located in an area easily accessible by public transportation.
#104 THEOS data distribution (Contributed by GISTDA)
 
After the launch of THEOS on 1 October, 2008, GISTDA is now ready for its data distribution. The three standard imagery products, namely System Corrected Level (1A), Geo- Corrected Level (2A), and Pan-sharpened, are now available. The value-added products, namely Stereo Image, Ortho Images as well as the Digital Elevation Model will be available in the near future.
#105 STAR eNews VOL.7 (December 22, 2009)
Satellite Technology for the Asia Pacific Region
 
#106 New Year Message from the APRSAF member's countries for activities in 2010
Dr. Michael Green (Australian Government)
Dr. Chin-Young Hwang (KARI, Korea)
#107 New Building for the STAR Program Fully Constructed
The APRSAF Secretariat visited Mr. Masanobu Tsuji, Senior JAXA Engineer, at the STAR program office in the JAXA Sagamihara Campus in February 2010. A new building for the program has now been fully constructed.
 
 
 

 

 

 


Copyright (c) 2004 Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, All rights reserved Site Policy