Space notes from Bee

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:35:00 +0000

Note to all readers:

Bee's blog has moved! Its gone an orbit around the Sun and landed at her new startup's blog page: Our World at Big On Good. Please come along and check it out!

Blog address: www.bigongood.wordpress.com

Q. What has Bee been upto lately?
After a number of years of consulting, Bijal’s most recent venture is Big On Good Solutions, focused on delivering bespoke engineering and design services harnessing the unique abilities of modular, swarm driven robotics, algorithms and looking at cutting edge cluster behaviours. Big On Good looks for answers to some of the most important questions that will shape better futures for all of us with specialities in process and product design, business strategy, quantitative analysis and operations.

I welcome you to www.bigongood.com

Congratulations for the launch of Anusat

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 08:27:00 +0000

Pradeep Mohandas wrote on India Space List yesterday:
"Yesterday morning, ISRO launched two satellites on board the fourteenth flight of the PSLV, PSLV-C12. In the first launch after the resounding success of Chandrayaan 1, ISRO launched two satellites -
RISAT-2 and ANUSAT.

There has been some confusion regarding the RISAT-2 and its end-user millitary application with media houses labelling it as a spy sat. The RISAT-2 is based on the configuration of the Israeli TecSAR, which
Antrix Corp had launched for Israel in 2008. RISAT-2 will enhance India's earth imaging capabilities by providing any weather Earth imagining. It can also aid disaster management and relief efforts during floods, cyclones etc. with images obtainable even during cloudy conditions.

The second satellite that was launched, ANUSAT, may excite and be of interest to members of this list. ANUSAT is India's first student built satellite to be launched into orbit. ANUSAT, weighing 40 kgs and costing Rs. 4 crores, was developed by the student and staff of Anna University, one of the prestigious universitites in India. It has been in development since 2003.

Both, RISAT-2 and ANUSAT were launched successfully. The 300 kg RISAT-2 was launched in a 550 km orbit first followed by the deployment of ANUSAT.

There are also several other Indian universities developing various classes of microsatellites. These have been receiving great encouragement and support from ISRO's Small Systems Satellite Division, ISAC.

We would like to congratulate the student and staff of Anna University for their success, thank ISRO for their continued support and hope that this is not the last student developed satellite that is placed
in orbit."

For more information:
1. ISRO Press Release: http://www.isro.gov.in/pressrelease/Apr20_2009.htm
2. ISRO PSLV-C12 integration and launch photos:
http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c12/photos/index.htm
3. ISRO brochure on the PSLV C-12, RISAT-2 and ANUSAT:
http://www.isro.gov.in/pslv-c12/C12RISATBrochure-3.pdf
4. ANUSAT: http://beswaminathan.googlepages.com/anusat

I had the privilege of hearing out the students as they presented their paper alongside my sister and students from ISU at the IAC2008 in Glasgow - and was very impressed! Well done and congratulations to the team and to ISRO!!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:35:00 +0000

Design, Theory and Activism

In a few steps - this is what I am working on with a bit of generalizing. More on current projects perhaps needs to be thrown light on here, but all in good time :-)

1) Define intended outcomes
2) Integrate subject matter experts
3) Partner with like minded organizations
4) Build sustainable community
5) Embrace 'wicked problems'
6) Maintain journalistic integrity
7) Measure transference of knowledge
8) Make it fun!

My team at work makes for great inspiration, which helps! :-)

More explaination on this soon.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Apologies to those who check here for updates. I have moved to microblogging on twitter - thats kinder on my RSI. You are more than welcome to follow my life's happenings there by following beethakore.

Ad Astra

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:15:00 +0000

A Celebration Bigger than Diwali for me!

Congratulations to ISRO for launching India's dream to the Moon. When you are a young kid in India, several people promise you the Moon, we address the Moon as 'Chanda Mama' - as our maternal uncle. The Moon is hence a part of every kid's family. Today, India finally got me and everyone Indian a taste of the excitement of what it is like to be exploring new worlds. The Moon is a start I hope and I would like to see ISRO, Indian industry and universities explore further and reach Mars and beyond.

Thank you to the dedicated team at ISRO that has been working non-stop on what was initially only envisioned in early 2004 as a 'program'. Paper studies had been done, but the budget line only appeared after that year. So, well done in accomplishing this mission.

Pradeep Mohandas has been blogging and tweetering as @Chandrayaan on twitter - you can follow his microblog there!

A few other noteworthy places to get information on the mission are:

ASI Student Chapter's website: http://www.indianspace.in
ISRO Press release: http://www.isro.gov.in/pressrelease/Oct22_2008.htm
www.chandrayaan-i.com
www.isro.org/chandrayaan/htmls/home.htm
www.isro.org/chandrayaan-1/
www.planetary.org/explore/topics/chandrayaan_1/
www.planetary.org/blog/ - Emily did a great job of following the webcast till the link broke through!

More to come.
This is bigger than diwali this year for me!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:04:00 +0000

Updates from the Board of Directors at The Planetary Society

Greetings to all from London!

Do you know of The Planetary Society? The Planetary Society has inspired millions of people to explore our worlds and search for the answers to the questions most pertinent to our place in the cosmos - is there life out there? how does the Earth work and sustain us all? how is it to live on Mars? what new technologies will allow us to ensure our a secure future for all of humanity? and the list goes on...

Established by Carl Sagan, Louis Friedman and Bruce Murray, The Planetary Society is the world's largest non-governmental planetary and space interest group.

With great joy I would like to share an update with you: I have recently been invited on to the Board of Directors of The Planetary Society! In my role as a Board Member, I shall provide input w.r.t the international focus as well as youth mandate via the significance of our work at Space Generation Advisory Council. I would like to represent all your collective voice and not just a personal one in my activities with TPS as I feel that this unique opportunity is an invitation for the youth to stop being a 'consumer' of our space programs. It is for us to become serious, reliable and equal partners in framing today's space policies and programs that will affect our future and make sure that they are strengthened by strong international collaborations. SGAC and TPS have valued each others' activities and have been partnering with the Planetary Society on various projects including the 50 Year Vision Project.

So, I extend this invitation to you to help us become these 'serious partners' that we talk of. My question to you IS: How can youth be more proactive in helping shape our space programs? These can be space programs for mapping Earth processes and understanding them better, for improving disaster management, for exploring new 'earths', to learn how to back up our biosphere, to become multi planet species and to bring about all the cutting-edge technologies that are needed to get there, etc. I invite your comments and suggestions on how we can finally go boldly where no one has been before!

Is it via more outreach? Is it via using our social networks and Web 2.0 tools? How would YOU do it?

I look forward to all your interesting thoughts!

Web Links:
The Planetary Society: http://planetary.org
New Board Members: http://www.planetary.org/news/2008/1021_James_Bell_Named_New_President_of_The.html
Planetary Society Board of Directors: http://www.planetary.org/about/board.html
Biography: http://planetary.org/about/bee_thakore.html

News Release:
The Planetary Society
65 N. Catalina Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91106-2301 (626) 793-5100 Fax (626) 793-5528
E-mail: tps@planetary.org Web: http://planetary.org

For Immediate Release: October 21, 2008
Contact: Susan Lendroth, 626-793-5100 ext 237

Global Economic Crisis Accentuates Need for Science, Earth Observations and Space Programs to Create a Positive Future
International Cooperation in These Endeavors is Imperative, Planetary Society Board of Directors State

Science is an imperative. Space is not a luxury. We cannot walk away from these endeavors without damaging our future on this planet.

In light of the economic turmoil currently roiling nations around the globe, The Planetary Society's Board of Directors believes that it is vital that we not lose sight of the importance and long-term economic benefit of maintaining a strong commitment to scientific research, including space exploration. Today the Board issued the following statement:

To safeguard humanity's home planet and better understand the universe that surrounds it, we need a vibrant and diverse space program, forged through global cooperation that shares the tasks, shares the benefits, and shares the costs. Whatever the immediate economic problems may be, we believe that strong space programs should continue to be important priorities for both the US and other nations.

From monitoring Earth from space to studying long-term climate change on other worlds, the space program enables scientists to paint the big picture - helping us to better understand the global forces that affect us all. No one nation alone benefits from better understanding that picture, and to paint it large and detailed enough, no one nation alone can bear the expense.

Space exploration programs not only provide a peaceful context for global engagement, but also contribute to skilled workforces and new technologies in participating nations, inspiring students to enter science and engineering fields. Observing Earth from space and understanding our planetary environment are as crucial to our survival as are the basics of a good economy.

As Voyager 1 prepared to leave our planetary neighborhood, Carl Sagan, co-founder of The Planetary Society, suggested the spacecraft be turned for one last look at its home planet. The resulting image of Earth as a single blue point of light gave us a profound new view of our world - from a perspective possible only through space exploration.

Sagan wrote, "It has been said that astronomy is a humbling and character-building experience. There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."

The Planetary Society's Board of Directors affirmed this statement in Boston, where they held their semi-annual meeting. Planetary scientist Jim Bell assumed the helm as the Society's new president, succeeding Neil deGrasse Tyson, whose term has ended. The Planetary Society also added two new board members: Alexis Livanos, corporate vice president and president of Northrop Grumman's Space Technology sector; and Bijal "Bee" Thakore, Regional Coordinator for Asia Pacific, Space Generation Advisory Council.

The Planetary Society's other Board members include Chairman Dan Geraci, Vice President Bill Nye, Heidi Hammel, Scott Hubbard, Wesley T. Huntress, Jr., Lon Levin, Chris McKay, Bruce Murray, Elon Musk, Joseph Ryan, Steven Spielberg and George Yancopoulos.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:18:00 +0000

@ IAC

I shall be attending the International Astronautical Congress in Glasgow. As every year, the most dynamic group of young space leaders will convene prior to the IAC on 25-27th September. I have Academy and Committee meetings on Sunday followed by the full opening of the IAC 2008!

The highlights amongst the normally super exciting opportunity to meet with all my friends and supporters from the Space world and to see the latest headlines in space research, commercial development and education/outreach would be:

- I am accompanied by young miss Tejal Thakore this year, who is also featuring in the IAC. It is the first time the Thakore Daughters get unleashed on the space world! Tejal will present her paper on NEO Threats at the IAC on the 30th of September.
- I am an invited panelist for the Planetary Society's Town Hall meeting on the future of Space Exploration. I shall be accompanied by Louis Friedman, Bill Nye (The Science Guy) and Steve Owens!
- The new IAF advisory committee on space and society will look at how IAF members can improve global coverage and help bridge the digital divide: a reception is open to all. For an invite, do contact thomas DOT bouvet AT iaf DOT org
- I present the Youth Visions for the Next 50 years in Space with a more indepth study and whats in store from that project on the 2nd of October.

Look me up in Glasgow or drop me a line here (or on facebook, twitter, etc) and I would love to meet up!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 08:09:00 +0000

What to see and find on the Moon?

I posted this note on facebook's 'notes' and received some response. GLXP was interested in having it on their discussions too, but I honestly do not know who follows this blog and who all are listening. I got some mind response to the post being very good but my curiosity stills wants to probe more...

Read along and please share with me what you want dusted off on the Moon:

"Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin left behind 66 items at Tranquillity Base, from their removable lunar overshoes (which actually stamped the iconic bootprints in the dust) to a “urine collection assembly, large” and sick bag (presumably unused — none of the Apollo 11 astronauts reported throwing up during the mission). Armstrong and Aldrin stuffed personal items in a large bag and threw it overboard just before leaving. Other objects still on the surface include tools; a TV camera, its stand, and cable; and a clothesline-like contraption for hoisting equipment back into the lander at the end of the moonwalk. The astronauts also left a mission patch memorializing the astronauts killed in the Apollo 1 launch pad fire; medals honoring Soviets Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space, and Vladimir Komarov, the first person to die during a space mission; a silicon disk etched with messages from world leaders; and a small, gold olive branch as a sign of peace." - Air&Space Mag, Sept issue.

And this is just Apollo 11. 6 other missions and all the metal Luna missions, experiments, and crashed spacecrafts had to offer!

I wonder what people from our generation would like to
1) See on the moon when GLXP robots get to historic sights
2) take to the moon when GLXP robots blast off, just like humans - something that reflects consciousness towards planetary protection...

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 11:36:00 +0000

What have you been upto!?

Blogging on here has had a pause for some while... but in the months that passed, some cool things have happened!

Quick update here:

* Hosting the Google Lunar X PRIZE Team summit at ISU was super cool. I love working with all at XPF and GLXP takes their efforts one step closer to where my heart lies. Euronews did a great feature of the event which captures the key players and their visions to the next step to becoming a 'off-the-planet' community

* I was also able to give a technical talk to the UN Committee of peaceful uses of outer space. You can see the statement and the presentation details here: http://www.spacegen.org/node/1998 and view the related photo album on here

* The summer highlight has been organizing the Space Odyssey Institute 2008 in Barcelona and working for a special project at ESAC - ESA's astronomy centre out in Villanueva de la Canada near Madrid!

I have just moved back to UK and started my own projects-based consultancy. My first client is LEGO and its super super exciting to work with a great team there (I keep thinking, won't they love it if I build a LEGO Spaceship?) More to come!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:34:00 +0000

Wow, writing almost after a year on this blog! Not sure if anyone still reads it, but here is an update (I have missed several in between, but nevermind) about my recent talk in the UK.

From SGAC News on the website:

The South West region of the UK with over 700 aerospace companies plays a key role in the British Aviation and Space Industry. Bee Thakore recently presented the visions of the world youth to members of the Royal Aeronautical Society, homing on what key areas can young people can work on and support UK's future activities in the space sector.

For Bee Thakore, SGAC's Asia-Pacific Regional coordinator, it felt like going to a second home. Bee started her career as an engineering trainee at AIRBUS UK and moved on to work for Rolls-Royce Defence Aerospace Ltd, both located in the Filton in the South-West of UK. The South-West has been home to over 700 aerospace companies and represents a powerhouse of highly skilled engineering, manufacturing and design workforces that have contributed significantly to British aviation and space fields. The South West is celebrating 100 years of British power flight in 2008, and the Royal Aeronautical Society has organized several talks that feature what lays ahead of us in the next 100... space travel comes to mind!?

The Royal Aeronautical Society, which is a multidisciplinary professional organisation for all members of the aerospace community organizes lectures, talks and events which act forums for exchanges of dialogue between different sub-sectors. The Bristol and south west branch of RAeS invited SGAC's Bee Thakore to give a talk on 'Space', Today, UK Space Industry is at a truly transformational stage and presents several opportunities for youth and experienced aerospace enthusiasts to shape UK's future in Space. Hence, Bee chose to talk about the Visions of youth for the next 50 years in space and how they can contribute to UK Space Industry. The BAWA Lecture hall 1 filled up with people at around 6.30 pm on the 12th of March and the enthusiastic audience listened with a lot of interest. There was an interesting dialogue during and after the talk both from the experienced and younger (student) members of the RAeS community.

You can find
- the poster for the talk
- the full talk given on the 12th of March 2008
Interested readers may find some additional information
- in the form of the Vision2025 document from UKSpace
- on the BNSC website

Please feel free to contact Bee Thakore for any questions and comments to the talk on bee(at)spacegeneration.org
What can YOU Do to play a role in the future?

Thank you to the RAeS for providing with this opportunity and to all the attendees for a thought provoking exchange of dialogue.
Ad Astra.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 12:24:00 +0000

Pictures of the President's visit
Still waiting for official images, but here is some pictorial evidence:
Waiting for his convoy to arrive!

Presenting him with the bouquet:

A brief chat:

I introduce the Indian students:

Photo courtesy: Didier. Merci Didier!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Fri, 27 Apr 2007 16:19:00 +0000

News Headlines!

Outlook India
Central Chronicle
Indian National network of Education
Aviation and Aerospace News
Google news links

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Thu, 26 Apr 2007 16:43:00 +0000

President of India, H E APJ Abdul Kalam visits ISU

As the staff and students went through repeated briefings of security protocols and checks, the excitement could hardly be contained within the small premises in Illkirch. The air was full of anticipation. As an Indian, and as someone who looks upon, this great scientist as one of her heros, I was honestly thrilled to be having Dr Kalam visit ISU. The added beauty of it was that we did not have to go forward and request a visit - he sought out ISU, and HE Requested a visit. In a personal talk to the faculty members, which I was involved in as well, he mentioned that he sees us an institute that has truly taken on the 'borderless nature' of space and put it to practice. This according to him, was the most attractive feature - here is where people, young people especially could learn to collaborate and understand how a truly international and interdisciplinary approach to a prolonged space program would come to fruition.

This visit presented a first of where a head of state had addressed our university in person. He spend time with myself, the only Indian member of staff, with one Indian student, 3 students and 1 staff member of Indian origin. He was very friendly and took upon us as equals, as scientists and space professionals that understood the burning desire of nations such as India, who are just surfacing to the rest of the world as fast growing space powers, who understood what challenges this included and what needed to be done to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.

I was honored to welcome him on behalf of all of the staff and students and present him with a bouquet. I got pictures with him, but we are still awaiting the official pictures - Watch this space! later on, I joined him and the Indian delegation that included the Shri Vilas Muttemwar, Indian Central minister for non conventional energy sources, Prof Ranjan, Prof N Balakrishnan, Shri Narayan Moorthi, Shri Ranjan Mathai who is the ambassador of India to France and several other Members of Parliament, Presidential guests and Secretaries of State. During this 'private' meeting, the President appreciated the unique aspects of the ISU Curriculum and suggested key areas he would like to be addressed and embraced in further detailed studies and TPs.

once again, it was great to hear this from him!

Then he took time to address and interact with the students and staff of ISU as well as some other members of the Indian community who had traveled from far and wide to meet the First Citizen of India. During his address, he modified his Boston University talk (which he did not expect us to know in the detail we did!) and talked about Creative leadership. He emphasized the importance of connectivity and introduced the excellent initiative of the Pan-African e-network as well as the Virtual Universities established in India. With this connectivity leap, we are creating a leap-frog advancement in bridging the last-mile issues, also filling the niche for bridging the opportunity gap. Photo courtesy: Bala from India

All his ideas, his interaction and the warmth of his advise to ISU students and staff impressed every single person in the audience and were truly awe-inspiring. He also joked fondly with us. During his interaction, he remarked with weariness that one 'guy' had asked him 6 questions (well, not guy, but I confess, that was me! - I was only tiring to make sure we had lot more questions so that he could choose!) A detailed account of his address is on the president's website www.presidentofindia.nic.in .

In his interaction whilst answering our questions: He called out my name 'Bee Thakore' and asked me what my real name was - to which I replied 'Bijal, but everyone calls me 'Bee''. He joked with me, calling me 'a busy bee' and provided some very interesting feedback on how we can help create a better picture of tomorrow's space programs by helping today's youth.

*) Honorable President, thank you for visiting us at the International Space University. As an Indian and a space advocate, I am extremely proud of the achievements of the Indian Space activities in bridging the socio-economic gap that exists within our large urban and rural populations. In 2006, I attended the UN-IAF workshop on ?Use of Space Technology for Water Management? in Spain, which had a room full of Indian space experts who stunned the audience with their expertise and insights. Such forums are a great way to forward the know-how to other countries developing such capabilities. However, there are a vast amount of youth ? space students and professionals who would like to receive this information as well. How can young space advocates like us at ISU help disseminate this information to fellow youth in India and around the world? How can we help ISRO in its outreach?

- Bee Thakore, Teaching Associate for Masters in Space Studies, ISU from India.

Ans: I entirely agree with you that the vast number of youth ? space students and professionals should get to know of all relevant things that are happening in space technology and the way by which space technology contributes to the socio-economic developments.

The space scientists are the originators of the idea of long distance communication and they understand connecting people very well. I suggest that the young space advocates like all of you at ISU, should use the Internet, create your own websites, blogs and social networks and disseminate information within all of you and also to the common public and policy makers. The future of information dissemination is likely to be through the contributions of the community and through informal structures supported over the Internet, with no central authority, the information being reviewed, corrected and monitored by voluntary community efforts.

*) At several occasions you have talked regarding the socio-economic advances brought about in India by use of space applications. However, a problem of dissemination to the last mile still exists, due to issues such as information penetration into poor communities, local language restricting information transmitted in English. How do we solve these challenges?

Ans: The problem of last mile in India is rapidly disappearing. As you are aware, India is the fastest growing tele-communication market in the world while the market in the developed countries is almost saturated. India adds almost seven million telephone lines a month and many of them are cell phones.

The tremendous advances made in the cell phone technology itself is helping the access device to be language independent. Today, many of the cell phones in India support Indian languages and so are our websites. Very soon, you will find neither the access nor the language will become a barrier for the Indian farmers to obtain the information they need and at the time and place they need.

*) In your address to the Boston University Symposium, you talked of an International Space Force. How can we as young students and professionals help in forming one or developing the visions we want the International Space Force to work on?

Ans: We recognize the necessity for the world?s Space community to avoid terrestrial geo-political conflict to be drawn into outer space, thus threatening the space assets belonging to all mankind. This leads on to the need for an International Space Force made up of all nations wishing to participate and contribute to protect world space assets in a manner which will enable peaceful exploitation of space on a global cooperative basis. Space is right now without artificial national boundaries, its pure and with no history yet of ?environmental damage? and ?pollution?. The International Space Force must work to maintain this purity for several millennium.

Young students and professionals should meet often and come up with a simple vision statement, articulated well. They then should confer to evolve the working model for the International Space Force. This must be a non-governmental movement.

*) Personally, I feel that as space enthusiasts, we should not forget that Earth really is the most interesting part of Space. At ISU, we take ?Space and Society? issues seriously and these particularly apply to a country like ours, which has the largest number of youth population who are motivated to lead the country out of poverty and lack of education. Have we looked into finding social entrepreneurship solutions to poverty, distribution of clean drinking water, providing primary and secondary education, etc. to the poorest communities? If so, what incentives exist for such entrepreneurs, for e.g. do you think spinning what was a highly successful space event ? the Ansari X PRIZE would work?

Ans: Encouraging social entrepreneurs to use space technology as a vehicle for the development of the society is highly welcome. As you are aware, the space scientists get encouragement through several awards in India and elsewhere and also through their own peer recognition. Instead of one 10 M $ prize, it would be more welcome to have multitude of lesser valued prizes, though the money attached to the prize is not necessarily the one for which the social entrepreneurs value.

*) India has implemented tele-education via UGC and IGNOU programs extremely well since the early days of the inception of ISRO and the start of its space acitivities. The recent Gyan Darshan has shown desirable effects as well, however, what do you see is the next big leap in tele-education?

Ans: Encouraged by the success of the usage of satellite for sharing of knowledge within the country, we have started working on world knowledge platform. The Pan-African e-network programme which is in an advanced stage of establishing the connectivity between India and African Union (53 Nations) to provide tele-education, tele-medicine and e-governance services. Many such efforts are underway. The India inspired world knowledge platform involving many other countries will soon become a reality, attempting to make the knowledge world without borders.

The Indian efforts in producing high quality contents in English and many Indian languages has become a major focus in our 11th plan period. I recently inaugurated one such effort spearheaded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development called SAKSHAT (www.sakshat.ac.in). The IITs and IISc and many leading technical institutions have also contributed in creating contents through a collaborative effort called NPTEL (National Programme for Technology Enhanced Learning). As you are aware, India is also a leading contributors to the universal digital library project (www.dli.ernet.in).

Besides the concerted efforts on contour creation, the infrastructure build up for connectivity through a combination of satellite, fibre and wireless broadband technologies has also been a major focus of the nation. The third component of the tele-education besides Connectivity and Content is the access device ?Computer. India is contributing to the world efforts to make low cost affordable PCs that will work very efficiently in a rural environment.

*) Space exploration, especially human spaceflight, has become an example of how well countries can collaborate and achieve a larger goal. Past Chandrayaan, how will India collaborate with other countries in lunar exploration as well as with utilization of the ISS?

Ans: The Indian Space Programme is built on continuous collaboration with every space faring nations and my feeling is that this collaboration is built on the respect for individual capabilities and recognition of the advantages of interaction between participating countries. Hence, this would have a much bigger longevity than one could imagine. You would see more of combined development of launch vehicles, carrying other countries satellites, international force to repair satellites and the multi country joint space stations.

*)Lastly, how long do you think it would be before we see the first Indian woman land on the Moon or on Mars?

Ans: Three of the astronauts who have taken on space missions have been of Indian origin-Rakesh Sharma, Kalpana Chawla and Sunita Williams. Two out of three are women. Hence the chances of Indian women landing on the Moon or on the Mars pretty soon is high.

I was thrilled! The excitement continued until he left after a group picture with the students.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:15:00 +0000

President of the Republic of India, Dr A P J Abdul Kalam to visit International Space University

The International Space University (ISU) will have the privilege of hosting India’s President Dr. Abdul Kalam, at its central campus in Illkirch-Graffenstaden, on Tuesday, April 24, 2007.

Dr. Abdul Kalam is India’s 11th president and with a background in aero-science, through his Vision 2020, he is pushing for India to become a developed nation with a significant space sector.

Coinciding with this mission, Dr. Abdul Kalam has chosen to visit the International Space University to meet the students of the future space generation. At this occasion, you are cordially invited to hear him speak and will have the privilege of asking him questions related to the Indian Space Industry.

This is a scientific event, therefore no political questions will be answered and questions will have to be addressed in English only.

If you wish to participate in this exceptional event please make sure to arrive promptly at 16h40 due to high security requirements.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 12:39:00 +0000

As the National Point of Contact of India, I take great pride in reporting that the President of India, honorable A P J Abdul Kalam addressed the Boston University 'The future of space exploration: solutions to earthly problems'.
A synopsis of this speech is now available to view and download on the President's website: http://presidentofindia.nic.in/scripts/eventslatest1.jsp?id=1494. You can download the original president as well as the video recording.

In the speech, the honorable President gives an overview of how Indian space program's capabilities are bridging the social-economic gap and aiding our country's fast paced development. He also talks on several important aspects of planetary exploration and suggests key areas that need youth to work on and find cutting-edge solutions to. In addition, he provides his own suggestions to new space missions that include a global strategic plan for space industrialization, a global partnership mission in advancing space transportation with collaborative parallel teams, In-orbit servicing missions to extend life of satellites and space facilities.

You can also find a summary of the interaction with the delegates present at the symposium during the question and answer session. Space Generation Advisory Council's co-chair Will Marshall and Executive director Chris Boshuizen along with the winners of the SGAC 'Key visions of the next 50 years' contest Shi Heng and Tiffany Frierson were also present amongst the delegates at the symposium. You can spot William Marshall on the president's website too! :-)

The attendance of this SGAC delegation was of high importance to the space community as SGAC had the mandate to present the key visions of the 'now' and 'next' youth generations to a high level space planning session along with several world leaders. To read regarding the process, input documents and to comment on these, please check out: www.spacegeneration.org/50yearvisions

Namaste!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 19:28:00 +0000

Call to probe further into the Key Visions for the next 50 years: How do we make them come true?

In early January 2007, Space Generation Advisory Council put out a call for what the youth of today thought would be the key events of the next 50 years in space activities. This first call attracted 275 youth visionaries from all over the world to input to what new events would create the next giant leap for mankind. Is it space tourism, is it a lunar base that shall really be able to help us conquer the space frontier, or is a human landing on Mars that YOU wish to see in the coming 5, 10, 20 or 50 years?

Following this first success (thanks to you!), the wide range of ideas has now been studied by collaborative work between fellow youth space advocates representing the Space Generation and the distilled ideas have led to some key questions as to what are the priorities and how these cornerstone events can be realized for benefiting the human race. You can help us take this input to the world leaders!

The Space Generation Advisory Council in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications has teamed up with the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, the Boston University Center for Space Physics, the Secure World Foundation and the Planetary Society, to provide an opportunity for two young space enthusiasts to help plan the next 50 years in space. Representatives will present the Youth Vision, a result of two surveys and online deliberations, to prominent world leaders such as Freeman Dyson, Elon Musk and Dr Harrison Schmitt gathered for the planning workshop, held on 14 April 2007, in conjunction with a conference titled, "The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?" at the Boston University in USA.

All applicants 29 or under are invited to give further input regarding key events and space activities via a simple Round 2 survey can be found at the SGAC website (www.spacegeneration.org). Deadline for receiving completed entries for Round 2 is 1st of April 2007. This input will be captured in a publication tentatively titled: "Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Next Generation's 50-Year Vision for Space".

About the Space Generation Advisory Council

The Space Generation Advisory Council in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications is a United Nations endorsed organization dedicated to bringing forth the voice of today’s youth on tomorrow’s space issues. The SGAC was sanctioned by the United Nations following the 1999 UNISPACE III conference in recognition of the invaluable input provided by young people on world space issues.
For more information on the Space Generation Advisory Council on the Internet please visit: www.spacegeneration.org

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 10:24:00 +0000

WHY THE MOON?

11th ISU Annual International Symposium
21-23 February 2007, Strasbourg, France

ISU’s 11th Annual International Symposium "Why the Moon?" which will take place in Strasbourg from Wednesday 21 to Friday 23 February 2007.. More information on this event is available on the ISU website at http://www.isunet.edu/EN/573 with links to the Preliminary Program, which includes details on sessions, and information about accommodation and online registration (http://www.isunet.edu/EN/596). We have received confirmation of attendance from all of the presenters of papers listed in the program.

This event is sponsored by NASA and generously supported by Alcatel Alenia Space, the European Space Agency (ESA), Lockheed Martin, MDA Corporation, SpaceX, The Aerospace Corporation, The Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Lab (APL) and The Space Foundation.

If you have any questions or queries, do not hesitate to contact the organizing team at symposium11@isu.isunet.edu

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 10:14:00 +0000

Space Generation Congress Applications Open 22 January

The Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) is pleased to announce the 2007 Space Generation Congress (SGC) from September 20-22, 2007, in Hyderabad, India. Organisers are requesting that interested university students and young professionals 18-35 years of age who have a passion for space and the ambition to act on it visit
http://www.explorerswanted.com. There they can begin participating in the various online project groups, which will build over the next several months and culminate at the Congress in Hyderabad. In addition to onsite workshops and relevant speakers, training, and networking with top space professionals, several cultural events are also being planned to spotlight the host location in India.

Workshop project teams include the MoonMars Workshop, the Case for Human Exploration, Lunar Waystation, Students Reaching Students, Yuri's Night World Space Party, SGAC Public Relations, and SGAC Project Research, as well as competitions for Habitat Design and Space Transportation Papers. Travel and lodging sponsorship will be available for some delegates.

Applications open on 22 January and close on 15 April; however, selection is partially based on the online collaboration and participation in the forums before the Congress on the Explorers Wanted website.

ABOUT SPACE GENERATION CONGRESS

Space Generation Congress (SGC) is the annual event of SGAC and is held each year in conjunction with the International Astronautical Congress. SGC is a youth forum that unites passionate young space professionals, students, and enthusiasts from all over the world. Each year, more than one hundred delegates come together to discuss issues facing the international space industry. Over three days, delegates brainstorm and develop ideas that both motivate and promote the space industry and bring the benefits of space exploration to the wider community. Delegates work before, during, and after the Congress to make these ideas a reality.

ABOUT SPACE GENERATION ADVISORY COUNCIL

Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) is a non-governmental organization created at UNISPACE III by a recommendation in the Vienna Declaration on Space and Human Development ("…to create, within the framework of the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, a consultative mechanism to facilitate the continued participation of young people from all over the world… in cooperative space-related activities"). SGAC has official observer status in the United Nations (UN), and represents students and young professionals (mostly 18-35 years old) from all backgrounds, all countries, and all organizations to the UN, national governments, and space agencies. Nearly 100 countries are represented by National Points of Contact, which are organized into six regions of the world.

Space Generation identifies a large group of young volunteers who have an interest in space and an ambition to act. Past products include Yuri's Night World Space Party, the MoonMars Workshop, and Under African Skies. Over 2500 international participants are members of the SGTalk email list that allows discussion and dissemination of information relating to space topics and events across the globe.

Subscribe at www.spacegeneration.org

This is the 6th annual SGC event organised by the SGAC, which is supported by SERCO.

IMPORTANT DATES
22 January 2007 – Applications and online collaboration tools open
15 April 2007 – Applications close
15 May 2007 – Delegate selection announced
20-22 September 2007 – SGC 2007 in Hyderabad, India
24-28 September 2007 – IAC 2007 in Hyderabad, India

WEBSITE
http://www.explorerswanted.com

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Fri, 05 Jan 2007 10:20:00 +0000

Call for applicants for planning the next 50 years

Space Generation Advisory Council will sponsor two youth visionaries to present how space will help solve problems on Earth to world’s leading experts

The Space Generation Advisory Council in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Applications has teamed up with the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, the Boston University Center for Space Physics and the Secure World Foundation, to provide an opportunity for two young space enthusiasts to help the next 50 years in space. Winners shall present their ideas to prominent world leaders such as Freeman Dyson, Elon Musk and Dr Harrison Schmitt gathered for the planning workshop, held on 14April 2007, in conjunction with a conference titled, "The Future of Space Exploration: Solutions to Earthly Problems?" at the Boston University in USA.

All applicants 29 or under are invited to give their input regarding key events and timings that are thought to be important for the space activities, briefly describing the event in 100 words. The simple survey can be found at the SGAC website (www.spacegeneration.org). Deadline for receiving completed entries for Round 1 is 15^th of January 2007. This input will be captured in a publication tentatively titled: "Looking Back, Looking Forward: The Next Generation's 50-Year Vision for Space".

Travel expenses will be covered for two young people to attend the conference and participate in the Saturday planning workshop by representing the input gathered in this process. The processing of the input and preparation of its results will be opened to the youth community, and two individuals will be selected from the top contributors to this work.

About the Space Generation Advisory Council

For more information on the Space Generation Advisory Council on the Internet please visit: www.spacegeneration.org

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 18:54:00 +0000

Here are some notes from the presentations that were made at the XVI United Nations and International Astronautical Federation Workshop on the Use of Space Technology for Water Resources Management.

I was representing Space Generation Advisory Council in support of the United Nations Programme on Space Application (SGAC). My visit to attend this intense and rewarding workshop would not have been possible without the help and support of:

Jim Volp, Space Generation Advisory Council
Sergei Chernikov, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs
Alice Lee, United Nations Office for Outer Space Affair
International Astronautical Federation

Thank you very much!

You may also want to check out what happened at the Space Generation Congress 2006 in Valencia via the website or the blog!

This report of the workshop is the sole responsibility of the rapporteur, and while it reflects the broad array of issues discussed, does not necessarily represent consensus on all points.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 05:13:00 +0000

XVI UN/IAF Workshop - Use of Space Technology for Water Management

Keynote address by Prof Rao (India): stressed the need for effect water management in the context of making irrigation practices more advanced. Developing countries in the south east asia, including India represent 20% of the world's irrigated land, and preserving the quality of land nutrients, ground water levels can be aided significantly with use of Indian RS satellites. Precision agriculture technique can help analyse farm sizes, in developing countries as well as developed countries, such as the US where farms may be of equivalent to satellite pixel size and would have track changes in quality of crop and soil over the years.

Space technology is essential for food security issues.

Keynote address by of Prof Tomas (Spain): A great overview of involvement of Valencia university groups and imaging processing at different campuses in space image processing, RS and other Spanish Space activities. He also gave a brief overview of the history of University of Valencia and how the building and surroundings that it provided were tuned through the years in the issues regarding water resources managment using space technology.

Both speakers also introduced the resolution that was formulated, discussed and approved by 80 participants at the International Conference on Earth Observation for Vegetation Monitoring and Water Management held in Naples, Italy on 10-11 November 2005. (Click here for document)

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 05:10:00 +0000

'On-line' space assisted irrigation water management: Alfredo Calera (Spain)

An overview of an operational system which applies EO to assist irrigation to farmers and other end users. This system helpes to get a crop water requirement amount which is used for effecient water quantity. Accurate information from water resources, weather and climate/rainfall forecast helps predict when and where there would be a fluctuation in amoung of irrigation water.

Farmers receives numerical and graphical data via handheld applications that can even be integrated into mobile phone and via the web. Multisensor and intercalibration RS help achieve adequate spatial resolution, frequency coverage and product delivery time.

Farmers can receive customized reports, evolution of the crop, etc. more information of the format and reports that farmers are given, one can check www.demeter-ec.net/

!! - Correction: the above weblink is correct now, Thanks Benoit! !!

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 05:05:00 +0000

Methodology for Rainwater Harvesting developed by Prince Sultan Research Centre for Environment, Water and Desert (Mr Al-Shiekh, King Saud University, Saudi Arabia)

An overview of new projects in Rainwaer harvesting and storage in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Rainwater is sparce and rain is irratic, especially in arid lands such at the ones that are found in the middle east. Design and visualizations have helped to find adequate locations and sites that are marked to be developed into larger rainwater harvesting zones.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:48:00 +0000

Earth Observation for Sustainable Livelihood in Rain-fed Ecosystem: Indian Experience (V Jayaraman, India)

The presentation tried to capture the socio-economic and agro-ecological factors that affect the vicous circle of poverty bringing poverty. Inherited exclusion and inherited Vulnerability are links; replicability and sustainability of these interventions, affect their absorption and community ownership. The Indian Remote sensing agency has been helping solve the issue through a spatial, sectoral and regional approach – specific, local, adequate and timely knowledge (data) holds the key.

An overview of watershed management over the decades – biophysical framework; soil and water conservation; leading to agricultural productivity, NR and socio-economic and povery dimensions

Soil and water conservation, land use planning, ridge to valley treatment and focus on wasterlands/village commons. Techno-convergence: dev. Communications, RS/GIS, Info technology, biotechnology. Natural resources management systems – Resourcesat, cartosat, oceansat. Indian EO Strategy: National watershed development programme. National pilot study translated into national strategy. Reclamation of wasteland for green growth – for better livelihood so that poverty can be irridicated. Intergrated mission for sustainable development (IMSD). Participatory Watershed development has been a great success in Karnataka.

Inclusion of weather info, pest and disease incidence, agri insurance, fertilizer requirement helps reduce risk. Now focused on taluka levels, hot stressed spots in India for a village resource centre that can be have tele-education, telemedicine, etc.

noreply@blogger.com (Bee) — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 04:39:00 +0000

Alice Lee, Secretary, UN OOSA urged not to just learn from presentations, from each other. Several people in local countries, very motivated via volunteer involvement, do not rely on the UN for money but make it a line item in the national badgets.

Droughts are not a water/natural disaster, but a management problem

Sharing the experience in space program- having countries share the data and experience of RS and other space applications.

ESA and NASA datat is available as a free imagery and UN has a data sharing project.

Africa is of great concern. Best thing to do is share experience and data via internet. Next conference in tele-health conference in cape town. (Click here for conference website)