ISSUE 3–VOLUME 52 · This proposal has alarmed many professional space organizations, ... The CanSat Competition inspires students to undertake space-related careers – one of

1SPACE TIMES•May/June2013

THE MAGAZINE OF THE AMERICANASTRONAUTICAL SOCIETY

ISSUE 3–VOLUME 52

MAY / JUNE 2013

2 SPACE TIMES•May/June2013

AAS OFFICERSPRESIDENT LynD.Wigbels,RWI International Consulting ServicesEXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT J.WalterFaulconer,Strategic Space Solutions, LLCVICE PRESIDENT–TECHNICAL DavidB.Spencer,Pennsylvania State UniversityVICE PRESIDENT–PROGRAMS HarleyA.ThronsonVICE PRESIDENT–PUBLICATIONS RichardD.BurnsVICE PRESIDENT–STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH MaryLynneDittmar,Dittmar Associates, Inc.VICE PRESIDENT–MEMBERSHIP LarryRichardson,United Launch AllianceVICE PRESIDENT–EDUCATION LanceBush,Challenger Center for Space Science EducationVICE PRESIDENT–FINANCE PaulEckert,Federal Aviation AdministrationVICE PRESIDENT–INTERNATIONAL SusanJ.Irwin,Euroconsult USA, Inc.VICE PRESIDENT–PUBLIC POLICY EdwardGoldstein,Aerospace Industries AssociationLEGAL COUNSEL FranceskaO.Schroeder,Fish & Richardson P.C.EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR JamesR.Kirkpatrick,American Astronautical Society

AAS BOARD OF DIRECTORSTERM EXPIRES 2013RonaldJ.Birk,Northrop GrummanVinceDeFrancisci,USRAPeggyFinarelli,George Mason University/CAPRRobFulton,Orbital Sciences CorporationRebeccaL.Griffin,Rebecca Griffin SpaceHalE.Hagemeier,Invertix CorporationMollyKennaMacauley,Resources for the FutureKathyJ.NadoLesaB.RoeWoodrowWhitlow,Jr.

TERM EXPIRES 2014PeterM.Bainum,Howard UniversityRobertH.Bishop,Marquette UniversityMarkK.Craig,SAICLauraDelgadoLópez,IGES/Space and Technology Policy Group, LLCJ.R.Edwards,Lockheed MartinZigmondV.Leszczynski,VCSFA/MARSPatrickMcKenzie,RUAG Aerospace USA Inc.SuneelSheikh,ASTER Labs, Inc.PatriciaGraceSmith,Patti Grace Smith ConsultingGreggVane,Jet Propulsion Laboratory

TERM EXPIRES 2015A.WilliamBeckman,The Boeing CompanyVincentC.Boles,The Aerospace CorporationDavidA.King,Dynetics, Inc.CarolS.Lane,Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.KimLuu,Air Force Research LaboratoryIanW.Pryke,National Research CouncilChrisShank,U.S. House of RepresentativesFrankA.Slazer,Aerospace Industries AssociationMarciaS.Smith,Space and Technology Policy Group, LLC

SPACE TIMES EDITORIAL STAFFEDITOR,JeffreyP.Elbel

PRODUCTIONMANAGER,DianeL.Thompson

SPACE TIMESispublishedbimonthlybytheAmericanAstronauticalSociety,aprofessionalnon-proitsociety.SPACE TIMES isfreetomembers of theAAS. Individual subscriptionsmaybe orderedfromtheAASBusinessOfice.©Copyright2013bytheAmericanAstronauticalSociety,Inc.PrintedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica.ISSN1933-2793.

PERIODICALSSPACE TIMES, magazine of theAAS, bimonthly, volume 52,2013—$80domestic,$95foreign(Toorder,contact theAASat703-866-0020.)The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences,quarterly,volume59,2012(Toorder,contactSpringerat1-800-777-4643.)

REPRINTSReprintsareavailableforallarticlesinSPACE TIMESandallpaperspublishedinThe Journal of the Astronautical Sciences.

MAY / JUNE 2013

ISSUE 3–VOLUME 52

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E A M E R I C A N A S T R O N A U T I C A L S O C I E T Y

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 3

FEATURE A Conversation with Susan J. Irwin, AAS Vice President-International 4 by Marcia S. Smith How Space Can Contribute to Africa’s Development 6 ThecontinentofAfrica–itsincrediblewilderness,uniquebiologicaldiversity, irreplaceableheritage,andrichnaturalenvironment–isinjeopardy.TheIDEAS forAfricateamattheInternationalSpaceUniversity’s2011-2012MastersProgram investigatedspaceanditspotentialimpactonAfricaandconcludedthatresearch andapplicationsfromthespacesectorshouldbeusedtoimprovelivesand strengthenAfricancommunities. by Rafa Hernandez-Villatoro, Christopher Johnson, and Ricardo Topham

COMMENTARY Let’s Launch, Not Deorbit, NASA Education 15 by Nancy Colleton

6TH WERNHER VON BRAUN MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM 17

BOOK REVIEWS America’s Space Sentinels: The History of the DSP and SBIRS Satellite Systems 18 Reviewed by Shawn M. Riem Rearming for the Cold War, 1945-1960 19 Reviewed by Rick W. Sturdevant

9TH ANNUAL STUDENT CANSAT COMPETITION U.S. Team Takes Top Prize at 9th Student CanSat Competition 20

UPCOMING EVENTS 23

ON THE COVER

6352 Rolling Mill Place, Suite 102Springield, VA 22152-2370 USATel: 703-866-0020 Fax: [email protected] www.astronautical.org

FRONT: The International Space Station photographed from the space shuttle Atlantis as the orbiting complex and the shuttle performed their relative separation in the early hours of July 19, 2011. (Source:NASA)BACK: “Point Lake” Outcrop in Gale Crater. One priority target for a closer look by NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity before the rover departs the ‘Glenelg’ area east of its landing site is the pitted outcrop called “Point Lake” in the upper half of this image. (Source:NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS)

3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

SPACE TIMES•May/June2013

InMay,IattendedanationaltributetoSallyRidewhowaspraisednotjustasanationalherobutalsoforherpost-NASAadvocacyeffortsonscience,technology,engineeringandmath(STEM)education.NASAAdministratorBoldenannouncedaninternshipprograminhernametoencouragestudentstogointoSTEMcareers.AndacameraonboardtheInternationalSpaceStation,usedbyhundredsofthousandsofstudentssupportedbySallyRideSciencetoconductspaceresearch,wasrenamedtheSallyRideEarthKAM.Onthesameday,PresidentObamaannouncedthatshewouldbereceivingthePresidentialMedalofFreedomlaterthisyear.AsIwasthrilledtobetherewithsomanyfriendsandcolleaguescelebratingSallyRide’saccomplishmentsandcontributionstoSTEMeducation,IwasstruckbytheironythatthePresident’sFiscalYear2014budgetrequestwould,ifapprovedbyCongress,shiftalmost$100millionoffundingforNASA’seducationprogramstootherfederalagenciesaspartofitseffortstoconsolidateallSTEMactivitiesacrossthefederalgovernment.Whilestrivingformoreeficiencyingovernmentisanimportantgoal,inthiscaseitwillnotresultinthebesteducationaloutcome.NASA’seducationprogramshavebeenverysuc-cessfulinreachingouttostudents.Theyprovidemanybeneitstothenationincludingengagingtheexpertiseofresearchersandenablingthemtopartnerwitheducators.Thisproposalhasalarmedmanyprofessionalspaceorganizations,andAASpartneredwiththemonalettertoCongresstoexplainwhyitisimportantnottolosethelinkbetweenstudentsandresearchers.“Thecreationanddisseminationofknowledgeisinextricablylinkedtoscience,technologydevelopment,andexploration.Strippingtheeducationresponsibilityfromorganizationsthatcreatenewknowledgeweakenstheconnectiontotheindividualsandinstitutionsengagedindiscovery…OurnationisrightlyconcernedwithSTEMeducationforitiscrucialtoournationalcompetitivenessandachievement;keepingadirectconnectionbetweenourstudentsandourresearchersshouldbeapriority.”SallyRideunderstoodthislinkandspenttherestofherlifesuccessfullyusingittointerestyoungpeopleinSTEM.

OurSocietyiscurrentlyinvolvedinanumberofactivitiestosupporteducationandfuturespaceleadersandprofessionals.AASExecu-tiveDirectorJimKirkpatrickjustreturnedfromtheninthannualDesign/Launch/BuildStudentCanSatCompetitionheldJune7-9inTexas.Twenty-ivecollegeanduniversityteamsfromtheU.S.,Canada,Turkey,India,UnitedKingdom,Guatemala,Colombia,Iran,andtheUAElaunchedpayloadstheapproximatesizeofalargesodacanviarockettoanaltitudeof650meters.Detailsofthecompetitionarefeaturedinthisissue.IamextremelypleasedthatfromthebeginningAAShastakenaleadingroleinplanningandsupportingthisevent.TheCanSatCompetitioninspiresstudentstoundertakespace-relatedcareers–oneofAAS’coremissions–byallowingthemtoexperience,onasmallscale,atypicalaerospaceprogramfrompreliminarydesignreviewtopost-missiondebrief.Asanaddedbeneit,itbringstogetherover170studentsfromdiversebackgroundstoaworkingranchinTexaswhohopefullyleftwithabetterunderstandingofthiscountryandeachother.

InApril,AASenteredintoapartnershipwiththeFutureSpaceLeadersFoundation,anon-proitorganizationdedicatedtothecareerdevelopmentofyoungspaceandsatellite industryprofessionals.TheFoundationorganizeseventsand raises funding forgrants tobeawardedtostudentsandyoungprofessionalsseekingcareersinthespaceindustrytoattendspace-relatedeventssuchastheInternationalAstronauticalCongress(IAC).AASwillassistintheGrantRecipients’selectionandwillinviteawardeestoparticipateinselectedAASevents,withtheirparticipationfundedbytheFoundation.TheGrantRecipientswillalsoreceiveaone-yearmembershipwithAAS.

Thissummer,AASispartneringwiththeChallengerCenterwhichisorganizingseveraleventsforcorporateandlegislativeleaderstohighlightkeycomponentsoftheAmericaCOMPETESReauthorizationAct.AASwillbeaco-sponsorofeventsthatwillfocusontheimportanceandemergingneedsofSTEMeducationintheU.S.andtheimpactofSTEMeducationonworkforcedevelopment.

AAShasbeencollaboratingwith theInternationalSpaceUniversityforseveralyears, includingtheselectionofayoungpersontoreceiveascholarshipsponsoredbyoneofourlongtimemembers.TheSocietyalsonurturestheparticipationofundergraduateandgradu-atestudentsatmanyofitsconferencesandtechnicalmeetings.Andweareco-organizinganeventonhumanspaceexplorationforyoungprofessionalsattheIACinBeijing.

WhiletheSocietycanbeproudofwhatwearedoinginthisarena,weknowwecandomoretomaximizethebeneitsoftheseactivitiesandidentifyotherinitiativeswhereAAScancontribute.AASVicePresidentforEducationLanceBushplanstoestablishanAASEducationCommitteetofocusandenhancetheSociety’seffortstosupportSTEMeducationandhelppreparetomorrow’sleadersandworkforce.ThecommitteewillidentifynewactivitiesthatAAScanundertakeinsupportofthesegoalsandwillleadtheimplementationofcurrentandneweducationinitiatives.Yousoonwillreceiveamessagesolicitingmembersforthecommittee,andIencourageyoutoconsiderjoiningandlendingyourenergyandexpertisetosupportingthenextgeneration.

AAS–AdvancingAllSpace

LynD.Wigbels [email protected]


Susan Irwin, President of the U.S. Of-ice of Euroconsult, is the new AAS Vice President-International. Previously she served on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee. Irwin has spent her career in the space business, particularly commercial communications satellites, and was honored by induction into the Society of Satellite Professionals Hall of Fame in March 2013. She was interviewed on March 11, 2013 by Marcia Smith, Editor of SpacePolicyOnline.com and AAS Board member, about her 30-year career in the space business, the history and future of communications satellites, and her plans as AAS VP-International.

Congratulations on your election into the Society of Satellite Professionals In-ternational (SSPI) Hall of Fame. When was SSPI created?Thankyou! Iwasamongagroupofcol-leagueswhodecidedintheearly1980sthat

A Conversation with Susan Irwin, AAS Vice President-International

itwastimeforaprofessionaldevelopmentassociationforthoseofusinthecommu-nicationssatellite industry.SowecreatedtheSocietyofSatelliteProfessionals(SSP).Aboutayearlater,weexpandedittorecruitmembersfromothercountriesanditbecameSSP InternationalorSSPI.We’vealwayshadachapterinJapan,andtherehavebeenchapters at various times in theUK andCanada.SSPIhascorporatesponsors,butthemembers are individuals. It providesnetworkingopportunitiesandprofessionaldevelopment.TheMid-Atlanticchapterhasprogramsthroughouttheyearwithpanelsofpeopletodiscussvarioustopics.TheHallofFamewasestablishedin1987torecognizeleadersintheield.Individualsareelectedbiannually,andArthurC.Clarkewasoneoftheirst.SSPIalsoprovidesscholarshipsforstudentsinterestedinsatellitecommu-nications.DetailsareontheSSPIwebsite,www.sspi.org.It’sveryimportanttobringnewpeopleintotheindustry.

How did you get started in the commu-nications satellite business?Igotinvolvedinthelate1970swhenthefirst commercial satellites were beinglaunched.The cable television industrywasgettingstartedwhencommunity-accesstelevision (CATV) stations were able toreceivenationallydistributedprogrammingbyutilizingthenewlylaunchedcommercialsatellites.IwashiredasaconsultanttotheAppala-chianEducationSatelliteProject,whichwasdemonstrating the use ofNASA’sATS-6satellitefordistancelearning,training,andpublicserviceapplications inruralAppa-lachia.TheprojectultimatelyevolvedintoTheLearningChannel.Later I worked for NTIA [the NationalTelecommunications and InformationAdministrationintheDepartmentofCom-merce] as the program manager for itsSatelliteApplicationsProgram,whichwasestablishedtousecommercialsatellitesfor

thesametypesofpublicserviceprogramsthathadbeendemonstratedwiththeATS-6.Wealsodeveloped trainingprograms foremerging countries like India, Indonesia,and the Philippines to demonstrate howsatellitescouldbeusedforeducationandpublicservices.Itwasanexcitingandinter-estingtime.Commercialcommunicationssatelliteswere just being launched – theindustrywas getting started.TheUnitedStateswastheirstcountrytocommercial-ize this business. Itwas a new industry.Everythingwashappening.

What happened to the public service ele-ment of communications satellites as the decades passed?Iwent fromNTIA to a start up thatwasdeveloping private satellite networks forcorporate training –BusinessTelevisionnetworks. We used Ku-band satellites,whichenabledthedistributionofsatellitesignalstorelativelysmallantennasinstalledinurbanareas.ThatwasthebeginningoftheVSAT[VerySmallApertureTerminal]industry.Ourcustomerswerelargecorpora-tionsandgovernmentagencies.Universitiesandnonproitorganizationswerealsousingsatellitesfordistancelearning.ButeventuallydistancelearningmovedtotheInternet.Transmissionwaslessexpen-sive,andtrainingcouldbeaccessedbyin-dividualsondemand.Distancelearningviasatellitewasbroadcastliveinaclassroomwithquestionsoverthephone.Theuseofsatellitesforlivetrainingdiminished.Nowitisalmostallonline.

What are the primary uses of communi-cations satellites now?Television transmission is the largest ap-plication today. Initially satellites wereused as the distribution system for themajorTVnetworkstotheirlocalstations.TVdistributionviasatellitegrewascableTVexpanded.Then,asvideodistributionwentfromanalogtodigital,itbecameeven


morecosteffectivetodeliverviasatellite,whichenabledthewholemultichannelen-vironmenttodaywheretherearehundredsofTVchannels,aswellasdirect-to-homebroadcasting, suchasDirecTVandDish.ThatbusinesswasalldrivenbydigitalTV.Satellites are perfect for delivering anysignalpoint-to-multipointover largegeo-graphicareas,includinginternationally.Itdoesn’tcostanymoretosendasignal toathousandlocationsasitdoestoone.TVdistribution is probably 60-70percent ofsatellitecommunicationsrevenueglobally.Theremaining30-40percentof thebusi-nessisdatainvariousforms–forVSATs,cellularbackhauls,businesscontinuity,andbroadbandaccess.Satellitebroadbandisagrowingapplication in ruralareasandanincreasingly cost-effective alternative tootherformsofbroadband.“HighThrough-putSatellites”arebecomingcompetitivetoterrestrialsystems.

Was there a big change in the satellite business with the privatization of Inmar-sat and Intelsat?Yes,therewasabigdifference.Privatizationandderegulationmade satellite operatorsmore competitive, aswell as leaner andmoreproitable.

Was there a cost in terms of innovation? Did companies decide not to invest their proits in innovation?Youcan’thaveatech-basedindustrywith-outinnovationandwithoutdevelopingnewapplications and new products and newsolutions.Otherwiseindustrydoesn’tmoveforward.Withnewapplicationscomenewproitcentersandrevenuestreams.

In terms of the overall cost-beneit for sat-ellite operators, how much difference do launch costs make? If launch costs were to be cut that in half, for example, since companies are getting 15-20 year satellite lifetimes, is the launch cost important?Costs are typically expressed as the costofbuilding,launching,andoperating,notreallyasthecostoflaunchingcomparedto15yearsofoperationalrevenue.Ifitcosts$300milliontobuildandlaunchasatellite,andlaunchismaybe$100millionofthat,I can’t really say how that compares to

revenuesforthelifeofsatellites.

A big topic of conversation today is hosted payloads. Do commercial satel-lites have a lot of unused capacity so they can accommodate other users on their satellites?No,that’snotwhatit’sabout.Hostedpay-loadsarenot reallyanewconcept.Whatis new is the push to host governmentpayloads on commercial satellites.Theideaisforthegovernmenttomeetmissionrequirementswithoutbuildingandlaunch-ingitsownsatellites.The satellite operator beneits by sharingtheriskandcostofbuildingandlaunchingthesatellitefromthebeginninginsteadofwaiting for the government to decide toleasecapacityafterit’sinorbit.Thegov-ernmentbeneitsbecauseitownsapieceofthesatelliteandisdevelopingthatpayloadasthesatelliteisbeingmanufactured.Thegovernmentcanmeetitsrequirements,andthe satellite operator reduces its cost andsharestherisk.It’sawin-winsituation.

What are the big issues facing the com-mercial satellite industry today? Will there be any big ights at the next World Radio Conference (WRC) in 2015?Oneofthebigightsisbetweenthewirelessindustry ighting forC-band frequenciesandthesatelliteindustrythathasbeenus-ingC-bandfrequenciesforyears.AlthoughthesatelliteindustryhasmovedtoKu-bandinmanyplacesintheworld,C-bandisstillimportantinsomeareas,particularlywhererainattenuationisaproblem.There’sverylittleKu-band left, too,which isonerea-son thatKa-band satellites are becomingmorepopular.But there ismuchmoreofitavailableandlittleinterference,soHighThroughputSatellitesusingspotbeamsforfrequencyre-usearebeingbuiltbymostofthemajoroperatorsworldwide.Interference issues can be significant,whetheraccidentalordeliberate(jammingsignalsthatarepoliticallymotivated).Theotherissueforthebusinessasawholeis that satellites are not cost competitivewithiber for point-to-point communica-tions.ThatmaychangesomewhatasHighThroughput Satellites get launched, but,overall,theproliferationofiber,wireless,

WI-FI,etc.makessatellitecommunicationslessattractive.Thesatelliteindustryneedstocontinuetoinventnewapplicationsandcontinuetobeinnovative.Among the growth areas aremobileapplicationsforthemilitary,disas-termanagement, theoilandgas industry,andaeronauticalcommunications.Onein-novativebusinessventureisO3b’splantobuildwholesalebackhaulnetworksforthe“other3billion.”Itisplanningamediumearthorbitsatellitesystem,whichwillnothavethelatency(timedelay)problemsofGEOsatellites.Andascompressiontechnologiesadvanceandmoreeficientmodulationschemesaredeveloped, therewillbewaystoincreasetheutilizationofwhatbandwidththereis.That’s what’s been happening – gettingmorefromless.

How does Euroconsult it into this?Euroconsult was established in 1983 toprovideresearchandconsultinginthebroadspaceindustry,includingsatellitecommuni-cations.Itcontinuestobetheleadingglobalexpertinforecastingdemand,supply,trends–allthoseaspectsofthesatelliteindustry.Euroconsult helps companies igure outhowtopositionthemselves,strategizetheirbusiness,andmaintaintheirproitabilityassomemarketsdiminishandothersgrow.

Congratulations also on your election as AAS VP-International. What are your plans in your new role?I’mhopingthatmyunderstandingofthesat-elliteandspaceindustriesandmyexpertiseoverthelast30yearscanfulilltheprimarygoaloftheinternationalaspectofAASbyencouraging and increasing internationalcooperation.AsVP-International I chairtheAASInternationalProgramCommittee(IPC),whichismadeupofAASmembers,space attachés fromother countries, andrepresentativesofvariousnon-U.S.spaceagencies.TheAASIPCservesasaforumto bring everyone together and informeach other of programs and projects.Anexchangeofinformationcanonlyencour-agecooperationamongcountriesandmoveeffortsforspaceforwardwhentheremightnotbeenoughmoneyforanyonecountryoragencytoactindependently.


Withitsbreathtakingvistas,pristineenvironments,uniqueloraandfauna,andinspiringpeoplesandcultures,thecontinentofAfricaisbeautydeined.Butforestsdestroyedbyloggingandindustrialpollutionspillingintoriversandstreamspaintableakerpicture.AndwhileAfricaisknownforitsincrediblewildernessanduniquebiologicaldiversity,irresponsiblemanagementandpoachingthreatenthisancientandirreplaceableheritage.Thecontinent’srichnaturalenvironmentalsosufferscatastrophicloodsthatbringhavoctohomesandthreatenlives,whileendemicdroughtsthreatenanimalpopulationsandjeopardizehumancommunities.

AttheInternationalSpaceUniversity’s2011-2012MastersProgram,ateamofstudentsinvestigatedspaceanditspotentialimpactonAfrica.AfterlearningaboutAfrica’spolitical,economic,health,andenvironmentalchallenges,theIDEASforAfricateamfocuseditsinvestigationsonpromotingspacetechnologyfortheneedsandintheinterestsofAfricans.OurgroupagreedthatresearchandapplicationsfromthespacesectorshouldbeusedtoimprovelivesandstrengthenAfricancommunities.PleasevisittheISUlibrarywebsiteatisulibrary@isunet.eduforourfullreport.WewishtosincerelythankstotheNASAEarthScienceDivision’sAppliedScienceProgramfortheirgeneroussupportofthisproject,andforhelpingtomakespacearealityforfutureAfricanstudents.

UNDERSTANDING AFRICA

Proposingspace-relatedsolutionswiththepotentialtoeaseAfrica’sproblemsisnotacleartask,andirstwarrantsthatwebetterunderstandtherootcausesofproblemsaflictinglifeinAfrica,andtheobstaclestoalleviatingthem.TheteaminvestigatedlifeinAfricawithspecialattentiononthefollowingsocio-politicalfocus-areas:agriculture,education,energy,environment,health,andSTEM(Science,Technology,Engineering,andMathematics).

ItwouldbeimpossibletoprescribeasinglespaceapplicationtosolveallofAfrica’sproblems.Differentcountriesandregionshavedifferentneedsandcapabilities.Toaddressthischallenge,SouthAfrica,Morocco,andLiberiawerechosenasexampleor“target”countriesrepresentativeofthewholecontinent.Thesethreecountriesaregeographicallydiverse,withdifferingclimatesandenvironments-includingdeserts,semi-aridregions,andeventropicalrainforests.Theyalsorelectdifferentdevelopmentalchallengesandcontaindifferentpoliticalsystems.

In recognition of this diversity, the goal of the IDEAS for Africa team is to assist Africa in improving its socio-economic development – by evaluating the impact, distribution, and utilization of space spin-off

technologies, satellite applications, and space business potentials that address our six focus areas.

AGRICULTURE

AgricultureisthemostimportantsectorinAfrica’seconomy,employingapproximately60percentofthelaborforce.Whencomparedtoathreepercentworldaverage,Africanlaborprovidesalmostaquarterofthecontinent’sGDP.Still,agriculturaldevelopmentsuffersfromunpredictableenvironmentalconditionsandthechallengeofarapidlyincreasingpopulation.Despiterecentimprovements,Africa’sfoodsecurityremainsamajorissue.

FarmaBooths

PlacedinstrategiclocationsandclosetoAfricanfarmers,FarmaBoothsaresmallinformationcentersthatprovideup-to-datedata fromsatellite imageryaboutcropdistribution, irrigationmanagement,andsoilnutrientvariations.TheconnectivitygapbetweenthesatellitesandtheFarmaBoothswillbeilledinbythePan-Africane-Network,whichprovidessatelliteinternetcon-nectivitytoruralareasacrossAfrica.

How Space Can Contribute to Africa’sDevelopmentby Christopher Johnson, Ricardo Topham, and Rafa Hernandez Villatoro


FarmaBoothinformationcenterscanbetailoredtospeciicgeographiclocations,cropvarieties,andenvironmentalcharacteris-ticsofthesurroundingarea.Forexample,informationprovidedoncroplandsinmorearidregionsshouldincludeadvanceddetailsaboutwaterreservoirs.Ontheotherhand,crowdedagriculturalzonesrequireaccesstomappinginformationtoensurefarmersrespectlandboundariesandpropertyrights.Thereisalreadyanadequatespace-basedinfrastructuretoprovideboththeremotesensingneedsandrelatedcommunicationrequirements.Datainterpretationcenterswillconvertrawsatellitedataintoeasilyun-derstandableinformationforfarmers.

ThisproposalisbasedonthesuccessfulIndianprojectVCR(VillageResourceCentre),withalready275centersinstalledallovertheIndiabeneitingmorethan200,000people.Africanfoodsecuritycanbeimprovedthroughthisapplicationofspacein-dustrytechnology.LiberiaiswellsuitedforimplementationoftheFarmaBoothproposal,largelybecauseofitsinsuficientfoodproductioncapabilities,anditsinvolvementwiththePanAfricane-Network.

Organically Derived Colloidals

Spinoffsaretechnologiesorprocessesusedinapplicationsunrelatedtotheiroriginalpurpose.OrganicallyDerivedColloidals(ODCs)-aspin-offsfromNASA’sSpaceShuttleProgram-arechemicalcompoundsextractedfromtheshellsofmarineanimalsthatreducefungalinfectionsandprovidenutrientstocrops.Combinedwithaeroponicgrowingtechniques,thisspacespin-offallowsforhigheryieldingcropsusinglesswater.

ODCsstimulateaplant’snaturaldefensesysteminthepresenceofpathogens,andswitchitoffwhenthediseaseiseliminated.TheODCmoleculesirstclingtocellsinthetreeroots.Oncethesemoleculeshaveattachedtotheplantcellreceptors,achemi-calresponseisactivatedthroughouttheplantthatstimulatesphotosynthesisandhelpstoovercomeenvironmentstressessuchasinvasivespecies.OneofthemainadvantagesofODCsistheinexpensivenatureoftheproductandthealmostimmediateeffectsonplantgrowth.ThecostperacreofODCsisaroundUSD$25andcanquickensproutingtimebyover50percent.

Figure 1. Food production in various Liberian counties (Source:J.Osborne)


Moreover,countriesthathavedificultgrowingconditionsbecauseofdesertenvironmentscanuseODCsinconjunctionwithanaeroponicsgrowingsystem,asthisusesupto95percentlesswaterthantraditionalmethods,thoughaeroponicscanbeprohibi-tivelyexpensivefordevelopingnations.ThecostofanaeroponicssystemdependsontheneededgrowingareaandtheaveragecostpersquaremeterisapproximatelyUSD$5,250.Withanestimatedplantgrowthof200plantspersquaremeter,thismeansthattheaeroponicssystemcostsapproximatelyUSD$26perplant.

Figure 2. Using a Village Resource Center (Source:ISRO)

EDUCATION

Althoughaccesstoqualityandequaleducationhasimproved,itremainsachallengeinAfrica.Universitiessufferfromover-crowding,regionalconlict,andlossofstaffluredabroadbyhigherpayandbetterlivingconditions.AnAfricanhigh-technologyworkforceisinshortsupplyandalmostallAfricancountrieslackeducationalinstitutionsdedicatedtospacescienceandtechnology.Asaresult,mostAfricancountriesdon’ttraintheirownengineersandthoseindividualswiththepotentialtostudyengineeringoftenpursueeducationabroad,reinforcingAfrican“braindrain.”

African Space Education Center

AnAfricanSpaceEducationCentercanbedevelopedinafewdifferentAfricanlocations.Tobeeffective, thehostnationshouldbestrategicallylocated,withsomespacecapabilities,haveanestablishedaerospaceindustry,andshouldbeeconomicallyandpoliticallystable.Forthesereasons,thetargetcountryofMoroccowaschosenasasuitablehostnationforaspaceeducationcenter.MoroccoisstrategicallylocatedbetweenmainlandAfricaandEurope,andbetweentheAmericasandAsia.Therearecur-rentlymorethan100AmericanandEuropeanspaceandaerospacecompanieswithapresenceinthecountrythatuseMoroccoasabaseforinternationallogistics.Additionally,Moroccohasaremotesensingeducationcenterofferingcoursestodomesticandregionalusers,andstronghistoricallinkstoFrance,whichisamajorforceinaerospaceinWesternEurope.ThecenteroffersshortGeographicInformationSystems(GIS)andRemoteSensingcoursesthroughouttheyear.Thecoursescoverallaspectsofremotesensinganditsvariousapplications.

AnAfricanSpaceEducationCentercouldprovideeducationinengineering,sciences,management,policy,economics,law,andsatelliteapplications.Thisprogramwouldallowthestudentstogainacompletebackgroundinspace-relateddisciplinesandwouldensurethattheyarefullycapableofparticipatinginthespaceprofessions.Toprovidethistraining,theCenterwouldpromotea


hands-onapproachtoeducation,whichiscrucialforeducatingindustriallycompetentspaceprofessionals.

ENERGY

EnergydevelopmentinmanyAfricancountriesisrestrictedbythehighcostofelectricitygeneration,whichiscausedbythesmallscaleofdemand.Higheficiencyelectricalpowerplantsrequiresigniicantupfrontinvestmentsandareexpensivetomaintain.ThemainenergysourcesinAfricaarecoal,oil,andhydroelectricpower.Coalconsumptiontakesthelead,whereashydroelectricpotentialremainsvastlyunder-exploited.Thishomogeneousgenerationproile-constrainedbyminimalinancialinvestmentsandlackingregionallinkstofacilitatepowertrade-hasresultedinasevereenergycrisisinmanycountriesacrossthecontinent.

Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

Afuelcellisadevicethatconvertschemicalenergyfromafuelintoelectricalenergythroughanelectrochemicalreaction.Usedinspacelightasasourceofelectricalpower,themostcommontypeoffuelcellsalsoproducesusablewaterasabyproduct.

SolidOxideFuelCells(SOFCs)usenaturalgasasaninputfuel,operateatveryhightemperatures(typicallyintherangeof

Figure 3. Operating principle of an SOFC (Source:WikimediaCommons)


800oC),usesolidoxidesorceramicelectrolytes,anddonotrequireexpensiveplatinumcatalyststoinitiatetheirelectrochemicalreactions.Aspowersources,SOFCsprovideacontinuouslevelofpowerforlowerelectricitydemands.

AnadvantageofusingSOFC-basedpowersourcesindevelopingAfricannationsisthattheyarehighlyeficientonlowscales,andlocalinfrastructurecanbebuiltneartheirlocationsofconsumption.AsexistingsituationsinmanyAfricancountriesimpedelarge-scalebuildingofhydroelectricoradvancednaturalgasplants,SOFCsarethemostconvenientandcheapestpowersourceforAfrica.

Figure 4. Cost of energy generation by various sources (Source:J.Osborne)

InLiberia,mostelectricityisgeneratedatthelocallevel,soSOFCswouldbewellsuitedtomeetthedemandforinexpensiveelectricpowergenerationonasmallscale.

ENVIRONMENT

PreservationandprotectionofAfrica’spricelessnaturalenvironmentandwildlifeiscrucialtoanysustainablesocialandeco-nomicdevelopment.Everyyear,thecontinentlosesfourmillionhectaresofforeststhroughdesertiication.Themaincauseofdesertiicationisdeforestation,astreesarecuttomeetenergyneedsandtoexpandagriculturallands.Additionally,NorthernAfricaisoneofthedriestareasoftheWorld,andEasternAfricahassufferedfromsevererecentdroughts.IllegalpoachingisanothermajorenvironmentalconcerninAfrica.Poachingisthehuntingorcatchingofgameorishthatiseitheronanother’spropertyorissubjecttoenvironmentalprotection.TheIDEASreportofferstwospace-relatedsolutionstocombatpoachingandtheencroach-mentofdeserts,withapplicationinthetargetcountriesofSouthAfricaandMorocco.

Anti-Poaching

WildlifeisamajorcomponentofAfrica’senvironment,butillegalpoachingisaseriousprobleminmanyAfricancountries.Preservationisamoralobligation,andasaneconomicresource,wildlifebringstouristrevenue.Nevertheless,poachinginSouthAfricaisrampant.Amongstotherspecies,therhinocerosishuntedforitshorns,whiletheperlemoen(alargeseasnail)isillegally


harvestedasadelicacy.ManyAfricancountrieshaveanti-poachingprogramsinvolvingnationalparkandlawenforcementoficers;however,widegeographicaldistributionanddispersedanimalpopulationsmakeenforcementdificult.

TheIDEASforAfricateamproposesasystemforreal-timemonitoringandresponsetopoachingusingGlobalNavigationSatelliteSystems(GNSS)andsatellitecommunicationtechnologies.Macrospeciesliketherhinoceroswouldbeequippedwithsatellitetrackingcollarscontainingheartbeatsensors,accelerometers,andmicrophones.Informationfromthesesensorswouldberelayedtolawenforcementagentstoinformthemiftheanimalisrunningorhasbeenkilled,indicatingguniresoundsorapoachingincident.Formicrospecieslikeperlemoen,usinghydrophonesanchoredtoarocknearaknowncolonylocationisamoreeffectivewaytodetectpoachers.Hydrophoneswouldprovidealertsforthesoundofsmallboats,onceagainindicatingapoachingevent.

Figure 5. Sand encroaching on Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania (Source:NASA)


Desert Movement Predictor

InthearidregionsofAfrica,waterresourcesarescarceandaccesstothemisoftenunpredictable.Theseconstraintsincreasehumanpressureontheenvironment,resultinginfurtherwaterdepletion.Desertiicationisaprocesswherefertilelandsbecomedeserts.Populationgrowth,increasedfoodconsumption,andshort-termeconomicinterestsallcontributetodesertiication.Othercontributingfactorsincludeover-grazing,excessiveirewoodgathering,wastelandcultivation,ineficientuseofwaterresources,excessive agricultural harvesting, and lackof environmental regulations related to factories,mines, and transportation infra-structure.Humanactivitiesarenottheonlysourceofdesertiication,asnaturalclimateeffectsfromwind,water,salination,andfreeze-thawingerosionalsocontribute.Rehabilitationmeasuresareoftendificultandexpensive.Whilepreventionmeasuresarecheaper,theyrequiremanagementandpolicyapproachesthatpromotethesustainableuseofaridregions.Ifnocountermeasuresaretaken,desertiicationwillthreatenfutureimprovementsinhumanwell-being.

TheIDEASteambelievesthatdesertiicationacrossAfricacanbecombatedandalleviatedwithaninternationalDesertMove-mentPredictionCenter,whoseactivitieswouldincludedataacquisitionfromsatelliteoperators,remotesensingdata-processingandanalysis,researchonthephysicsofdunemovement,aswellasdesertmovementpredictionandrecommendations.Therearealargenumberofsatellitesavailabletoprovidetherequiredimageryanddataproducts,includingLandsat,Aqua/Terra,SMOS,andMeteosat.Toassessandpredictdunemovements,bothwindpatternsandInSARopticalimagesarenecessary.

TheDesertMovementPredictionCenterisanapplicationforthetargetcountriesofMoroccoandSouthAfricaBothcountriesareaffectedandthreatenedbydesertiicationandbothhavethemeanstoaffordtheUSD$64millionprojectcost.

HEALTH

BecauseAfricalackssuficientnumbersoftrainedmedicalprofessionalsandimproperhealthpracticesarecommon,theAfricanhealthcaresystemisoftenincapableofmeetingthebasichealthcareneedsofitspeople.Inadditiontothehumanliveslost,thepoorhealthcaresystemslowseconomicdevelopment.Resourcesthatcouldotherwisehavebeencommittedtoeconomicgrowthareinsteadputtowardscombatinginfectiousdisease,maternaldeath,andmalnutrition.Aspacespinoffandaningenioususeofspace-basedtechnologysuchastheDHAsupplementcanhelpAfricansleadhealthierandlongerlives,asshownthroughthefol-lowingexamplesinthetargetcountriesofLiberiaandSouthAfrica.

DHA Supplement

Inthe1980s,NASAusedstrainsofmicroalgaeasafoodsource,asupplierofoxygen,andacatalystforwastedisposalundertheirControlled(orClosed)EcologicalLifeSupportSystems(CELSS)experiments.Duringthisresearch,NASArealizedthatthesemicroalgaecouldnotonlybeusedinspace,butalsohadpotentialapplicationsonEarth.FurtherresearchdiscoveredthatacertainstrainofalgaenaturallyproducedDHAinlargequantities.

DHA(DocosahexaenoicAcid)isadietaryfattyacidthatactsasamajorstructuralfatinthebrainandretina.DHAactstochangespeciiccellproperties,includingcellmembraneviscosity,elasticcompressibility,permeability,andinteractionwithregulatoryproteins.ThecombinationofthesefactorspromoteselectricalsignalingtotheCentralNervousSystem,resultinginincreasedsignalingtothebrainandanincreaseinlearningabilityandmemory.HighlevelsofDHAaredepositedintothecentralnervoussystemduringtheearlystagesoflife.InadequatesuppliesofDHAduringtheearlystagesofchilddevelopmentcanleadtoimpairedlearningabilitiesandvisualacuity.ThepurposeoftheDHAsupplementistopromoteneurologicalandretinaldevelopmentatvariousstagesoflife,includinginfancy,childhood,adulthood,pregnancy,lactation,andaging.

TheDHAsupplementisaspin-offtechnologythatcouldbeimplementedinanyofthethreetargetcountries,allofwhichneedtopromotenutrition.Nevertheless,becauseofitsfoodsecurityandmalnutritionchallenges,LiberiaismosturgentlyinneedofDHA.Mostimportantly,thepriceofUSD$25foratwo-monthsupplyplacesDHAwellwithinLiberia’sreachforapplication.

Telemedicine Van

Telemedicineisasatelliteapplicationthatprovideshealthcareservicesandhelpsdistributemedicalinformationtoremoteareas.Itisalsoamobileservicethatcanbeusedtoperformdiagnoses,applytherapies,aidpreventativemeasures,andimproveindividualhealtheducation.Telemedicinevansincludethecapacityforremoteconsultation,diagnosis,treatment,radiology,der-matology,andophthalmology.Inotherwords,ahigherqualityofhealthcareservicesispossible.

Telemedicinevansarenotanewconcept,as theyhavebeenpreviouslyimplementedinBosnia,Italy,andIndia,andtheir


Figure 6. Example of a Telemedicine Van (Source:ESRI)

implementationiscurrentlyunderwayinZambia.Bycombiningsatellitecommunications,informationtechnology,andmodernmedicalsciences,theTelemedicineVanwillenableruralAfricanpopulationstoaccessnationalandinternationalmedicalspecial-istsinmedicalcenterslocatedinurbanareasandabroad,whilealsoprovidingthecapabilitiestostoreandmanageclinicaldata.

Thisproposalisrelevantforallthreetargetcountries,butwouldmostlikelyseethehighestdegreeofimplementationinSouthAfricabecauseoftherelativelyhighcostsofmorethanUSD$400,000pervan.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH

TechnologicaladvancementswillplayakeyroleinbringingsustaineddevelopmentacrossAfrica,butimplementingtheseadvancementswillrequireskilledscienceandengineeringprofessionals.Science,Technology,Engineering,andMath(STEM)industriesandeducationwithinAfricawillhelpreducethenumberofhighly-skilledworkerswholeavethecontinenttoseekop-portunitieselsewhere.

Overberg Test Range

DuringApartheidErasanctionsinthemid-1980s,SouthAfricadevelopeditsownautonomouslaunchingfacilitiesattheOver-bergTestRange(OTB).ThefacilitywasbuilttohandleuptotenLowEarthOrbitlaunchesperyear,butwascancelledin1994


Figure 7. Satellite image of the OTB and testing facilities (Source:GoogleMaps)

(alongwiththeentireRepublicofSouthAfricaspaceprogram).Withoutsigniicantgovernmentalassistance,nocommercialentitycouldre-establishtheOTBintoafulllaunchingfacility.TheIDEASTeamrecommendsthattheOTBbeinitiallydevelopedintoasoundingrocketresearchfacility.

DevelopingasoundingrocketresearchfacilitywilllaythefoundationforSouthAfricatobecomeaspacefaringnation.ItwillestablishthecountryasahubofscienceandtechnologyadvancementsinAfrica,andwillhelptofurtherreinforceSouthAfricaasaleaderinspacedevelopmentonthecontinent.Theestablishmentofacommercialsoundingrocketresearchfacilitywillallowengineers,scientists,andtechnicianstogainexperienceinrocketdesign,testing,andconstruction.TheseskillswillbenecessaryinthefuturetofullyusetheOTBwithoutincurringthehighrisksassociatedwithdevelopmentofafulllaunchfacility.ItwillalsoenableskilledworkerstoremaininSouthAfricaandcontributetothatcountry’ssustainabletechnologicaladvancement.

ItisexpectedthattheprojectwouldcostupwardsofUSD$16millionoveriveyearstolaunchsoundingrocketswithperfor-mancessimilartoNASA’sTerrier-Malemute.

CONCLUSION

Ourrecommendationshavethreecriticalelementsincommon:theyaddressproblemsinAfricathathindergrowthanddevelop-ment;theyusespacetechnologiesthathaveasigniicantadvantageoverexistingterrestrialtechnology;andtheyarepracticaltoimplement.Thetwenty-irstcenturywillbethecenturyofAfricandevelopment,drivenbytechnologicaladvancements–includingthosefromspacetechnologiesdescribedabove.TheproposalsoftheIDEASforAfricaTeamareripetobecomerealities.

ItisourhopethattheserecommendationswillbeofinteresttobothAfricanleadersandspaceprofessionals,andwillencour-agethemtoexploitthepromisethatspaceapplicationsholdforAfrica.Thebeneitsandinnovationsfromspaceshouldbeintheinterestsofallhumankind.Onlythenwillthepromiseofthespaceageanditscapacityforinnovationbefulilled.


COMMENTARY

Let’s Launch, Not Deorbit, NASA Educationby Nancy Colleton

U.S.PresidentBarackObama’sNASAbudgetrequestforiscalyear2014isilledwithmanysurprises–fromsendinghu-manstoacapturedasteroidtothetransferofclimatesensorsfromtheNationalOce-anicandAtmosphericAdministrationtoanewMarsroverinthenextdecade.There’ssomethingforeveryone.

However,oneproposalthatcontinuestocapturemoreandmoreattentionisthepresident’sinitiativetomovenearly$50millionofeducationandpublicoutreachfundingoutofNASAaspartofaneffortto consolidate themajority of activitiesof12federalagenciesunderonlythree:theDepartmentofEducationforkinder-gartenthroughgrade12(K-12)science,technology,engineeringandmathematics,or STEM, programs; theNational Sci-enceFoundation for undergraduate andgraduateprograms;andtheSmithsonianInstitutionforinformalscienceeducation.

Surprisingly, thepresident’sproposaltakesNASAscienceoutofscienceeduca-tionandoptsforamoregenericapproachforteachingtheuniverse,Earth,aeronau-ticsandrocketry.

NASAwould retain fourmajor pro-gramsdeemedbysomeunknowncriteriato be unique to the agency. However,programsthatcommunicatetrulyuniqueNASAmissionssuchastheHubbleSpaceTelescopeandtheimportantsciencetheyproduce somehowdonotmeet that cri-teria,andwouldthereforebetransferredto the three lead agencies.TheDepart-mentofEducation,notNASA,wouldberesponsiblefordeliveringHubbleSpaceTelescopecontenttoK-12classrooms.

Yes,youreadthatcorrectly.Increasingthepublic’sunderstanding

ofNASA,itsmissionsandtheexceptionalscienceandtechnologyitproduceswouldnowbethejoboftheDepartmentofEdu-cation,NationalScienceFoundationandSmithsonian,dependingontheaudience.

On a broad level, the extensive andproactivenetworkofscientistsandeduca-torsthathasevolvedfromadedicatedandsupportiveculturethatprioritizesSTEMeducationwouldgoaway.

Onamorespeciiclevel,theover1,800peer-reviewed space andEarth scienceeducationandpublicoutreachresourcesincludedinthesearchabledatabase,NA-SAWavelength.orgwoulddisappearevenasWired.comrecentlyfeaturedit,stating,“Watchout,spaceeducators,there’sanewtoolintown!”

As a result, inspiring the next gen-eration of explorers just got a lotmoredificult.

BillNye“theScienceGuy”andahostofotherplanetaryscientistsagreethatthismovewouldbedetrimentaltothegoalofadvancingSTEMeducation.TheyvoicedtheirconcernsinresponsetoaquestionatarecentCapitolHillbrieingaboutcutsto NASA’s Planetary Science DivisionsponsoredbythePlanetarySociety.

NyefondlyrecalledthatwhenhewasastudentatLafayetteElementarySchoolinWashington, aNASA representativevisitinghis classroomdippeda cigar inliquidoxygen,anditburnedlikearoadlare.“It’swhatgotmeinterestedinsci-ence!”Nyesaid.

TheJetPropulsionLaboratory’sBobak“MohawkGuy”Ferdowsihada similarstory,recallingwhenhewasachildseeingtheirstimagesfromtheMarsPathindermissionviatheInternet.HadNASAnotembarkedonsuchanactivepublicout-reach campaign, Ferdowsi may not bepartofNASA’sMarsCuriosityroverteamtoday.AsaNASAengineer,hebelievesitisessentialtoengagewithstudentsandthepublic,totellthestoryofscienceinone’sownnarrative.

The stories shared byNye and Fer-dowsi illustrate the reachand impactofNASA science education and certainly

question the beneits of threatening it.AsNyepointsout,NASAhasoneofthebestbrandsintheworld,especiallywithteachersandstudents.

And NASA science education goeswellbeyondanecdotes.Considertheim-pactofthepresident’sproposedbudgetonthefollowingScienceMissionDirectorateeducationandpublicoutreachactivities,whichwouldbezeroedout:

-More than 500,000 preservice andin-serviceteachersuseHubblestandards-basedclassroom-readymaterialsannually.Hubbleeducationalresourcesareutilizedby42ofthelargest100schooldistrictsinthecountryandmorethanhalfofthestatedepartmentsofeducation.Intheproposedplan,educatorsreturningtoschoolinthefallwouldindthatthesematerialsarenolongeravailabletothemandwouldneedtoreworktheircurricula.

-MYNASADATAprovidesaccesstoover200dataproductsfromNASAEarthsciencemissions,tools,andpeer-reviewedlessons–designedspeciicallyforK-12audiences.TheNationalResearchCoun-cil’sFrameworkforK-12ScienceEduca-tion(July2011)identiieseightpracticesthat are considered essential for K-12scienceandengineeringcurriculum.Us-ingMYNASADATAenables studentsto hone their skills across all of theseinterrelated, essential practices.The upto80,000educatorsandlearnerswhoan-nuallyuseMYNASADATAareatriskof losing a critical resource thatmakestaxpayer-fundedNASAdata accessibleforSTEMeducation.

-TheNASAScienceMissionDirec-torate’sapproachtoeducationandpublicoutreach enabledMarsOdyssey instru-mentscientistsandeducatorsatArizonaStateUniversitytocreatetheMarsStudentImagingProject,wherestudentsworkto-gethertodevelopaquestionaboutMars,targetanimageusingaNASAspacecraft,


Nancy Colleton is president of the Ar-lington, Va.-based Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, which spe-cializes in Earth science education and outreach and Earth observations. This commentary was first published in Space News on June 3, 2013 (Volume 24, Issue 2).

receive their image and analyze it, andwrite a formal scientiic report on theirindings.The project haswon the Sci-encemagazinePrize for Inquiry-BasedInstruction.Suchopportunitieswouldbenearly impossible to re-createwithin acentralized education structure that liesapartfromNASA.

-EarthtoSkyisapartnershipamongNASA,theNationalParkService,andtheU.S.FishandWildlifeServicethatenablesinformaleducatorstoaccessanduserele-vantNASAscience,data,andeducationaland outreach products in theirwork.Alongitudinalevaluationhasdemonstratedthattheseprofessionaleducatorshave,inturn,reachedover4millionNationalParkandWildlifeRefugevisitorswithcontentderived fromEarth toSkyprofessionaldevelopment.They have also providedtraining to over 2,000 other educators.

Removing fundingwouldeliminate thisgrowing interagencypartnership,whichprovidesalargereturnoninvestmentandleveragesthestrengthandcapabilitiesofthreeagencies.

Itisdificulttoimaginethe21stcen-tury classroomwithout the excitement,awe, and content ofNASA.The fact isthatNASAprograms simply could notbe reproduced by any other agency asthey depend on a vibrant ecosystemofexplorers,engineers,scientists,educationspecialists,communicationsexperts,anddatavisualizers.

Inrecenttestimony,PattiGraceSmith,former associate administrator for com-mercialspacetransportationfortheFed-eralAviationAdministration,mayhavesaiditbest:“NooneteacheswhatNASAdoeslikeNASA.”

TheObama administration’s science

education proposal should be reconsid-ered.NASAshouldmaintain its robust,rigorously evaluated, and far-reachingeducation andoutreach activities as theagencyisavestedstakeholderindevelop-ingthenextgenerationofscientistsandengineers.

Hopefullythen,allfuturesurpriseswillresult from thenation’s visionary spaceexplorationanddiscoverymissions,notquestionablebudgetproposals.

Deadline is September 30 for Awards and Fellows NominationsFellowsaremembersoftheSocietywhohavemadesigniicantscientiic,engineering,academicand/ormanagementcontributionstoastronauticsandspace.Inaddition,contributionstoAASwillbeconsidered.OnlycurrentAASmemberswillbeconsideredforAASFellows,andnominationswillbeacceptedfromanyactiveAASmember.ForacompletelistofFellows,clickonAASFellowsinthescrolldownmenuundertheMembershipbuttonontheAASwebsite.AASpresentsawardstorecognizetheexcellenceandprofessionalserviceofourownmembershipandmembersofthespacecommunity.AASmembers(andnon-members)areinvitedandstronglyencour-agedtonominateworthwhilecandidatesforthisyear’sawards.Awarddescriptions,previousrecipientsandnominationprocedurescanbeviewedon theAASwebsite.TheAwardsCommitteewill reviewsubmissionsandforwardnamesofrecommendedcandidatestotheoficersanddirectorsforapproval.

www.astronautical.org


6TH WERNHER VON BRAUN MEMORIAL SYMPOSIUM

6th Wernher von Braun Memorial Symposium

Program OutlineMonday, October 75:30pm Kick-off Networking Reception (University Center, Exhibit Hall)

Tuesday, October 87:15am AAS Corporate Members Breakfast(Invitation Only)7:30am Registration Opens / Networking / Continental Breakfast (Business Administration Building, Lobby) 8:30am Welcome to Campus(Chan Auditorium) Dr. Robert Altenkirch,President,TheUniversityofAlabamainHuntsville Remarks by AAS President

Lyn Wigbels8:45am Marshall Space Flight Center Update Patrick Scheuermann, Director,NASAMarshallSpaceFlightCenter9:00am Keynote10:00am Panel: Exploration Going Forward with SLS and Orion – 2020 and Beyond 12:00pmLuncheon (University Center, Exhibit Hall)1:30pm Panel: Industry Perspectives from the Washington Operations Executives3:30pm Panel: Perspectives on Exploration from Former NASA Oficials5:30pm Reception and Student Poster Displays (Burritt on the Mountain – Baron Bluff Building)

Wednesday, October 97:15am Registration Opens / Networking / Continental Breakfast (Business Administration Building, Lobby) 8:00am Panel: Status of Commercial Cargo and Crew9:30am Panel: Education ...10:45pm Panel: Privately Funded Space Launch12:15pm Luncheon (University Center, Exhibit Hall)

Announcement of Student Poster Awards2:15pm Panel: Privately Funded Space Utilization3:45pm Adjourn – Winning Student Poster Displays

WERNHER VON BRAUN MEMORIAL DINNER (New Davidson Center at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center)5:30pm Reception7:00pm Dinner Special Guest Speaker: Dennis TitoNote: The dinner is a separate event and is not included as part of the symposium registration. For information on the dinner go to www.spaceclub-hsv.org

Thursday, October 108:30–11:30Tour of the United Launch Alliance Atlas and Delta Rocket Production Facility (optional)

Bringing Exploration ForwardOctober7-10,2013

ChanAuditoriumヰBusinessAdministrationBuildingヰTheUniversityofAlabamainHuntsville301SparkmanDriveヰHuntsville,AL35899


BOOK REVIEW

America’s Space Sentinels: The History of the DSP and SBIRS Satellite Systems,SecondEdition,ExpandedbyJeffreyT.Richelson.Lawrence,Kansas:UniversityofKansasPress,2012.384pages.ISBN:978-0-7006-1879-8,$39.95(hardcover);ISBN: 978-0-7006-1880-4, $24.95 (pa-perback).

OnMay7,2011,theAirForcelaunchedits first geosynchronous (GEO) SpaceBased Infrared Satellite (SBIRS) fromCapeCanaveral.Itspurposewastoaug-mentaconstellationcomprisedoftheleg-acyDefenseSupportProgram(DSP)satel-litesandmorerecentpayloadsinhighlyelliptical orbit (HEO).These satellites,collectively,servedtoprovidespace-basedearlywarningofmissileattacks.InlightofSBIRSlaunch,the2012publicationofJeffreyT.Richelson’s secondeditionofAmerica’s Space Sentinelsistimely.Theoriginaledition,publishedin1999,titledAmerica’s Space Sentinels: DSP Satellites and National Security, offered valuableinsight into theDSPprogram–both itsstrengths and weaknesses.The secondedition,essentiallyanaddendum,bringsthe timeline to currency.Thisproves tobe both the newvolume’s strength andweakness.

BothofRichelson’seditionsopenwiththe post-WorldWar IImissilewarningclimate,alongwithalengthydiscussionoftheproposeddetectionsystemsandthosethat were actually built.These rangedfromground-based systems such as theDistant EarlyWarning (DEW) systemofradarsandtheBallisticMissileEarlyWarning System (BMEWS) to “picketairplanes”lyinginregularpatterns.Sincethese failed to provide adequate reac-

America’s Space Sentinels: The History of the DSP and SBIRS Satellite Systems

tion time to an intercontinental ballisticmissile launch from the Soviet Union,theproposalforaspace-basedsystemofsatelliteswasmade.Theauthor’snarrativethendescribesMIDASandProgram461,which were employed or implementedprior to the once highly classiiedDSPsystem.Finally,Richelson settles into adetailedexaminationoftheDSPsatellitesystem’sdevelopment,budgetwoes,andhowpoliticalmaneuvering affected theprogram.He touches briely onSBIRSasthenext-generationspace-basedearlywarningsystem,butreservesmostofthatdiscussion,alongwithawrap-upofDSPlaunches since the previous edition, fortheepilogue.

While Richelson presents an infor-mative discussion in the new edition’sfirst appendix regarding how the DSP

satellite functions, thismighthavebeenbetter placed in the main narrative onDSPsatellitedevelopment.Theauthor’soverviewof theDSPprogram is excel-lent, including description of failed orabandoneddevelopmentsandadditionstotheprogram.However,conjectureaboutcapabilitiesanddetectionsabound.Thisconjecture is unnecessary, since ampleevidenceexistsindeclassiieddocumenta-tiontoeffectivelyillustratethesatellite’scapabilitiesintermsofbothstrengthsandshortcomings.Finally,althoughthelegacyDSPsystemhasbeenintegratedwiththeSBIRSsystem,Richelsonfailstomentionthis.HeimpliesthattheUnitedStatesAirForcehastwodiscretespace-basedmissileearlywarningsystems–DSPandSBIRS.WhileHEOpayloadsandGEOsatelliteswill eventually replace the legacyDSPconstellation,thetwocurrentlyaugmentoneanothertoprovideuninterruptedearlywarning.TheywillcontinuetodosoaslongasDSPsatellitesremainfunctional.Likewise, ground systems for the con-stellationshavebeenfullyintegratedandoperateaspartoftheSBIRSsystem.

America’s Space Sentinels certainlyspeaks to a select audience.Space pro-fessionals will find this an interestingand informative, albeit presumptuouslyconjecture-illed,additiontotheirlibrar-ies.Nonetheless, less informed readersinterestedinmodernmissiledefensealsowouldindthissecondeditionenlighten-ing.

Shawn M. Riem is Air Force Space Com-mand’s 460th Space Wing historian, Buckley AFB, Colorado.

Reviewed by Shawn M. Riem


BOOK REVIEW

Rearming for the Cold War, 1945–1960by Elliott V. Converse III. Washington,D.C.: Historical Ofice, Ofice of theSecretary of Defense, 2012. 780 pages.ISBN 9780160911323. $86.00 US(hardback, illustrations, tables, charts,notes,appendices,glossary,bibliography,index).

A glance at the title of this volume,the irst of ive in a new series on thehistory of acquisition of major newweaponsystemsbytheU.S.Departmentof Defense, might lead one to wonderwhy itmerits a review in Space Times.It should not take long, however, forhistorically informed readers to recallthat the military services studied thefeasibility of earth-circling spaceshipsin the immediate postwar period, andnearly all development of U.S. spacelaunch vehicles during the 1950s–early1960s occurred under army, air force,or navy direction. Furthermore, themilitary services expended substantialresources during the early years of thecold war on research and development(R&D)ofsatellitesystems＿bothorbitaland terrestrial elements＿initially, forpurposesofintelligence,reconnaissance,surveillance, communications, andnavigation, with other space-basedapplications following after 1960. Nordid U.S. military visionaries overlookprospectsforhumanspacelightintoandbeyondearthorbit,asevidencedbyearlyprograms like Dyna-Soar and Man inSpaceSoonest.

InRearming for the Cold War,retiredairforcecolonelandprofessionalhistorianElliott Converse offers a thoroughlyresearched, masterfully crafted, richlydetailed,analyticallyastutesurveyofthe

Rearming for the Cold War, 1945–1960Reviewed by Rick D. Sturdevant

evolution of acquisition processes andpractices during 1945–1960 from theperspectiveoftheOficeoftheSecretaryof Defense and from each individualservice. Beginning with his prefatoryexplanationofhowtheterm“acquisition”evolved and his irst chapter on WorldWarIIasa“watershed”foracquisition,and ending with an elaboration of theascendancy of the weapon systemconceptwithineachoftheservicesafter1953,Converseexposesmisconceptions,misinterpretations, and factual errorsfoundinsecondarysources.Hecarefullyand methodically blends the content ofprimary documents and the insights ofhis scholarly predecessors to weave anintricatenarrativebasedoncasestudies.

Some astronautics professionalsmightindtheselectionofspeciiccaseslackingwithrespecttospacesystems.Amore careful reading, however, revealsthat R&D and production of guidedmissiles＿the source of most earlyU.S. space launch vehicles＿becamekey drivers in the transformation ofmilitary acquisition processes. Herein,thisreviewerindsonereasonRearming for the Cold War might prove usefulto nonmilitary readers. Knowing howand why military acquisition changedat the dawn of the space age mightgive NASA oficials, corporate leaders,congressional staff members, and

elected representatives insight as theywrestle to make tough decisions in aseverelyconstrainediscalenvironment.A refreshing exception to the manybureaucratic histories devoid of humanactors,Converse’svolumebringstolifethe roleof individuals inchanginghowthe U.S. military acquired its hardwareduringlushandnot-so-lushtimes.Morethan a half-century later, we can learnfromthis.

By understanding proceduralproblems, organizational impediments,and political roadblocks that plaguedacquirers of military systems in thepast, acquirers of space systems todaymightindthemselvesbetterpreparedtonavigate troubled waters. Recognizing,as Converse does, that goals andoutcomeswerenot the same thing, thatissures between R&D and production/procurementcausedscheduledelaysandcostincreases,thatlackofclearlinesofresponsibilityoraccountabilityhamperedproduction, that adoption of systemsengineering practices and concurrencyinieldingnewsystemshadadownside,and that technical achievementssometimes masked serious deicienciesinacquisitionorganizationandprocessesmight help today’s acquirers chart lesshazardous courses. Knowing thesethings also might humble acquisitionexperts, who should realize that for allthesigniicantadjustmentstoacquisitionapproachesovertime,hauntinglysimilarchallengespersist.

Dr. Rick W. Sturdevant is the deputy director of history for Air Force Space Command headquarters at Peterson AFB in Colorado Springs, Colorado.


9TH ANNUAL STUDENT CANSAT COMPETITION

CollegestudentsfromtheUnitedStates,Canada,Colombia, Guatemala, Iran, India,Turkey, UAE,andUnitedKingdomgatheredJune7-9inAbileneandBurkett,Texas,tocompeteintheannualStu-dentCanSatCompetition.Inordertoexperienceahands-onaerospaceprogramatanaffordablecost,eachteamhadtobuildandlaunchanautonomousCanSat payload via rocket to an altitude of 700meters.EachCanSat,weighingbetween690-710gramswasrequiredtocarryonelargerawhen’seggintactfromlaunchtolanding,aswellasanaudiblelocatingdevice.Duringthelightanddescent,real-timeGPSpositionandtelemetryweretransmittedtoagroundstation,withthedescentcontrolledsothe

U.S. Team Takes Top Prize at 9th StudentCanSat Competition

eggwasnotdamageduponlanding.Severalteamsalsodesignedtheirpayloadtotakeimagesduringdescent.Each teamwasalso required towriteamissionproposal,conductpreliminaryandcriticaldesignreviewswithstaffengineers,andprepare/presentapost-missiondebrief.

The competition is purposely designed to re-lectkeyaspectsofrealworldmissions,includingtelemetry requirements,budget restrictions,com-municationsandautonomousoperations.Thegoalisforallteamstoexperience,onasmallscale,atypicalaerospaceprogramfrompreliminarydesignreviewtopost-missiondebrief.Teamsarescoredthroughout the competition on deliverables such

Rockets being assembled


asschedules,designreviews,anddemonstrationlights.

Kapi’olani Community College from Honolulu,Hawaii, took irst place with the highest overallscore,followedcloselybyAmirkabirUniversityfromTehran,Iran,insecondplace.RyersonUniversity(Toronto,Canada)cameinthird,followedbyTheUniversityofPetroleumandEnergyStudies(Deh-radun,India)andSRMUniversity(Chennai,India)asthefourthandifthplacewinners.

Thisyear’scompetitionwassupportedbyAAS,

theAmerican Institute ofAstronautics andAero-nautics,JetPropulsionLaboratory,NavalResearchLaboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,Kratos,Praxis,andtheAIAASpaceOperations&SupportTechnical Committee. Planning for nextyear’scompetitionwillstartsoon,withnewmissionrequirementsandarevampedscoringsystem.Seeadditionalphotographsofthisandpastyear’seventsat www.cansatcompetition.com. For corporatesponsorshipopportunitiesforthe2014competition,contacttheAASBusinessOfice.

Last minute preparation

Team from the United KingdomFinal assembly

Did the egg survive?


Welcome New AAS Corporate Member

Membership ApplicationMembership Type Member ........................................$100

Senior Member .................... $115 Fellow (renewal only) ........... $115 Retired ................................ $50 Teacher (K-12) ..................... $45 Student (full-time) ................ $45

___________________________________________________________________________________________Mr./Mrs./Ms./Dr. LastName FirstName

___________________________________________________________________________________________Title Organization

___________________________________________________________________________________________Address

___________________________________________________________________________________________City State ZipCode

___________________________________________________________________________________________Phone Email

703-866-0020 http://astronautical.org

Payment Method Check VISA AMEX MasterCard

___________________________________Credit Card Number

____________________________________Expiration Date

____________________________________Signature

Mail to: AAS 6352RollingMillPlace,Suite102 Springield,VA22152-2370Fax to: 703-866-3526

Membership Beneits Include: Subscriptions to The Journal of the Astronautical Sciences (quarterly)andSPACE TIMES magazine(bi-monthly),aswellasreducedratesatallAASevents.VisittheAASwebsiteforadditionalinformationaboutbeneits.

Renew your membershipor join the AAS at

http┺【【astronautical┻org

Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research


UPCOMING EVENTS

AAS Events ScheduleJuly16-18,20132nd Annual International Space Station (ISS)Research and Development ConferenceDiscoveries, Applications and OpportunitiesDenverMarriottCityCenterDenver,Coloradowww.astronautical.org

August11-15,2013* AAS/AIAA Astrodynamics Specialist ConferenceHiltonHeadMarriottResortHiltonHead,SouthCarolinawww.space-light.org

September23-27,2013International Astronautical Congress (IAC)Beijing,Chinawww.iafastro.com

October7-9,20136th Wernher von Braun Memorial SymposiumBringing Exploration ForwardTheUniversityofAlabamainHuntsvilleChanAuditorium,BusinessAdministrationBuildingHuntsville,Alabamawww.astronautical.org

January26-30,2014* 24th AAS/AIAA Space Flight Mechanics MeetingSantaFe,NewMexicowww.space-light.org

January31-February5,201437th Annual Guidance and Control ConferenceBeaverRunResortBreckenridge,Coloradowww.aas-rocky-mountain-section.org

March4-6,201452nd Robert H. Goddard Memorial SymposiumGreenbeltMarriottGreenbelt,Marylandwww.astronautical.org

June17-19,20143rd Annual International Space Station (ISS)Research and Development ConferenceHyattRegencyMcCormickPlaceChicago,Illinoiswww.astronautical.orgCall for Papers:September2013Abstract Deadline:March1,2014

* AAS Co-sponsored Meetings

AAS Corporate Members a.i. solutions, Inc. Aerojet The Aerospace Corporation Air Force Institute of Technology Analytical Graphics, Inc. Applied Defense Solutions, Inc. Arianespace Auburn University Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. The Boeing Company CASIS Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research dataCon, Inc. Dittmar Associates, Inc. Dynetics Edge Space Systems, Inc. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Euroconsult USA, Inc. Honeywell Technology Solutions, Inc. International Space University Jet Propulsion Laboratory JHU / Applied Physics Laboratory KinetX, Inc. Leverage Dynamics LLC Lockheed Martin Corporation Marquette University Noblis Northrop Grumman Orbital Sciences Corporation The Pennsylvania State University Phillips & Company Qwaltec RWI International Consulting Services Science Applications International Corporation SGT, Inc. Space and Technology Policy Group, LLC Space Dynamics Lab / Utah State University SpaceX The Tauri Group Technica, Inc. Texas A&M University United Launch Alliance Univelt, Inc. Universities Space Research Association University of Alabama in Huntsville University of Florida University of Texas at Austin Virginia Commercial Space Flight Authority /

Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Women in Aerospace

Thank you for your continued support!

24

6352RollingMillPlace Suite102 Springield,VA22152-2370

AddressServiceRequested

NonProitOrg.U.S.Postage

PAIDPermit#161

Lancaster,PA

SPACE TIMES•May/June2013

Documents

ISSUE 3–VOLUME 52 · This proposal has alarmed many professional space organizations, ... The CanSat Competition inspires students to undertake space-related careers – one of