Browse Resources by Topic

Chinese Anti-Satellite Test Successful

China stirred controversy when it tested an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon on January 11, 2007. Using a ground-launched missile, the Chinese military destroyed an old Chinese weather satellite. The test followed two unsuccessful attempts.

Read More

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Testing in the ISS

Commercial space-based biotechnology and pharmaceuticals manufacturing is in a very early developmental phase. A U.S. based corporation, SPACEHAB, announced plans to pursue manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and materials on the ISS.

Read More

Eye-tracker for Surgeons

University of Pittsburgh researchers have found another solution to the problem of limited bandwidth in telemedicine. A device that tracks the focal point of a surgeon’s eyes has enabled the team to isolate the area of interest in an image.

Read More

Sending Sonograms Through Space

New technologies for decreasing the bandwidth requirements for telemedicine were developed in 2007. More bandwidth, or more efficient use of available bandwidth capacity, opens more types of medical care to telemedicine applications.

Read More

How Bad is Pollution in China?

ESA satellites have been used to monitor air pollution levels in a number of studies, including the measurement of gaseous pollutants in India, and nitrogen dioxide emissions during a traffic restriction event in Beijing, China.

Read More

Space Sensors Measure Aerosol Concentrations

In 2007, researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health tested the ability of satellite sensors to measure ground-level aerosol concentrations. Aerosols include the smallest debris resulting from burning fossil fuels. These small particles can be the most dangerous to public health because they are easily absorbed into the blood stream through the lungs.

Read More

Helping the Blind Get Around

A prototype project in Europe uses GPS signals to guide visually impaired individuals to their destinations. Tested in Madrid, this European Space Agency (ESA) project — developed in partnership with the Spanish firm GMV Sistemas and the Spanish National Organization of the Blind — uses a handheld device with headphones to give auditory directions to a visually impaired user.

Read More

Searching For Downed Aircraft With Satellite Imagery

In September 2007, a search-and-rescue mission for missing aviator Steve Fossett was aided by volunteers who never left their homes. Instead of combing forests and mountains, these searchers scanned digital satellite images provided by the commercial remote sensing firms GeoEye and DigitalGlobe for signs of Fossett’s downed plane.

Read More

Students Get GPS Phones

In response to the tragic events at Virginia Tech in the spring of 2007, several colleges have begun distributing GPS phones with tracking devices to students.

Read More

How Safe a Driver Are You? GPS Might Answer that Question

Vehicle tracking technologies are developing in sophistication to support consumer safety applications. A number of automakers now provide in-vehicle GPS devices that can monitor location, speed, use of safety belts, and the presence of passengers.

Read More