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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also is working on a satellite wireless communications system which will allow mobile e-mail and voice communications to operate if the cellular infrastructure is compromised.
Read MoreSpace systems are an ideal technology for many military applications and will continue to play key roles in homeland security, defense, and intelligence arenas. For communications, satellites provide an “over-the-horizon” capability that is not matched by terrestrial communication systems.
Read MoreThe U.S. Military’s Global Positioning System (GPS) was completed in 1993. Initially, the system was developed to create a single navigation system used by all forces and for precision weapon delivery. The system is still used for munitions guidance and has become an integral part of logistics tracking and navigation and control of UAVs.
Read MoreRemote sensing weather satellites also are an important element of military activities. Weather satellites provide a continuous view of weather patterns over the battlefield through a suite of sophisticated instruments. These include high-resolution spatial and temporal images and full-time operational soundings that measure vertical temperature and moisture profiles of the atmosphere.
Read MoreDefense and intelligence agencies also rely on remote sensing satellites to provide images to increase awareness of a battlefield, target, or national border. The military uses both UAVs and satellites as platforms for these sensors, and these systems may include aerial cameras, Earth-orbiting multi-spectral sensors, and imaging radar systems.
Read MoreGreater biotechnology research and manufacturing is among the far-term prospects (20-30 years) for space enterprise, given more affordable access and orbital platforms. However, there are several current applications of biotechnology to space science and exploration, including research efforts in food production, microbial ecology in closed space habitats, and sensors for monitoring astronauts’ health.
Read MoreGreater biotechnology research and manufacturing is among the far-term prospects (20-30 years) for space enterprise, given more affordable access and orbital platforms. However, there are several current applications of biotechnology to space science and exploration, including research efforts in food production, microbial ecology in closed space habitats, and sensors for monitoring astronauts’ health.
Read MoreThe use of satellite monitoring for infectious diseases supports the recent increase in funding and support for environmental diseases by organizations such as the UN Global Fund, the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Read MoreMany hospitals use satellite communication networks as back-up in case terrestrial line service is interrupted or in case of problems with the power grid. For instance, ## acute care hospitals in Connecticut use a system dubbed MedSat for such cases.
Read MoreSpace enables a variety of health and biotechnology applications including telemedicine, tracking of disease and allergy vectors, and biotechnology research. The OECD notes that telemedicine is one of the most promising applications of space telecommunication services. Trends of increased mobility and transport costs, along with military interest, are cited as demand drivers for space-enabled telemedicine.
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