Space Products & Innovation

Governance, Education, and Infrastructure


Sticky GPS Trackers Slow Police Down

Satellite services are also being used by law enforcement in new ways to find and apprehend suspects. StarChase is a GPS-based pursuit management system that reduces the need for dangerous and destructive high-speed vehicle chases. Installed into the front of a law enforcement vehicle, StarChase targets and launches an adhesive GPS-enabled tracking device at fleeing suspect vehicles. Law enforcement can then track the suspect’s car at a safe distance.

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Galileo Beacons Augment COSPAS-SARSAT

Governments cooperate on the use of space assets in search and rescue missions. The Cospas-Sarsat Program is an international effort to improve search and rescue (SAR) operations by outfitting a fleet of satellites to detect radiobeacons activated by parties in distress, then using the data to locate the individuals. SAR repeaters installed on satellites of ESA’s Galileo program were tested in January 2013 for the first time, expanding the suite of satellites capable of detecting radiobeacons.

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NASA Spacecraft-locating Technology Used For Finding Disaster Victims

After a natural disaster, finding survivors amidst rubble is a daunting task. NASA technology used to precisely locate spacecraft has been adapted to detect the heartbeats and breathing of survivors trapped beneath debris. The new device, Finding Individuals for Disaster and Emergency Response (FINDER), sends microwave radar signals into rubble and analyzes the pattern of returned signals to detect heartbeats.

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Governance, Education, and Infrastructure

Satellite products and services play an important role in governance, education, and the development and maintenance of infrastructure. Governments around the world rely on satellite communications for programs as diverse as election monitoring, border security, tax collection, distance learning, disaster relief, and national defense.

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…And You Get .5 Mbps…

Space assets can help to improve and monitor government services and public infrastructure. Earth observation satellites can effectively image large swaths of the Earth’s surface, while communications satellites provide connectivity in regions where ground-based communications are costly or difficult. In 2013, the European Union (EU) reached the goal of ensuring 100% of citizens have access to broadband internet services of at least 0.5 megabits per second (Mbps), a feat made possible through satellite internet services to remote regions.

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Verifying War Crimes Using Earth Observation Imagery

While having a robust and open media network is an important step for developing nations, satellites can also be used to monitor regions in political turmoil where free media is suppressed. During clashes between Syrian government forces and rebels, Amnesty International commissioned DigitalGlobe to provide satellite imagery of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, to document artillery shelling and attacks on noncombatants.

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Satellite Infrastructure Supports Middle East Media

Satellite communications play a very important role in developing nations, which often lack extensive ground-based infrastructure. In order to improve its broadcasting capabilities, Iraq is in the process of deploying new satellite television terminals to operate within the Arab States Broadcasting Union. This group serves as the umbrella organization for Arab government-owned radio and television channels, promoting media broadcasting and content development in the region.

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Vatican Library Saved by Heavenly Technology

Governments also employ space technology to safeguard important and culturally significant artifacts. When the Vatican library needed to digitize antique books, it turned to a data format originally developed for storing astronomical data. The “flexible image transport system” (FITS) was developed jointly by NASA and ESA in the 1970s and features several qualities that make it well suited for digitally archiving the Vatican collection.

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Astronomers Reach Out to Developing World

The importance of space as a driver for education also extends to other parts of the world. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has begun implementing a strategic plan titled “Astronomy for the Developing World.” The resulting Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD) is hosted at the South African Astronomical Observatory. The OAD uses the  scientific, technological, and cultural benefits of astronomy as a development tool by soliciting and funding project proposals, hosting visiting experts, and organizing a variety of astronomy-themed educational events.

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